Suffolk County Council backs pledge to address violence against women and girls

Councillors have backed a motion pledging to address violence against women and girls.

Cllr Elizabeth Farrow put forward a motion during Suffolk County Council's meeting yesterday afternoon asking for commitment to deal with VAWG which was 'not only urgent, but deeply moral'.

She said: “This is an issue that affects every corner of our community and demands our immediate attention, our collective action and our unwavering commitment.

"It is a matter of human dignity, justice and the fundamental right of every individual to live free from fear and harm.”

The meeting saw several councillors give emotive speeches, some based on their own personal experiences.

Sharing her experiences, Cllr Patti Mulcahy said: "[We don't just] need to teach the girls, not just about healthy relationships, it's men and boys in general [we need to teach] on how to treat girls.

"I don't want there to just be an emphasis on domestic violence but violence against girls."

The motion asked councillors to commit to a range of actions including working with survivors to understand the impacts in Suffolk, promote healthy relationships in schools, working with partners to ensure a system-wide response, and appoint a VAWG champion to hold the council to account.

Cllr Bobby Bennett, who seconded the motion, said: “This motion isn’t just words on paper, it’s a pledge to take concrete action — it’s about ensuring every woman and girl in Suffolk feels safe and supported."

According to the National Police Chiefs' Council, a woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK, with domestic violence making up 18 per cent of all recorded crime in England and Wales.

But Cllr Farrow warned this was likely to be 'the tip of the iceberg' as most crime went unreported.

She added: “Behind these numbers are real people, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, whose lives have been shattered by acts of violence that could and should’ve been prevented.

“It’s about sending a clear message that violence against women will not be tolerated in our community, it’s about standing in solidarity with survivors and saying we believe you, we support you, we will fight for you.”

Councillors unanimously agreed to support the motion.