The conference was part of our work to ensure that the Bill delivers real improvements for women affected by gender-based violence in Wales.  The conference was fully booked; 50 delegates, 96% of whom rated it as either ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’. The aims of the day were:

• To share ideas on how to effectively legislate to tackle violence against women
• To learn about what has worked well and what could be improved upon from other countries’ approaches
• To discuss ideas for making sure that the forthcoming Violence Against Women (Wales) Bill makes a real difference for women in Wales

Delegates heard from the following excellent speakers, whose presentations will be posted here soon:

Professor Liz Kelly, CBE

(Director, Child and Women Abuse Studies Unit, London Metropolitan University; Chair, End Violence Against Women)

Lessons from international violence against women legislation

Liz Kelly’s presentation

Emyr Lewis

(Partner, Morgan Cole Solicitors; Senior Fellow, Wales Governance Centre, Cardiff University)

What’s possible in the Welsh legislative context?

Lily Greenan

(Manager, Scottish Women’s Aid)

Lessons from Scotland: developing devolved domestic abuse legislation

Lee Waters

(Director, Sustrans Cymru)

Developing Welsh legislation that works: the Sustrans experience

Next Steps

Delegates had the opportunity to contribute their views through roundtable discussions, and the Wales VaW Action Group will be using the opinions collected to produce a conference report, which will be submitted to the Welsh Government to inform the legislative process for the Bill.

Click here to download the full Agenda

20th October 2011

The Wales Violence Against Women Action Group was appalled to view the South Wales Police poster currently circulating via social media, which tells women to “drink sensibly” to avoid being raped.

The campaign, which consists of a poster of a woman’s face bearing the slogan “RAPE: Don’t be a victim – drink sensibly”, takes entirely the wrong approach by implying that victims are responsible for being raped if they have had a drink. South Wales Police have informed us that the poster circulating on Twitter and Facebook is from an old campaign from 2008/9, and have reassured us that this campaign has not been re-launched. We are seeking further clarification on this point, but whether this is an old or new poster, we condemn its victim-blaming message.

We have had discussions with the Police previously regarding campaign messaging, and have urged them to shift the focus from telling women not to get themselves raped, to telling perpetrators not to rape. Victims are never to blame, regardless of whether they have been drinking, what they are wearing, or how they have been behaving. The advert claims that “Alcohol is a factor in two-thirds of rape”. Rape is caused not by a woman drinking alcohol, but by a rapist raping her: this is a factor in 100% of cases. Furthermore, rape is widespread even in countries where alcohol is illegal.

Unfortunately, the South Wales Police poster both reflects and perpetuates the wider victim-blaming culture surrounding rape. In the UK, 36% of people believe that a woman is at least partially responsible for being raped if she is drunk [1]. These harmful attitudes contribute to the shockingly low conviction rate for rape of less than 7% [2], and to women’s reluctance to report rape to the police. South Wales Police recorded 828 sexual offences in 2010 [3] - but only approximately 11% of victims even report their rape to the Police, [4] meaning that there could have been as many as 7527 rapes in South Wales last year.

South Wales Police have a responsibility to protect these victims, not to persecute them, and we urge them to work closely with the specialist violence against women sector on future campaigns to avoid the significant offence and public outcry caused by this poster. We very much hope that future South Wales Police shift the blame firmly from the victim and onto the perpetrator.

Anybody affected by domestic abuse or sexual violence in Wales can call the 24-hour, bilingual Wales Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Helpline on 0808 80 10 800 for confidential advice and information.

NOTES

[1] Home Office (2009), Violence against Women Opinion Polling

[2] Government Equalities Office (2008), Women’s Changing Lives: Priorities for the Ministers for Women One Year On

[3] British Crime Survey (2011), “Crime in England and Wales”, Quarterly Update to December 2010.

[4] Povey et al. (2009), Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2007/08 (Supplementary Volume 2 to ‘Crime in England and Wales 2007/8), Home Office Statistical Bulletin 02/09

The programme, funded by the BIG lottery project, plans to deliver specific preventative services within the borough to address domestic abuse and unhealthy relationships within the younger generation.

The project aims to work with children from primary age to young people, using age appropriatesessions and materials.

To find out more about the programme, please download the flyer here, or to book a session, or find out more information please call PTAWA on 01639 894846 or e-mail porttalbotwomensaid@btconnect.com

The Home Office rejected the idea of criminalising forced marriage earlier this year, amid fears that it might put victims off coming forward.

Dr Aisha Gill (a criminologist at Roehampton University) conducted research with a VAWG NGOS to ask whether they thought forced marriage should be made a criminal offence. 74 orgaisations and individuals responded to Dr Gill’s research. The full report is available here.

The research found that:

• 50% felt that the Government should not create a specific offence concerning forced marriage.
• 64% felt that existing legislation is sufficient to tackle the issue
• Further research is needed into forced marriage in general, and specifically into the impact of the Forced Marriage Protection Orders and guidelines.
• There is a widespread lack of understanding about existing legislation and how it should be applied, because many relevant professionals (e.g. social workers and law enforcement officers) currently lack adequate knowledge of what comprises a forced marriage (including how it differs from an arranged marriage). This has inhibited the effective use of current civil and criminal remedies to combat the causes and consequences of forced marriage: a problem underpinned by the lack of monitoring of guidelines and policy implementation.

As well as the debate around Forced Marriage, the Supreme Court has ruled that the blanket ban on non-EU spouses under the age of 21 from entering the UK is unlawful, which the VAWG sector in the UK has welcomed.

One of the  groups  welcoming this is the Southall Black Sisters who have written a press release which can be downloaded here.

They commented, ‘The Supreme Court has endorsed our view that the Secretary of State’s age policy, far from being an effective deterrent, is an unjustifiable, unfair and disproportionate response to the problem of forced marriage.’

The guidance is part of their Respecting Others series which has included many anti-bullying materials which provide guidance and practical solutions on preventing and responding to bullying in schools.

Click here to download Respecting Others: Anti-bullying guidance 2011.

· Publicity is welcome but victims need services, says campaign group

Today (13th September) the Wales Violence Against Women Group welcomed a new publicity campaign launched by the Welsh Government to tackle sexual violence but called for more services to help victims.

The Live Fear Free campaign includes a digital video and website and aims to challenge attitudes towards violence against women and raise awareness of support services for victims. The Wales Violence Against Women Action Group, a coalition of charities campaigning to end violence against women and girls in Wales, says that more support services are urgently needed for victims of sexual violence.

Philip Walker, Development Manager for The Survivors Trust Wales, said:
“We’re really pleased that the Welsh Government is highlighting the problem of violence against women in Wales. This is the third publicity campaign that they have launched on this issue since we successfully campaigned for the introduction of Wales’s first national strategy to tackle violence against women in March 2010, so they are clearly committed to this agenda.

Raising awareness and challenging attitudes is extremely important in tackling rape and sexual violence, which affects 1 in 3 women at some point in their lives. We commend the Welsh Government’s emphasis on rape and sexual violence within relationships, tackling the common myth that most rapes are committed by strangers. Sex without consent is rape, which is a crime and a violation of women’s human rights – whoever the perpetrator is. This includes forced sex by a partner or ex-partner.

While the renewed emphasis on this issue is welcome, we are concerned that there is an urgent need for the Welsh Government to properly understand, fully engage with and provide additional support to the specialist sexual violence voluntary sector in Wales. This is essential in order to enable the sector to maintain and improve the diverse and highly regarded services they currently provide to the very many women (and also children, young people and men) who have suffered rape, sexual violence or sexual abuse and desperately need appropriate counselling, help and support.

There is a particular need for improved access to services for those who are victims of historic sexual abuse or live in mid-Wales. Specialist support services are essential to enable victims to move on with their lives. We hope that the Welsh Government’s clear commitment to tackling violence against women will extend to achieving a greater understanding of and funding more of the specialist counselling and support services that women so desperately need – wherever they live, and whenever they were assaulted.

Anyone affected by rape, sexual violence or domestic abuse can call the bilingual, 24-hour All Wales Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Helpline on 0808 80 10 800, or view available support services in Wales on The Survivors Trust website: www.thesurvivorstrust.org. ”

NUS Wales is a federation of local student organisations in Wales, comprising 30 local campus student organisations that are affiliated to the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom (NUS). NUS Wales is an autonomous, but integral, part of the National Union of Students.

Our role is to represent policies set by the students’ unions in membership of NUS Wales whose views are an expression of the opinions of the students on their campuses. Therefore, NUS Wales represents the views and wishes of all matriculated students attending affiliated further and higher institutions.

NUS Wales works with our members to promote defend and extend the rights of students in Wales.  We aim to develop and support the experience of students attending universities and colleges in Wales. We are a key stakeholder in the development of public policy and engage in positive and proactive activities to promote the wellbeing of all students.

NUS Wales operates a democratic forum for policy and debate on national issues affecting students and NUS Wales’ role is to reflect the collective position.

NUS Wales has been working with stakeholders in the higher and further education sector since 1974 and is well established as the voice of students in Wales.

The NUS Wales Women’s Campaign is an autonomous campaign within NUS Wales and we campaign to defend and extend the rights of women students specifically across Wales.

Reaction to announcement of a Domestic Abuse (Wales) Bill

NUS Wales is delighted that the Welsh Government will be taking forward a new Bill to tackle domestic Abuse in Wales. The NUS report Hidden Marks which looked at women students’ experience of violence showed that 1 in 7 women students have experienced a serious physical or sexual assault during their time as a student. Violence against women is a serious issue across campuses in Wales and we welcome the opportunity to work with the Welsh Government and our partners on the Violence against Women Action Group to ensure statutory provision of services for students that are a victim of gender-based violence.

The announcement of this bill shows a welcome commitment across parties in Wales and sends a strong message to women that this will no longer be tolerated. It is essential for students to be involved in this process so they can help shape any future provision made available across Wales.

Steph Lloyd, NUS Wales Women officer, said:

“It is about time that we move away from the postcode lottery that currently exists. Women students are being let down by the current system.

This new bill will be the opportunity to take the work that has already been done by the coalition one step further.

We are now calling for local provision to support women students across Wales who suffer gender-based violence.”

WWA is the national umbrella organisation, with a membership of 31 local Women’s Aid groups situated throughout Wales.  Our groups provide emergency temporary accommodation, outreach and floating support, information and practical support on legal issues, benefits, housing, children’s issues and other matters related to the experience of domestic abuse.

As a national organisation we also provide training, specialist support and information to affiliated groups and challenge and inform national policy on their behalf.

WWA also manages the Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline, a national, bilingual, gender-neutral Helpline for anyone experiencing or wanting more information about domestic abuse or sexual violence (0808 80 10 800).

Reaction to announcement of a Domestic Abuse (Wales) Bill

Welsh Women’s Aid is delighted that the Welsh Government will be bringing forward a new Bill to tackle domestic abuse in Wales. We have campaigned for the Welsh Government to introduce statutory guidance for local authorities for some time, and warmly welcome the announcement that all local authorities will have to implement local plans to tackle violence against women.

Prior to the debate, in addition to working closely with colleagues on the Wales VaW Action Group, we briefed Assembly Members of the difficulties faced by our member groups locally; you can read our briefing on our website.

We are also really pleased that the Welsh Government recognises the invaluable role that third-sector VAWG agencies play – both in delivering specialist services and in shaping policy in this area. We are looking forward to working closely with the Welsh Government on the new Bill – as well as on other new initiatives, such as the new Cross Party Group on Violence against Women and Girls, for which WWA will be providing the secretariat.

There is clearly a strong commitment across all parties in the Assembly to tackle the social epidemic of violence against women and girls. We look forward to continuing to work hard with partners both in Government and across the Wales VaW Action Group to ensure that national policy translates into local delivery, and that real improvements are made for women and children affected by gender-based violence in Wales.

We are also absolutely delighted that the First Minister announced a Domestic Abuse Bill, and hope that it will seek to tackle all forms of VAW and ensure that all main VAW services are statutory at a local level. Carl Sargeant, the Minister for Local Government and Communities has clearly taken on board our representations that services to help women who suffer violence are a postcode lottery in Wales. He clearly agrees with us that these services must be protected, even when finances are difficult. His support is very welcome, and we look forward to working with him over the next year or two to help deliver better services and a new bill to better protect women in Wales.”

Wales VAW Action Group