6. Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: The Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:08 pm on 7 December 2021.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 5:08, 7 December 2021

I thank the Member very much for those questions, searching questions. It is going to be, in this strategy, as you know, we are extending the remit of the strategy to include not just violence in the home, but violence in the street, in the workplace, and to look a lot more fully at sexual violence and sexual violence services, and to ensure that, when we say 'equal access', it comes back to that question from your colleague about sustainable commissioning and making sure that we have an all-Wales approach. So that's about standards that are going to be set in terms of that sustainable commissioning and the delivery of services, and making sure that we have effective strategic planning and a national framework of standards that can enhance and work towards those sustainable funding arrangements for the VAWDASV sector in Wales. So, that actually has to and will include rural communities. I remember the event that Joyce Watson led, when we looked specifically at domestic abuse and violence against women in rural communities, and that was led with the National Federation of Women's Institutes. We have that spread across as every local authority has that statutory responsibility, but in terms of overall funding, we will ensure that the whole of Wales, including rural areas, will be engaged, and the sexual assault referral centres, of course, have to be supported to meet needs across Wales.