Diolch. Working alongside Plaid Cymru’s Jocelyn Davies and Liberal Democrat, Peter Black, I was one of the three party spokespeople in the fourth Assembly who took the Welsh Government to the line over passage of the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015, securing Welsh Government pledges in several areas. We called for a commitment to introduce healthy relationships education in schools, citing Hafan Cymru’s Spectrum Project, which I and others had observed in the classrooms as a best practice model to help prevent abusive behaviours from developing. Speaking here three years ago, I challenged you over the delay in implementing this. How do you respond to concern that the relationships and sexuality education, or RSE code forming part of the new Curriculum for Wales, which is before the Senedd next week, appears not to provide guidance for teachers on what constitutes acceptable, age-appropriate material, leaving them in the unenviable position of having to make the decision themselves, in contrast to the 'plan your relationships, sex and health curriculum' guidance for schools in England? And, given that Hafan Cymru states that it is part of the Welsh Government’s drive to deliver sessions in schools, focused on healthy relationships, how will you ensure that this will not be lost to internal provision as schools implement the new RSE code?

During the passage of the Act, I moved amendments calling for the national strategy to include provision of at least one perpetrator programme. As Relate Cymru have told committee, 90 per cent of the partners they questioned some time after the end of their programme said that there had been a complete stop in violence and intimidation by their partner. The Minister responded then that he did not consider my amendment appropriate, but had jointly funded research to help inform future responses to perpetrators. Speaking here four years ago, I highlighted evidence that the cross-party group on violence against women and children that Relate’s programme, Choose2Change, was the only current Respect-accredited programme in Wales. Speaking here three years ago, I raised questions over pre-custodial perpetrator programmes and how they will reflect the Respect accreditation standards. However, the only mention of perpetrators in the latest violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence national advisors’ annual plan refers to exploring a blueprint for the whole system, that aims, amongst other things, to hold perpetrators accountable. What, therefore, Minister, is the current state of play?

Speaking here four years ago, I noted that Welsh Women’s Aid were concerned about the lack of health budget being invested in specialist violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence providers. Speaking here 20 months ago, remotely, I referred to the letter sent to you by Welsh Women’s Aid stating that violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence specialist services across Wales have expressed confusion, frustration and concern as to what additional funding is being made available as a response to COVID-19. What action have you, therefore, taken since to ensure sustainable funding for these essential services in both normal and exceptional times?

The crime survey for England and Wales shows that women were more likely to be victims of each type of abuse—sexual, non-sexual and stalking—except sexual assault by a family member than men, with seven in 100 women aged 16 to 74 experiencing domestic abuse in a single year. However, as I stated here three years ago, North Wales Police had announced that a quarter of their domestic abuse reports involved men, and the crime survey for England and Wales states that 42 per cent of the cases they're now picking up are affecting men and that three quarters of suicides are men. In your response, you stated that

'the scale of the problem is nothing like what the figures that the Member quoted would lead you to believe.'

Well, they were official figures. Of course, women are far more likely than men to be killed by partners or ex-partners, but men can be victims too, and the number of men killed as a result of domestic violence has been rising. Of course, there are different contexts applying to domestic abuse against women and men. However, surely we should be working to support all victims of violence and domestic abuse, using strategies and proven interventions that deliver this.

During the passage of the Act, I also put down an amendment calling for what Welsh Women's Aid had called for in the past, which were gender-specific strategies for men and women. Again, the Minister stated that this wouldn't be in the Act but the need would be addressed as we move forward.

How will you therefore deliver on the Welsh Government's pledge during the passage of the Act that this would be addressed? Diolch.