Our response to the Government’s VAWG Strategy launch

A statement by Nina Humphries, UK Feminista’s Director, in response to the Government’s VAWG Strategy launch.

“UK Feminista welcomes the Government’s long-awaited Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, particularly its recognition of the urgent need for prevention and early intervention in schools. Yet serious gaps remain – most notably it lacks the concrete commitments necessary to tackle commercial sexual exploitation.

We are pleased that the strategy commits to funding support for schools to combat violence against women and girls and the attitudes and behaviours that fuel it. We agree that schools must foster a culture where harmful attitudes and behaviours are consistently challenged – and that everyone, from leadership to pupils, play a crucial role in creating a safe, inclusive environment. UK Feminista has long championed whole school approaches to combat sexism and sexual harassment, providing support and resources to education settings and building a strong evidence base on what works. We stand ready to share our services, expertise and recommendations on the systemic changes needed to deliver meaningful and lasting change in education – and society as a whole.

The strategy also importantly recognises the need to confront the wider ecosystem that fuels violence against women and girls. This must include holding online drivers of misogyny accountable – particularly the pornography trade, in which violence and exploitation is endemic. It is crucial that the Online Safety Act’s highly effective age assurance obligations are implemented robustly to prevent children’s access to pornography. The Government must extend safeguards that apply to pornography offline to pornography distributed online, as well as legally requiring pornography websites to verify the age and permission of every individual featured on platforms – and giving individuals the legal right to withdraw their consent at any time to the continued publication of pornography in which they appear. UK Feminista continues to work alongside survivors, practitioners and parliamentarians to call for these changes.

Finally, whilst there is some recognition of harms relating to commercial sexual exploitation, such as prostitution and pornography, we are deeply concerned that the strategy lacks the concrete commitments necessary to tackle it. These forms of violence against women and girls cause profound harm, particularly to those facing intersecting inequalities. Unless we target demand, support survivors and hold profiteers and perpetrators accountable, the exploitation of some of society’s most marginalised women will continue.”