News / Human Rights

‘UK has incoherent approach to domestic violence’

Monday, 15 June 2015 1:44 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 15 June 2015 1:45 PM ]

The UK is said to have an incoherent approach to dealing with domestic violence. (file photo)

The United Nations has warned the United Kingdom about lacking a “consistent and coherent” approach to tackling domestic violence against women.

A leaked 24-page UN report has identified cracks in the British government’s approach to tackling violence against women.

The comprehensive report by Rashida Manjoo found the reality on the ground in the UK is “isolated pockets of good practice” are compromised by the “lack of a consistent and coherent human-rights based approach in the government’s response to violence against women and girls”.

The report is also critical of the Home Office’s refusal for the independent inspection of the biggest immigration center for women in the country, Yarl’s Wood and another center in Bedfordshire, a move which has been seen as a contravention of the code of conduct for members of the UN Human Rights Council as well as the terms of fact-finding missions by UN special rapporteurs.

The report has been supported by women’s rights group including Marai Larasi, the co-chair of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, who said, “We urge the UK government and the leaders in the devolved nations to act on her recommendations.”

Crime surveys in England and Wales show 30% of women have reported some form of domestic violence against them since the age of 16. Figures from Femicide census highlight 126 women were killed as a direct result of male violence in 2012. This number increased to 143 in 2013 and to 150 in 2014.

A statement from the Home Office, however, said, “We have made protecting women and girls and supporting victims and survivors a key priority. We have criminalized domestic abuse and forced marriage, introduced ‘Clare’s Law’ and domestic violence protection orders, created two stalking offences, introduced FGM protection orders, passed a landmark modern slavery act to protect victims of slavery, ring-fenced £40m for services to protect women and girls and allocated a further £10m specifically for refuge provision.”

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