Jess Phillips responds to new NPCC framework

Jess Phillips MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding, responding to new framework launched by NPCC making all women and girls safer, said:

“We welcome the work by Maggie Blyth and will support her to improve police action against perpetrators and to tackle violence against women and girls, but it still needs much more support and teeth from the Home Office if it is to make a difference in practice.

“The Home Secretary should be immediately adding Violence Against Women and Girls to the strategic policing requirement which sets the top priorities for policing. Otherwise no matter how good the action plan, local police forces won’t see it as a top Government priority and we won’t get enough action.

“Ministers should also be insisting on implementing the proposals set out in Labour’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls green paper including specialist rape and sexual assault units in every force, or rape prosecution rates will continue to be terrible.

“The National Police Chiefs Council is rightly trying to take action but we need much stronger measures from the Home Secretary or women and girls will continue to be let down.”