Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

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VAWG is a crime. Information should therefore be available in different languages so that those
with English as a second or other language can be made aware of the law, how to access help
from the police, and the wider support available. 33 Although the Home Office has produced a
‘step-by-step’ guide for BMER victims of VAWG in various community languages with the NGO,
Southall Black Sisters, 34 more widespread publicity is still required in different forms to reach
more women within minority communities. 35
VAWG projects
The Bailey Review
Disappointingly the Bailey Review 36 into the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood
which the Government mention in their report, continued to reinforce gender stereotypes
rather than challenging them and there has been a lot of criticism 37 about its simplistic and
moralistic attitude to sexuality. The review is heteronormative and makes problematic
assumptions about socio-economic status and race rather than dealing with the complexity of
issues affecting young people, and especially girls, in the UK today. (See Article 5)
Alongside investment in awareness and education on VAWG, we would like to see increased
efforts to raise awareness about the legal remedies and services available to those
experiencing VAWG.
Recommendation:
Raise awareness of VAWG and challenge discriminatory attitudes and stereotypes,
including harmful traditional or social practices, through education and the media
The Stern Review
The Stern Review 38 recommended that more needs to be done to explain published statistics
on rape conviction rates. It is also clear that more could be done to gather information about
the prevalence of sexual violence against women in the UK and to analyse and disseminate
information already gathered, so that it can be used to direct and influence law and policy in this
area. 39 (See Appendix: 32)
As the Stern Review states, implementation of policies is patchy (in rank and geographical areas)
and so, until training is consistent and, very importantly, monitored for results, work still needs
to be done by police to fulfil international obligations to implement gender sensitive policies
in relation to sexual violence and ensure legislation is used effectively by having an effective
criminal justice system (CJS).
33. Victim Support (2012) Listening and Learning: Improving support for victims in London. Produced by Victim Support in partnership
with the Home Office and Ministry of Justice http://www.victimsupport.org/About-us/Policy-and-research/~/media/Files/Publications/
ResearchReports/VSA%20reports/Listening%20and%20learning%20-%20London
34. Southall Black Sisters http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk/ Accessed: 22/04/13
35. Home Office (2012) English – Three steps to escaping domestic violence https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-threesteps-to-escaping-domestic-violence
36. Bailey, R. (2011) Letting Children be Children – Report of an Independent Review of the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood.
Department for Education https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/CM%208078
37. Boynton, P. (2011) ‘Unpacking the Bailey Review on the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood’, Petra Boynton PhD blog, 6th
June 2011 http://www.drpetra.co.uk/blog/unpacking-the-bailey-review-on-commercialisation-and-sexualisation-of-childhood/
38. Government Equalities Office (2010) The Stern Review: A report by Baroness Vivien Stern CBE of an independent review into how
rape complaints are handled by public authorities in England and Wales. GEO: London http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.
uk/20100418065537/equalities.gov.uk/stern_review.aspx
39. Rights of Women (2010) Measuring up? UK compliance with international commitments on violence against women in England and Wales.
ROW: London http://www.rightsofwomen.org.uk/pdfs/Measuring_up_A_report_by_Rights_of_Women.pdf
Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013 175