Council Holding Domestic Violence Consultation
Residents being asked to help form strategy to prevent attacks on women and girls
Wandsworth Council are consulting residents on their Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. This seeks to tackle domestic violence and abuse, sexual violence, female genital mutilation, so-called 'honour-based' violence, forced marriage as well as stalking and harassment.
Residents are being urged to help devise a new strategy as serious offences like these have a huge impact on people’s lives, the economy, health services and the criminal justice system. Survivors of violence and abuse, families and friends, individuals or organisations working with survivors or perpetrators, or anyone with views in general, are being encouraged to take part in the consultation to help refine and enhance the strategy.
The three-year plan, which is now subject to public consultation, has been drawn up with the intention of reducing the prevalence of violence against women and girls; building the skills and capability of local organisations to provide effective advice and support services; reducing serious harm resulting from violence against women and girls and increasing the number of reported offenders brought to justice.
Whilst the new strategy will broadly focus on tackling violence against females, it will also consider how to prevent these crimes being committed against male victims.
The council’s community safety spokesman Cllr Jonathan Cook said: “This is a crucial issue for communities up and down the country. Our job as a local authority is to work with the police and with victims to tackle and prevent these types of crimes.
“There will be people in our borough with experience and insight of these problems whose voices have perhaps not been heard before.
“We want to hear from them so that they can help us shape our plans and policies to tackle this issue much more effectively and reduce the harm and risk of harm to women and girls.”
To take part in the consultation please visit the council’s website. The consultation runs until September 13.
Anyone who requires a paper version of the survey, or would like to read it in another language or format, can email consult@wandsworth.gov.uk.
August 9, 2019