Tower Hamlets Council has laid out how it will continue to invest in and work with partners to protect women’s safety across the borough as it launched its new Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and Women’s Safety Strategy at Cabinet last night.
Data shows that 1 in 3 women in the United Kingdom will be victims of gender-based violence at some point in their life. Locally, Tower Hamlets is the youngest borough in the country, and prevalence of domestic abuse is highest among young adults. In 2023-2024, there were 4,519 domestic abuse offences reported by the police in Tower Hamlets, and 83 per cent of female residents surveyed in 2023 reported behaviours that made them feel unsafe. This context and direct experiences by residents are examples of why VAWG, and women’s safety, continues to be a top priority for Tower Hamlets Council.
The new strategy has three overarching priorities to capture the range of work being undertaken to address gender abuse and public safety - preventing harm and promoting safety, supporting victims and survivors and responding to perpetrators.
Underpinning the three priorities there are key principles that will guide work to tackle VAWG and women’s safety:
- Making VAWG everyone’s business
- Recognising intersectional vulnerabilities
- Taking a public health approach to VAWG and women’s safety
- Using a trauma informed approach towards VAWG and women’s safety
- Involving people in decisions that concern them
A variety of new support services will be made available as part of the strategy including a focus on VAWG through enforcement and targeted engagement projects to ensure that the borough is safer and more protected against gender-based violence.
The delivery of the VAWG and Women’s Safety Strategy will be overseen by the Tower Hamlets VAWG Steering Group, the Community Safety Partnership and other key Tower Hamlets governance boards.
Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “The epidemic of violence against women and girls exists in all communities and sadly Tower Hamlets is no exception.
“Tackling gender-based violence is a top priority for Tower Hamlets Council and, alongside our new strategy, we have taken significant steps towards making the borough a safer place for women and girls. This includes organising successful women’s safety walks - online and in-person – which were attended by 100 people, and bringing forward the development of a brand-new Women’s Resource Centre.
“While there is still a long way to go, together with partners we will continue work to address gender-based violence and make Tower Hamlets safer for everyone.”
Cllr Abu Talha Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, said: “Violence against women and girls is everybody’s business and collectively we all have a part to play in working towards a borough where nobody - regardless of ethnicity, gender, class, religion or sexual orientation – feels unsafe on the street or at home.
“Our new strategy places the safety and promotion of women and girls at the heart of all aspects of council services, as well as spotlighting the unique needs of the most marginalised women. It also centres on the need to bring wider cultural change around misogyny in our society.”
Coming into November, the council will be marking key awareness days around VAWG, including 16 days of activism against gender-based violence and White Ribbon Day. This year White Ribbon Day is encouraging men to hold themselves accountable to women, and to each other, to help affect positive behaviour change and transform harmful cultures.
Alongside events and promotional activity for residents, organisationally the council will be engaging with staff, including with the councils new VAWG Champion, Corporate Director for Health and Adult Social Care, Georgia Chimbani.
Posted on Thursday 17th October 2024