The Labour Government has committed to halving violence against women and girls within a decade. This will only be achieved if there is a greater focus on prevention, according to the Home Affairs Select Committee of MPs. They have reported on funding for tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG).
Chair comment
Chair of the cross-party Home Affairs Committee, the Conservative MP Dame Karen Bradley said: โTackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), and supporting victims, requires a range of services that meet complex, sensitive and diverse needs. Yet the processes for commissioning those services are hard to navigate and time consuming.
โBig providers are best placed to deal with the bureaucracy and short-termism of the current system. But itโs often the smaller providers who are best placed to provide the specific type of support that stops people falling through the gaps. Weโre calling for a new approach that recognises the unique contribution that smaller providers can make. We also want to see a more strategic approach that understands where all the different funding pots are working and where gaps remain.
โUltimately VAWG services are there to deal with the consequences of behaviours that cannot be tolerated. If the Government is to truly address violence against women and girls it will need to deal with the root causes โ this means investing in prevention and funding research into what works.โ
The report points to a lack of a standardised definition of VAWG across government, policing, and the charity sector; and inconsistent collection of data. Funding remains fragmented and poorly aligned with evidence of what works; transparency is limited and trust in the Home Officeโs ability to lead remains low, according to the report. It said: “We are not convinced that the department has the capacity or imagination to deliver on its target.” The report called for a shift to three to five year funding cycles.
NAO report
The MPs pointed to a January 2025 report by the National Audit Office (NAO), on the subject, that made similar findings. It noted the Home Office leads on the governmentโs response to tackling VAWG, including domestic abuse; and a strategy dates from 2021. However, achieving progress requires the commitment of multiple government departments, the auditors pointed out.
LGA say
Among those giving evidence on the subject to the MPs was the Local Government Association (LGA). Heather Kidd, Chair of the LGAโs Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: โCouncils are deeply committed to tackling violence against women and girls, domestic abuse and sexual violence. Alongside key partners, they play a key role in providing the essential services that individuals affected by this issue rely on for support.
โHowever, the sad truth is that financial pressures have impacted councilsโ ability to provide VAWG services, which are underfunded and financially unsustainable. It was disappointing to not receive clarity in the recent Spending Review when tackling VAWG is a key government priority. Local government needs long-term and stable financial approach, alongside improved coordination great local flexibility around commissioning, to be able to reverse this.โ
APCC view
For the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) joint leads for Violence Against Women and Girls, Clare Moody, PCC for Avon and Somerset; and Matthew Scott, PCC for Kent, said: โAs the report recognises, despite the rise in reported cases, funding has fallen and system-wide factors, including court backlogs, increased costs and the complexity of victimsโ needs all contribute to increased challenges at a time when we are all focused on delivering the governmentโs mission to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade. In giving evidence to the committee, we and other Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) highlighted the 4.2% cut in victims funding in 2025-26 which is already having an impact on victimsโ services and support, and the pressing need to deliver longer term funding so that victims can access the support they need to cope and recover confidence in the system.
โWe are committed to the governmentโs ambitions to halve violence against women and girls but agree a single definition must be agreed to deliver clarity.”
