The LGA has warned that girls and young women are being deliberately and increasingly recruited into drug-dealing ‘county lines’ gangs and subjected to horrific sexual violence.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services has also warned that women and girls are being subject to an ‘epidemic of violence’ that requires a ‘radical and bold’ shift in how authorities in England and Wales tackle crimes that disproportionately affect female victims.
Although those involved in county lines are predominantly male, the involvement of females is said to be underestimated and growing because they are considered less likely to arouse suspicion.
The gangs use violence, intimidation, sexual exploitation and the offer of money or drugs to threaten people to stay in the group. Young women have been raped, passed around dealers as ‘gift girls’ as reward for making profits, and even shot at.
The LGA says the focus should be on multi-agency working to address the root causes of serious violence, with greater emphasis and investment on early intervention and prevention.
The Government has published its new ‘Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG)’ strategy, which includes a national communications campaign aimed at creating behaviour change, better support for teachers delivering the relationships, sex and health education curriculum, and the introduction of a national policing lead.
Cllr Nesil Caliskan, Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “Councils are determined to help tackle VAWG in our local communities, and work alongside police, the NHS, and charities to make sure we do all we can to protect women and girls from all forms of abuse.
“To embed change across all communities, a cross-government approach is crucial moving forward… [and] the strategy must be matched with adequate resources and long-term funding.”