: I had a meeting
yesterday with South Wales
Police, and they reported a massive increase in domestic
violence as well as a significant number in the increase of
murders. Obviously, the numbers, numerically, for murders are
very small, but still it's symptomatic of some of the stresses
that have been caused by the lockdown and everything that's gone
with it, particularly the economic consequences of it all. And I
was just reflecting on what we need to do to respond—all of us.
Because the police can't be everywhere all of the time. If we see
it, we say it and it's sorted, as they say endlessly on the
trains in relation to terrorism. But we all have an obligation.
If we see something we don't think is right, where somebody is
being abused, particularly if it's a child, we surely need to
tell somebody—not try and sort it ourselves, but tell people who
are authorised to sort these things out. Because otherwise we
will always go on to this vicious cycle of violence, because the
children who witness domestic violence, I'm sure you would agree,
Minister, after your longstanding encouragement in all this, are
the ones who either go on to being victims themselves or being
perpetrators. And we have to put a stop to this revolving door.
So, I hope—. I look forward to the report on Everyone's Invited
by Estyn, because I'm sure that will give us some important
markers for what we need to do to change.
(Minister for Social
Justice): Thank you very much, Jenny Rathbone. Well, I will
just focus on that point about children. We're actually seeking
the voices of children and young people in the consultation on
the draft strategy. We're working with our partners to ensure
their voices are heard. We've got an online survey planned,
specifically targeted at children and young people, and the
Children's Commissioner for Wales, NSPCC, Children in Wales,
Welsh Women's Aid, New Pathways, Bawso, they're all engaging with
us to ensure that they can be part of that. And they, of course,
benefit from the work that's being done by Hafan Cymru's Spectrum
project. We're also very keen—I'm meeting with the Minister for
Education and Welsh Language—. We've got some time to go to get
the curriculum actually embedded, the relationships and sexuality
education curriculum, and what he's saying is, 'What are we doing
now?' because all education settings in Wales actually have a
legal duty to ensure that children have access to a safe learning
environment but that they can also report on their lived
experiences.
I just want to finally say that all four police forces in Wales
are taking this issue incredibly seriously—more seriously than
I've ever known—recording incidents, providing more training,
ensuring a robust response to hold perpetrators to account,
working in partnership with local authorities and health to
provide that joined-up and coherent response. And I hope that you
will, perhaps even through the committee, be able to ask the
police to show how they're engaging with this. I know that this
is going to be a step change, and 'don't be a bystander' is the
message—'ask and act', be brave—and this has been said across
this Chamber on a number of occasions, which is very welcome.
