8. Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy 2022-26

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:09 pm on 28 June 2022.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 6:09, 28 June 2022

Thank you very much, Jenny Rathbone. I think this partly moves on, in addition to what I've already said, to our campaigns and communications. So, this is about how we challenge societal attitudes to prevent violence against women, men and children happening in the first place. So, it's the Live Fear Free campaign—that's continuing to raise awareness of stalking, harassment, abuse and violence against women in all aspects of life. This has got to pervade every aspect of life. Also, I didn't actually respond to the question about stalking. The fact that women are moving into the public realm—. I'll always remember last year or when we were discussing the release from lockdowns, and it came to us that women weren't safe; they didn't feel safe running on their own, and it's so important that they should take that exercise. Women should be safe while out running in public places, to walk through a public space, they should be safe at night. And stalking is an abhorrent crime. I had a meeting with the police and crime commissioners about the take-up of stalking in terms of how we raise more awareness of this. And, in fact, the Live Fear Free campaign is really extending to look at all the public realm in terms of tackling these issues. So, it is going to impact on every aspect of life, because we're extending from the domestic to the public realm. And, of course, that will include not just the public place, the street, transport, but also the workplace, working very closely with our trade unions, who've taken a leading role in terms of tackling this in the workplace.