Thank you for the statement, Minister. It’s a little over a year now since I took up my role as Plaid Cymru spokesperson on social justice and equalities, and as you know, I’m also chair of the cross-party group on violence against women and girls, and I’ve heard and I’ve described several times now the starkly worrying statistics that speak of the terrible experiences, the appalling crimes and the hate-filled and prejudiced attitudes that mean that too many people in Wales continue to suffer domestic abuse, sexual violence and gender-based violence. Over 50 women have lost their lives since the VAWDASV Act was first introduced by the Government and tens of thousands more have become survivors of violence and abuse, so the importance of this strategy and the importance of its effective implementation in terms of women's safety cannot be overstated.

Lives are being lost and lives are being destroyed. Just this week, we heard about the murder of Zara Aleena in east London following an atrocious attack. There are constant examples of men at all levels of our society abusing and taking advantage of their privilege and their patriarchal power in society to harass, undermine, control, threaten and, in some cases, physically attack partners. We must demand a zero-tolerance attitude in our workplaces and institutions, in education and in politics to deliver the fundamental societal change that is so greatly needed. I am pleased, therefore, that the strategy recognises that violence against women is an issue for society as a whole, and that it shouldn’t be women’s responsibility to change their behaviour; rather, the onus should be on those who display toxic, misogynistic and dangerous attitudes.   

As a Member of the Equality and Social Justice Committee, I have heard evidence that will stay with me forever about the experience of survivors from migrant communities. Minister, the Welsh Government states numerous times throughout the new VAWDASV strategy that it wants to make Wales the safest place to be a woman, but how can you hope to achieve this when many survivors from migrant communities don’t have access to any public funding and so are still unable to access the support that they need? What does 'safety' mean for them? Would the Government consider establishing a crisis fund for the use of specialist support sectors in these cases, as happens in Scotland?  

In their evidence to the committee, and you’ve referred to this already, BAWSO and Public Health Wales draw attention to the fact that despite responding to the consultation, migrant women’s needs haven’t been adequately reflected in the final strategy, and Women’s Aid Wales, as we heard from Mark Isherwood, have also expressed their disappointment in the lack of commitment and energy in the strategy regarding seeking a Welsh solution for migrant survivors who don’t have access to public funding. Will you, Minister, explain why a specific section on migrant women and children, who are so vulnerable and have such need of our support, is missing from the strategy?

While it is more comprehensive in its coverage of children and young people, the new strategy fails to create a specific duty to safeguard children and people in cases of VAWDASV. Children’s charities, such as Barnardo’s and NSPCC have expressed their disappointment about this. Experiencing VAWDASV in your home as a child or young person is a deeply traumatic experience, often with long-lasting and damaging effects, and we all have a duty to ensure that the rights of children and young people are upheld and their well-being prioritised. Could the Minister, therefore, introduce a duty of this kind to ensure that all the victims of VAWDASV are appropriately protected? 

And finally, Minister, in January, Plaid Cymru brought a debate before the Siambr following the concerning increase in cases of stalking. So, what progress has been made in terms of preventing stalking, in terms of encouraging women to report cases of stalking, and how will this strategy protect those who suffer stalking? Thank you.