Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is endemic across society and remains disturbingly present in the UK. The Istanbul Convention to which the UK government is a signatory defines violence against women as follows:

Specialist women-led and by and for VAWG organisations are grappling with increased demand for support from survivors in the context of a cost-of-living crisis and with the lasting impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Those supporting migrant survivors are confronted with barriers to women’s safety in the form of ‘hostile environment’ policies such as the No Recourse to Public Funds condition and the consequences of new punitive legislation towards people who cross borders. Meanwhile, we have witnessed an explosion of misogyny online, which creates new and ever-emerging opportunities for VAWG in the digital sphere. It is clear that significant action is needed to tackle this problem.