This article is written by Dr Judith Fletcher-Brown (corresponding author), Senior Lecturer, University of Portsmouth.

  • The problem: According to the 2019/20 Crime Survey for England and Wales, in 84% of sexual offences the victim was female. Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is committed mostly by men. Current public policy does not safeguard women.
  • Why it matters: Recent incidences of spiking, upskirting and mistrust in the police have further compounded issues in women’s safety in private and public spaces. Their
  • The solution: Research-informed public policy on issues aligned to VAWG needs a significant overhaul.

Women and girls are facing a parallel pandemic of violence committed against them – mostly by men. The fear of being unsafe and the escalation of violence experienced by many places women and girls in an inequitable position in society. Recent statistics released by the ONS identify the impact of lockdown during Covid-19 on domestic violence, where many women and girls were forced to stay in close proximity to their abuser as strict limitations were placed on daily life. Whilst domestic violence remains a hidden crime, calls-for-service from the police to domestic incidents during the lockdown increased. Many were found to be largely driven by third-party calls such as neighbours as people were spending more time at home during this period. It would seem many in society were no longer prepared to be bystanders.

The ensuing number of murders and sexual violence against women suggests modern-day society has created a culture that normalises VAWG and misogyny in men.

However, whilst this may be evidence of a positive intervention on VAWG, the tragic deaths of women such as Sarah Everard, Sabina Nessa, Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, Julia James, Gracie Spinks and Bobbi-Anne McLeod have kept the issue in the public consciousness. Much of this behaviour has been both created and maintained by the media, such as portrayals of women as sexualised and subjugated in film texts, social media content, and advertisements. A recent example of the thoughtless understanding of women’s safety is Sainsbury’s creative approach to advertising a £24 wrap dress. The campaign featured the copy: “For walks in the parks or strolls after dark”. Sainsbury’s has since withdrawn the advert after receiving a huge backlash online for appearing to ignore women’s safety

Why the backlash? Had they forgotten that on the evening of 17 September 2021, 28-year-old Sabina Nessa was murdered in south-east London, United Kingdom. Her body was found the following day in Cator Park, Greenwich, having been beaten and strangled. Parks and the dark are unfortunately not safe spaces for women and girls.

Women taking action

The ensuing number of murders and sexual violence against women suggests modern-day society has created a culture that normalises VAWG and misogyny in men. Since the pandemic, it has become evident in night-time economy spaces when laddish behaviour over-spills into violence. Women have become increasingly organised and mindful of concerns about their own safety. Women have had enough of men interpreting their presence as an invitation to exert unsolicited sexual behaviour towards them. An online demonstration and nightclub and bar boycott against the issue of drink spiking was held by UK university students in October 2021 amid alarming evidence of needle spiking. Their action successfully put pressure on some businesses in the night-time economy to provide resources to help keep women safe. These resources included specialist VAWG staff training, on-the-door searching, provision of rest and retreat areas, safe transport schemes, and ‘spikey’ bottle stoppers to reduce drink spiking. The demonstrations have also resulted in greater impetus for bar and club safety accreditation schemes launched by various stakeholders, including police, local councils and third-sector organisations.

Weak public policy response by the government

In reaction to women and organisations taking action, the government finally set to address the problem. In 2021 a meeting of the Criminal Justice Taskforce, chaired by the Prime Minister, new measures were introduced to reassure women and girls which focused on preventing sexual violence including, increasing the ‘Safer Streets fund’ for street lighting and CCTV and a nationwide roll out of pilots of ‘Project Vigilant’ (plain clothed police keeping watch in bars and clubs). Further statutory regulations have recently been introduced to dissuade men from pursuing non-consensual acts against the rights of women to be safe in public and private spaces. Protect Duty, now to be known as ‘Martyn’s Law’ in tribute to Martyn Hett, who was killed alongside 21 others in the Manchester Arena terrorist attack in 2017 has been introduced to ensure stronger protections against terrorism in public places. Similarly, the Spiking (Offence) Bill which identifies as an offence to administer or attempt to administer drugs or alcohol to a person without their consent. Furthermore, ‘The Voyeurism (Offences) (No. 2) Bill’ in UK law, known as the “upskirting bill”; taking sexually intrusive photographs without permission is a criminal offence punishable by up to two years in prison.

Robust research is needed to inform bold policy initiatives

At best these policy initiatives suggest a level of government awareness but at worst they reveal a staggering naivety about the causes of VAWG. Often VAWG is committed in broad daylight (e.g. bullying, online violence, domestic abuse, sexual harassment), CCTV can have an impact on reducing fear of crime but does not challenge misogyny which is more pervasive than more street lighting. Plainclothes officers in night-time establishments are not needed by women.

As Sexual Abuse & Sexual Violence Awareness Week approaches, research-informed policy that understands the nuances of the misogynistic behaviour, systemic violence and victim blaming experienced by women would provide better evidence to educate men, catch offenders, sentence offenders and criminalise offenders.

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