Tories' attempt to use violence against women as political football was just offensive
Politicians from all parties had been working together to tackle violence against women and girls until one recent Conservative intervention that was more about their battle with Reform UK
When Home Office minister Jess Phillips came to Westminster’s despatch box to announce the government’s strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, it was the moment for which we had waited years, and several governments.
Many women and girls living in constant fear of abuse will hope it turns out to be the best Christmas present the Labour government could offer them. For the first time, it aims not just to react to violence and deal with its aftermath, but to identify and eliminate the causes. Education will be key.
Perhaps the most disappointing and surprising aspects, however, are that it has taken so long to get to this point and, for the first time, there are some on the Conservative benches who appear determined to use the issue as a political football.
The sight of the Conservative shadow minister attempting to use this hugely significant national issue as a weapon in their divisive and damaging immigration battle with Reform was offensive and missed the point. Violence against women and girls is not confined to one community or those born outwith the UK.
The victims deserve so much better. For this to come from a party whose former leader was instrumental in drawing public attention to the issue and created cross-party action on it was astonishing. Theresa May, who Phillips paid tribute to in her speech, was the original driving force behind the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
She took the first steps towards the recognition of what the government this week acknowledged to be a national emergency. Throughout the near decade of discussion on domestic abuse and violence against women and girls which brought us to this point, there has been widespread cross-party consensus and collegiate working.
We must not lose that spirit now if we are to succeed. I was on the Bill committee for the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 with Phillips. More recently, I’ve worked on the Women and Equalities Select Committee and heard evidence of how the internet and social media platforms are corrupting young boys and creating damaging attitudes to women.
The creators of the TV Drama Adolescence told us of the reality they had discovered in their research. Experts told us of the damage that easily available internet porn is doing, and we heard for ourselves the opinions, and indeed fears, of young people we met.
And for me, one of the most important aspects of Thursday’s announcement was that it will both hold tech giants like Meta, Google and TikTok to account and use their best brains to combat operators who work to evade current safeguards.
We have yet to hear details of how the strategy will work, the interaction with online safety legislation, the justice system and educationalists to protect a new generation from ever-increasing and omnipresent misogyny.
But we do now know for certain that there is a plan and a strategy and that if it is to work, it will demand the same sort of non-partisan, consensual approach that Phillips encouraged while in opposition.
Our women and young people should expect, and deserve, nothing less if we are serious in our commitment to protecting them.
Christine Jardine is the Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West