New strategy presents significant challenges
The publication in December of the UK Government’s new cross-government strategy, ‘Freedom from violence and abuse’, represents an important step in addressing one of the country’s most urgent public safety challenges.
With one in eight women experiencing sexual assault, domestic abuse or stalking in the past year, and the Government rightly recognising this as a national emergency, decisive action is needed.
The strategy for England and Wales sets a bold ambition: to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.
It identifies three key pillars: prevention and tackling root causes; pursuing perpetrators; and improving support for victims and survivors.
Each of these reflects areas in which councils already play a central role.
“This is not just a policing and criminal justice issue; education, public health, housing, social care and community safety must all work together”
Local government delivers a wide range of services that prevent harm, respond to crises and support survivors. Councils provide and commission specialist domestic abuse services, run housing support programmes and refuges, and work through community safety partnerships.
They also lead safeguarding boards, collaborate with health services, schools and the voluntary sector, and design early intervention initiatives that stop abuse before it escalates.
These examples show that prevention is not just a policy aspiration, but a practical reality delivered locally.
We welcome several aspects of the new strategy.
Its emphasis on prevention and early intervention, including education and behaviour-change programmes, aligns with the work councils already deliver in schools and communities.
The strategy’s focus on trauma-informed, victim-centred support, and the commitment to strengthen multi-agency working, will help improve coordination between local services, the police and the voluntary sector. The Government has also announced additional funding for victim support services, which is vital to sustain and expand these initiatives.
However, the strategy presents significant challenges.
While it highlights the need for prevention and joined-up working, it does not fully acknowledge the central role councils play in delivery.
Local government is crucial in connecting national policy to local communities, identifying risk and providing support in the places people live. Without explicit recognition of this role and sufficient funding to match ambition, there is a risk that councils will struggle to deliver at the scale required.
The Government’s commitment to halving violence against women and girls in 10 years is welcome, but success will require the full power of the state.
As Jess Phillips MP, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, has emphasised, this is not just a policing and criminal justice issue; education, public health, housing, social care and community safety must all work together.
Councils are central to this multi-agency response, and national ambition must be matched by recognition of local responsibilities and resources.
The publication of the strategy is only the first step.
The challenge now is to move from ambition to action, ensuring that councils are supported with the funding, powers and partnership frameworks needed to play their full part.
With genuine collaboration, sufficient investment and recognition of local leadership, the strategy has the potential to deliver lasting change, making communities safer and providing women and girls across the country with the protection, support and opportunities they deserve.
- For more on the LGA’s work on community safety, please visit the LGA website.