Pledge to end the epidemic of Violence Against Women and Girls in London.
Today, Solace, a leading London domestic abuse charity, is calling on the candidates for the next Mayor of London to commit to support survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence get the help they need.
Violence against women and girls continues to be an epidemic across London – 1 in 8 recorded offences in London are for domestic abuse and there were nearly 25,000 police recorded sexual offences in London last year.
Since the last Mayoral election, multiple reviews into the Metropolitan Police have highlighted that trust between women and the police is at a low. The Casey Review into standards and culture of the Metropolitan Police set out the huge challenges that the force faces in tackling institutional misogyny, racism, and homophobia, and ensuring it supports all Londoners.
At Solace we’ve seen the increased cost of living is continuing to have a significant impact on women who are experiencing abuse and on the specialist services supporting them. Perpetrators are using these challenging financial situations as a form of control and many women are scared that they will be left destitute or homeless if they leave. Rising rents and limited social housing create additional barriers for women and mean that often they stay in unsafe and potentially life threatening situations.
We need to end violence against women and girls once and for all. To help us do that we ask that the people that represent us, the policymakers and influencers to take our pledge to:
- Make VAWG a priority through a new and ambitious strategy
- Improve the Metropolitan Police’s response to VAWG
- Ensure access to safe and affordable housing for VAWG survivors
- Ensure all victims can access services and victim support services are fairly funded.
Nahar Choudhury, Solace CEO:
“Ending violence against women and girls must be a priority for the next Mayor of London and Greater London Assembly. Every day we see the harm that domestic abuse and sexual violence has on women’s lives across London, and how more needs to be done to support and protect them.”.
“Recent reviews have also highlighted the urgent priority to tackle police perpetrated abuse, including improved recruitment and vetting processes and implementing a more robust approach to misconduct and the need to address wider discriminatory cultures.
“We are still seeing far too many women facing the impossible choice having to stay in an abusive and often escalating situation or lose their home. London’s housing crisis and the increased cost of living is only exacerbating this.”
“We urge all Mayoral and Greater London Assembly (GLA) candidates to sign our four pledges to demonstrate their commitment to achieving this goal so that all women and girls can live free from the fear and reality of male violence and flourish in London.”