Press Release: Violence Against Women

ALAN BROWN MP FOR KILMARNOCK AND LOUDOUN SHOWS SUPPORT TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS FOR ALL WOMEN

On Wednesday 8 June the representative for Kilmarnock and Loudoun joined 56 MPs and peers at a Parliamentary Photocall to call on the Government to make the Istanbul Convention on violence against women law without exceptions. The Convention is a gold standard legal framework to tackle violence against women and girls, and a lifeline to survivors. 

On 17 May 2022, the Government announced they plan to ratify the Convention. This comes ten years after the UK signed the Convention on 8 June 2012 and many years of campaigning. However, the Government plans to ‘opt-out' of key parts of the Convention that provide life-saving support and protection, particularly for migrant women. This reinforces the power of the perpetrators and increases the risk faced by migrant survivors.

More than 57 MPs and peers urged the Government to ratify the Istanbul Convention and opt-in to providing support for migrant women. The event was run by IC Change and supporting organisations, including the Women’s Institute, Southall Black Sisters, End Violence Against Women Coalition the Latin American Service for Women’s Rights (LAWRS), Safety4Sisters, Solace Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis. 

Violence against women and girls is devastatingly high across the UK. Over the last decade, over 1220 women were killed by men - and this is only the tip of the iceberg. The number of police-recorded domestic abuse-related crimes in England and Wales rose by 6% in the year ending March 2021, to 845,734. ONS crime figures for the 12 months ending in September 2021 show that sexual offences recorded by the police were the highest on record, at 170,973 offences. 

Commenting, Mr Brown said:

“I am happy to convey my support for the calls to ratify the Istanbul Convention - violence against women must stop. Boris Johnson and the UK Government have to take urgent action and safeguard those who need protection.

“I want to help end violence towards women and girls in the UK. The statistics and stories show that we still have a long way to go and we need action to change this. 

“The Government’s plans to ratify the Convention are a step towards a safer world for all women and girls, but today I join IC Change and leading organisations from across the women’s sector in calling on Government to protect all women, including migrant women, when they ratify.”