What is VAWG – Violence Against Women and Girls

* Information taken from www.npcc.police.uk/our-work/violence-against-women-and-girls

The harm caused to victims and society by violence against women and girls (VAWG) in all its forms – including but not limited to harassment, stalking, rape, sexual assault, murder, honour-based abuse, coercive control – is immeasurable.

While men and boys also suffer from many of these forms of abuse, they disproportionately affect women. A woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK. Domestic abuse makes up 18 per cent of all recorded crime in England and Wales. In the year ending March 2022, there were 194,683 sexual offences, of which 70,330 were rape.

Policing, and society, must focus on violence against women and girls so that it can be eradicated. The policing response has been shown to be inconsistent and so there is now a national focus on supporting forces to prioritise VAWG-related crimes.

Nearly all forms of VAWG are expected to continue to rise in the coming year.

The offences identified by policing carrying the biggest threat to women are:

  • Domestic abuse
  • Rape and serious sexual offences
  • Child sexual abuse and exploitation
  • Tech enabled VAWG such as online stalking and harassment
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