Violence against women in the UK is a national emergency

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

- NITIN MEHTA

As the brutal rape and murder of a doctor in West Bengal continues to rock India, a similar tragedy is unfolding in the UK.

Violence against women is now a national emergency according to a report from the National Police Chief ’s Council. In 2022-2023 reported cases of domestic and sexual violence, stalking, harassment, exploitation and child abuse in England and Wales were 37% higher than in 2018-2019. There were 2.1 million victims of domestic abuse in the year ending March 2023. 20% of all reported crime is that of domestic violence. Between 2018 and 2023 one million crimes were committed against women and girls. On average 140 women have been killed by men every year since 2009 in the UK. So far this year upto the month of August 50 women have been killed by men. On Britain’s trains violent attacks as well as sexual assaults on women have gone up by more than 50% since 2021. It is also a matter of great shame that both in India and the UK members of public do not intervene even when they see an attack happening on a woman. A society that fails to protect its women and children will degenerate into a dystopian state.

According to a report prepared by Maggie Blyth, Deputy Chief Constable and lead in Violence Against Women and girls(VAWG):