Victims’ Commissioner: NAO VAWG report highlights critical lack of understanding
The Victims' Commissioner responds to the National Audit Office report Tackling Violence against Women and Girls.
The Home Office’s response to the “serious and growing problem” of violence against women and girls (VAWG) has been ineffective, the UK’s spending watchdog has said.
The National Audit Office published Tackling Violence against Women and Girls, a ‘value for money’ report examining the Home Office’s response to violence against women and girls.
Looking at two main strategies — the 2021 “Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls” Strategy and the 2022 “Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan” — the report concludes that:
- The Home Office is not currently leading an effective cross-government response.
- It has a limited understanding of the extent of resources devoted to addressing violence against women and girls (VAWG) across government and the impact this is having.
- Without this knowledge, the Home Office cannot be confident that the government is doing the best it can to keep women and girls safe.
In her response, the Victims’ Commissioner continues to reference cuts to victim services, including that this is a ‘short-sighted’ move in light of the government’s target to halve violence against women and girls within the next decade.
Commenting on the report, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, said:
The government has set an ambitious target of halving violence against women and girls within the next decade. This vision is welcome, commendable, and necessary – but as this report makes clear, there remains a critical lack of understanding about what truly works.
We know we cannot simply police our way out of this crisis; an effective strategy will require co-ordinated action across all sectors, with a shared vision underpinned by strong leadership from the centre. Departments must sing from the same hymn sheet and pull in the same direction. That much is clear.
To improve safety for women and girls, we must listen to victims and those who support them. Too many victims do not engage with the justice system—and too often, we fail to understand why.
Support services remain a lifeline, offering vital help in recovery and the support to pursue justice — if victims choose to do so. These services do what the justice system often cannot: they rebuild lives, restore agency, and provide a path forward.
And yet, they are now facing funding cuts just as the burden of National Insurance contributions is set to rise. If we are to achieve the ambition of halving violence against women and girls within a decade, we cannot afford false-starts. Which is why the recent news of planned funding cuts is not only concerning but also short-sighted.
ENDS