Hertfordshire councillor calls for action over levels of male violence against women and girls

Calls for action over levels of male violence against women and girls have been made by Liberal Democrat Cllr Sally Symington.

In a motion – put before councillors on Wednesday, December 7, – Cllr Symington pointed to the ‘epidemic’ of male violence against women and girls.

She said that ‘fundamental cross-system change’ was urgently needed.

And she called for the leader of the county council Cllr Richard Roberts to write to the PM ‘demanding an urgent Royal Commission’.

She had initially asked for the motion to be debated and voted on by a meeting of the full council, in October.

But it was passed to the meeting of the council’s adult care, health and wellbeing cabinet panel – where it was considered as part of a wider report on domestic abuse.

Outlining the importance of the motion, Cllr Symington told panel members: “From cradle to grave male violence against women has a pernicious impact on women.

“It means girls grow-up fearing things they should never have to think about. It makes women feel unsafe in all parts of the community.

“The threat of violence makes women change their behaviour. And the experience of violence, directly and indirectly, affects mental health and causes serious physical harm.”

Cllr Symington stressed that violence wasn’t always physical and that misogynistic violence could be ‘mental, coercive and controlling’.

But in the most extreme cases, noted the motion, it ends in murder.

Cllr Symington called on the Leader of the Council Cllr Richard Roberts to urge PM Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel to immediately declare misogyny a hate crime, to address the backlog in the courts and to increase investment in victims’ services.

During the debate Cllr Symington said that she was surprised it has been passed to the adult care, health and wellbeing panel – when it explicitly mentions girls as well.

And she said the officer’s report to the panel focuses exclusively on an alternative motion about domestic abuse – with, she said, violence against women and girls only mentioned once in the report.

Conservative Cllr Tony Kingsbury – who had presented the motion on domestic abuse to the October meeting of the full county council – said that this was a ‘really important issue’ and that he agreed with much of what Cllr Symington says.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Helen Campbell – after pointing to the importance of the issue – questioned why it had not been debated at the meeting of the full council.

And as a result she said she felt it – and the issues within it – had been ‘eclipsed’.

Whether it was domestic abuse, violence on the streets, aggression on public transport or violence in a nightclub, she pointed to the blame that was repeatedly attached to victims.

And she said the focus was often on whether the victim should have changed their behaviours, changed their route home, changed their mode of transport – or changed their shoes.

But she stressed that this was an issue about men – and promoted the idea of conversations with boys and young men; talking to them about what appropriate behaviour and conversations with women and girls look like.

Following the meeting executive member for adult care, heath and wellbeing Cllr Stella Nash stressed her commitment to issues surrounding violence against women and girls and to domestic abuse.

“Crime rates against women and girls are increasing and it’s important that we make cultural changes. ,” said Cllr Nash.

“[…] It’s outrageous that in this part of history that this isn’t being dealt with in a more serious fashion.”

Cllr Nash pointed to the ongoing work by the county council and partners, particularly highlighting work with perpetrators.

And she emphasised the ongoing work on the council’s domestic abuse strategy, which is due to be presented to the cabinet panel in February.