Government Plan for Change Falls Short on Violence Against Women and Girls

9th December 2024

On Thursday, the Prime Minister outlined his government’s Plan for Change. While some important issues were addressed, it failed to outline how the government plans to meet its commitment to halving violence against women and girls (VAWG) within the next decade.

At Imkaan, we believe this commitment can only be achieved through an intersectional, human rights-based, and cross-government approach, with prevention at its core. Additionally, Black and minoritised women need to be at the centre of any efforts to address and reduce VAWG, as they are disproportionately affected by both systemic and societal barriers.

Our response to the PM’s speech highlights the critical gaps in his plan and outlines the crucial actions needed to ensure that VAWG is tackled effectively, with Black and minoritised women at the forefront.

Mental Health Support

While the government promises that 92% of patients in England will have to wait no longer than 18 weeks for elective treatments, our report Why Should Our Rage Be Tidy? with Women and Girls Network (WGN) and University of Warwick, found that Black and minoritised women who have experienced abuse often face retraumatisation and pathologisation when trying to access mental health support. 

To address these challenges, the government must:

  • Recognise the mental health impacts of VAWG on Black and minoritised women; and take active steps to increase understanding.

  • Acknowledge and dismantle barriers to accessing support at both local and national levels.

Criminal Justice

Government plans to increase police presence, such as putting 13,000 extra officers on the street, ignore the systemic barriers Black, minoritised, and migrant women face when reporting VAWG. They further disacknowledge the systemic failures that result in reports not progressing in the CJS. Our report Life or Death?, with Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ), highlights that state failures by police and other services have resulted in tragic outcomes, including the deaths of Black and minoritised women. Of our sample of 38 homicides, 20 (52%) of the women reported to the police. Black and minoritised women cannot be expected to have confidence and place their trust in the criminal justice system before there is significant, systemic transformation to how Black and minoritised women, and their wider communities, are treated by the CJS.

To address these barriers to support, the government must:

  • Ensure access to female interpreters for all women.

  • Mandate disaggregated police data to both understand and address inequalities.

  • Focus on prevention and holistic solutions, not just criminal justice measures.

Asylum-Seeking Women

The government must also address the unique barriers faced by asylum-seeking women with experience of VAWG. Our report Not Safe Here, with Rape Crisis England & Wales, found that poor Home Office accommodation, lack of support, and the scrutiny throughout the asylum process, is retraumatising survivors; particularly those who have been victims of sexual violence.

There is an urgent need for the government to prioritise:

  • Safe, community-based accommodation for women seeking asylum and specialist by and for support.

  • Specialist ‘by and for’ support services.

Sustainable Funding for Specialist Services

Halving VAWG in a decade requires sustainable, long-term funding for specialist by and for services. Over a decade of local authority cuts has created unequal competition in commissioning, disproportionately impacting Black and minoritised women’s services. These organisations have been hit the hardest.

The government must act boldly to address these systemic barriers and create a future where all women and girls are safe, supported, and able to thrive.

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To halve VAWG in a decade, bold, intersectional action, not empty promises, is essential. Our statement sets out key actions the government must take, but our reports provide detailed recommendations and frameworks for addressing systemic barriers, and supporting Black, minoritised, and migrant women affected by violence, the criminal justice system, and asylum-seeking processes.

Read our reports. Share them to amplify our message. Raise your voice.

Change-makers - recognise that you need to meet our amplified voices with real action to ensure the government delivers on the promises made for Black, minoritised, and migrant women.

The time to act is now – because the lives and futures of Black,
minoritised and migrant  women cannot wait.