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Andrew Selous

South West Bedfordshire

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Violence Against Women and Girls

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I have always been clear that protecting women and girls from violence and supporting victims is of the utmost importance. I was glad to stand on a manifesto which pledged to continue the fight against the perpetrators of violence against women and girls.

I welcome the publication of the tackling violence against women and girls strategy to ensure women and girls are safe everywhere - at home, online and on the streets. The strategy will increase support for victims and survivors, increase the number of perpetrators brought to justice and to reduce the prevalence of violence against women and girls in the long-term.

A number of measures in the strategy are focused on practical action to increase physical safety in public places. This includes a £5 Million ‘Safety of Women at Night’ Fund, in addition to the Safer Streets Fund, that focuses on the prevention of violence against women and girls in public spaces at night, including in the night-time economy. This could include targeting parks and alleyways, and routes from bars, restaurants and nightclubs. I also welcome the appointing of two new Violence Against Women and Girls Transport Champions, to drive forward positive change and tackle the problems faced by female passengers on public transport. The creation of a new online tool 'StreetSafe' is also welcome. This platform will build on the Safer Streets Fund and provide women and girls with a way to anonymously and quickly pinpoint areas where they have felt unsafe and say why – be it from a lack of lighting or CCTV or because of the people around them.

It is also vital that good practice is shared and the new tackling violence against women and girls strategy will make this happen. The Government has introduced a new national policing lead on violence against women and girls. The lead will be the point of contact for every police force and will ensure, best practice is shared and that progress on improving the response to these crimes is being carefully monitored.

It is right that the most serious offenders, including those who have committed violent and sexual offences should spend more time in prison to match the severity of their crimes. The Prime Minister has been clear that the Government he leads will strengthen public confidence in the criminal justice system and I will support legislation designed to achieve this.

Ministers have now outlined plans to legislate, through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. This will extend the approach mentioned above by ending the halfway release of offenders sentenced to between four and seven years for serious crimes including rape, manslaughter and grievous bodily harm with intent. This change will mean that they will instead have to spend two-thirds of their time behind bars.

Since the publication of the Hate Crime Action Plan in 2016 I have been encouraged by the progress that has been made, which has seen an increase in reporting and improvements in identification and recording of crime by the police. However, rates of attrition within the criminal justice system remain worryingly high and targeted online abuse continues to present a significant problem. While in contrast to overall trends, under-reporting still exists within specific groups.

You may be aware of the wide-ranging Law Commission review into hate crime. The review, which has now been published, includes a number of recommendations around levelling up the protection for disability and LGBT victims, tackling sex and gender abuse, and protecting freedom of expression. The Government is currently reviewing the report and recommendations and I look forward to its full response in due course.

While this is not making misogyny a hate crime, it can inform longer-term decisions once the Government has considered the recommendations made by the Law Commission.

I also note the enthusiasm for an amendment tabled by Baroness Newlove to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill regarding the inclusion of sex or gender in hate crime reporting and sentencing. While I understand the desire for this amendment’s inclusion, and although well-intentioned, I must highlight my own concerns.

The Law Commission has recently concluded a wide-ranging review into hate crime. In its final report, the Commission made a number of recommendations to provide greater protection on the basis of sex and gender, including extending the offence of stirring up hatred to cover stirring up hatred on the grounds of sex or gender. It is suggested this would help to tackle the growing threat of extremist misogynist “incel” ideology, and its potential to lead to serious criminal offending. Furthermore, it recommended that the Government launch a review into the need for a specific offence to tackle public sexual harassment, arguing that it would likely be more effective than adding sex or gender to hate crime laws.

You might also be aware that the Commission recommended that “sex or gender” should not be added to the protected characteristics for aggravated offences and enhanced sentencing, suggesting it would be ineffective at protecting women and girls and in some cases, be counterproductive. For example, if applied in the context of rape and domestic abuse the commission says it could make it more difficult to secure prosecutions and create unhelpful hierarchies of victims. However, if these contexts are excluded, it would make sex or gender very much the poor relation of hate crime characteristics, applicable only in certain, limited contexts. I am encouraged that the Government will now carefully review and consider the recommendations of the report before issuing a full response and any future action.

Regarding the collection of police data on such crimes, I would also like to reassure you that such provisions are unnecessary. There is already the capability for the Home Office to ask forces to collect data, subject to a dialogue with them about the feasibility of its collection.

Finally, following the tragic case the tragic case of Sarah Everard, the Government reopened a call for evidence to further collect views from those with lived experience of, or views on, crimes considered as violence against women and girls. The Home Office received an unprecedented 160,000 further responses over two weeks, taking the total to over 180,000 responses which have helped shape the new strategy. 

I will continue to follow this vital work as it progresses.

Campaign Responses

  • Access to Eye Care
  • Access to Mental Health Support and Services
  • Access to Nature
  • Access to Playgrounds (Disabled Children)
  • Access to Waterways
  • Adult Dependant Relative Visa
  • Adult Social Care
  • Affordability of Transport
  • Afghanistan and Pakistan
  • Afghanistan: Nowzad
  • Afghanistan Refugees
  • Afghanistan Refugees (Christians)
  • Afghanistan Withdrawal
  • Air Passenger Duty
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  • All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs)
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  • Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill
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  • Arms Exports: Israel
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  • Artificial Intelligence (Education)
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  • ASRU Change Programme
  • Assisted Suicide
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  • Autistic People's Experiences of Education
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  • Bank 'Windfall Tax'
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  • British Sign Language Classes for Families with Deaf Children
  • Building Safety Bill
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  • Cyprus
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  • Debt and the Cost of Living
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  • Derby County Football Club
  • Diabetes
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  • Dog Fighting
  • Domestic Abuse (Serial Abusers & Stalkers)
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  • Drink and Needle Spiking
  • Early Years Funding
  • Ecology Bill
  • Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill - EDM 1415
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  • Education and Development Globally
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  • Emissions Trading Scheme
  • Ending Homelessness (Shelter Campaign)
  • Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
  • Energy Bill
  • Energy Bills for Families with Disabled Children
  • Energy Charter Treaty
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Energy Price Cap
  • Energy Security Strategy
  • Environmental Land Management Schemes
  • Epilepsy
  • Epilepsy: Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Equality Act 2010 (Biological Sex Matters Campaign)
  • Ethical Research
  • EveryDoctor’s #ReviveTheNHS Campaign
  • Exempt Accommodation
  • Experiments on Animals and the Use of Fur for Bearskin Caps
  • Fair Fuel APPG
  • Farmed Fish
  • Federated Data Platform (Palantir)
  • Fertility Inequality
  • Financial Services and Markets Bill
  • Fire and Rehire Tactics
  • Fireworks
  • Fireworks (Animals)
  • Football Governance
  • Football Index
  • Fraudulent Reviews of Businesses
  • Free Bus Travel Scheme
  • Free School Meals to All Children in Educational Settings
  • Free Speech
  • Free Trade Agreement with Australia
  • Frequent Flyer Levy
  • Fuel Poverty
  • Funding for Fire and Rescue Services
  • Funding for Transport for London
  • Fur Trade
  • Future of the TV Licence
  • Gas Boilers
  • Gaza
  • Gender Recognition Act 2004
  • Gene Editing and Animal Welfare
  • Genetic Technology
  • Global Food Security
  • Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria
  • Glue Traps
  • Good Law Project & Runnymede: Mike Coupe & Dido Harding
  • Government Contracts
  • Green Alternatives to Gas Boilers
  • Green Finance
  • Green Investment - 2021 Spending Review
  • Green New Deal
  • Group B Streptococcus
  • Guide Dogs
  • Hamas
  • Hate Crime (Misogyny)
  • Health and Care Bill
  • Health and Care Bill: Privatisation
  • Health and Care Bill: Workforce
  • Health and Care for Older People
  • Health and Disability Green Paper
  • Health Impacts of the Climate Crisis
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  • Hospices and the Cost of Energy
  • Housing and the Queen’s Speech
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  • Hunting Act 2004
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  • Improving Access to the Countryside
  • Income Tax and the State Pension
  • Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review
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  • India Trade Deal
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  • Intellectual Property
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  • International Climate Finance
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  • Introducing Extended Producer Responsibility: Glass
  • Iran: Human Rights
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  • Israel: Amnesty International
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  • Keeping Primates as Pets
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  • Labelling Reforms for Animal Welfare
  • Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill (Childcare as Infrastructure)
  • Light Pollution
  • Live Animal Exports
  • Liver Disease
  • Living Wage and Key Workers
  • Loan Charge
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  • Long COVID
  • March of the Mummies Protest
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  • Meadows and Grasslands
  • Medicinal Cannabis
  • Menopause
  • Mental Health
  • Mental Health (Children and Young People)
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  • Migrant Channel Crossings
  • Mileage Rates
  • Military Courts in Israel
  • Military Exports to Saudi Arabia
  • Modern Employment Practices
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  • Motor Neurone Disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • National Air Pollution Control Programme
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  • National Security Bill (Torture and Unlawful Killing)
  • Nationality and Borders Act (Accommodation for Asylum Seekers)
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  • Nationality and Borders Act (Clause 11)
  • Nationality and Borders Act (Overseas Asylum Processing)
  • Nationality and Borders Act (Unaccompanied Children)
  • Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
  • Neglected Tropical Diseases
  • Neonicotinoids
  • Neurological Conditions
  • New Plan for Immigration
  • NHS Digital and the Handling of Patient Data
  • Nigeria: Mubarak Bala
  • Non-Religious Belief (Human Rights)
  • Ocean Protection
  • Offshore Wind
  • Oil Drilling and Cambo Oil Field
  • Oil Licenses
  • Online Gambling
  • Online Marketplaces (Regulation)
  • Online Safety Bill (Internet Regulation)
  • Online Safety Bill (Misinformation)
  • Online Safety Bill (Online Child Sexual Abuse)
  • Online Safety Bill (Pornography)
  • Online Safety Bill (Private Communications)
  • Online Safety Bill (Protecting Children from Online Porn)
  • Online Safety Bill (Suicide and Self-Harm)
  • Online Safety Bill (Women and Girls)
  • Online Scams and Fraud
  • Onshore Wind
  • Onshore Wind (Planning)
  • Pakistan (Human Rights)
  • Palestinian Human Right Defenders
  • Palestinian Political Prisoners
  • Palliative Care
  • Pancreatic Cancer
  • Parental Bereavement
  • Parental Leave
  • Park Homes
  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Pavement Parking
  • Peat
  • Pension Credit
  • Persecution of Christians in Nigeria and the Universal Periodic Review
  • Pet Microchipping
  • Pet Smuggling: Cats
  • Pet Theft
  • Pharmacy
  • Pig Welfare
  • Plant Based Treaty
  • Plastic Pollution
  • Police and Sarah Everard Case
  • Polluter Pays Bill
  • Prescription Charges
  • Primary School Assessments
  • Prisons (Violence) Bill
  • Privacy Laws in the UK
  • Private Jets
  • Private Rented Sector
  • Procurement Bill
  • Proportional Property Tax
  • Prostate Cancer
  • Protection of Pollinators
  • Protections for Nature
  • Protests - Abortion Clinics
  • Public Inquiry on COVID-19
  • Public Order Bill
  • Public Order Bill and Bill of Rights
  • Public Sector Pensions
  • Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill
  • Puppy and Kitten Sales
  • Queen's Speech - Bill of Rights and Brexit Freedoms
  • Racing Greyhounds
  • Radiotherapy
  • Rail Vs Air Travel
  • Recovery of the Hospitality Sector
  • Reforming Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing
  • Reforming the Private Rented Sector
  • Regulation of Vaping
  • Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill
  • Right to Protest (Public Order Act, Minimum Service Levels and Boycotts)
  • Right to Work Checks
  • Royal Mail
  • Sarcoma UK Drop-In Session
  • School Food
  • School Uniform
  • Scope Campaign
  • Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988
  • Security Situation in the West Bank
  • Sentencing (Dangerous Driving)
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Shared Parental Leave
  • Smoking
  • Snares
  • Social Care Cap (Means Test)
  • Social Care for Younger Adults
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Stamp Duty Land Tax
  • Standing Charges
  • Statutory Sick Pay
  • Stop and Search
  • Storm Overflows
  • Strikes
  • Student Doctors - Bursaries
  • Sudan
  • Support for Carers and Unpaid Carers
  • Support for Children and Young People Living with Cancer
  • Support for People Who Received Infected Blood
  • Support for People with Disabilities
  • Support for People Affected by Stroke
  • Support for Road Hauliers
  • Surrogacy
  • Sustainable Fashion
  • Sustainable Fishing in British Waters
  • Tax Avoidance
  • Teachers' Pay
  • Temporary Emergency Accommodation
  • Terminal Illness and Benefits
  • Terrorist Extremism
  • Ticket Offices at Railway Stations
  • Tourism and VAT
  • Transport Emissions and Air Quality
  • Transport for Disabled People
  • Trees and Woodlands
  • Triple Lock
  • Trophy Hunting
  • Trussell Trust Campaign: Food Bank Usage
  • UK Foreign Aid
  • UK Trade and Business Commission’s First Annual Report
  • UK’s 2050 Net Zero Emissions Target
  • UK's Relations with China
  • Ultra Low Emission Zone
  • UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Change
  • Unaccompanied Child Migrants in the UK
  • Universal Credit
  • Universities: Antisemitism (IHRA Definition)
  • Uplands
  • Vaccination of Children Around the World
  • Valerie's Law
  • Vaping
  • Vaping (Environment)
  • VAT and Energy Bills
  • VAT on Electric Vehicle Charging in Public Places
  • Violence Against Women and Girls
  • Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access
  • Voter ID
  • Voter ID (Student ID)
  • Voting System
  • Wages for Apprenticeships
  • Warm This Winter Campaign
  • Water Fluoridation
  • Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Developing Countries
  • Wealth Taxes
  • Windsor Framework
  • Winter Fuel Payment
  • Women’s Health Strategy - Miscarriages
  • Worker Protection Bill
  • Young People’s Wellbeing
  • Youth Homelessness

Andrew Selous MP South West Bedfordshire

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