Britain's Hidden Epidemic: Violence Against Women and Girls

Violence against women and girls in the UK has reached 'epidemic levels,' with over 1 million violent crimes reported in 2022-2023. Police are prioritizing it on par with terrorism, but Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth urges more government support to address the overwhelmed criminal justice system.

Violence against women and girls has escalated to 'epidemic levels,' with Britain's police chiefs treating the issue as seriously as terrorism, they announced Tuesday.

Over 1 million violent crimes against women and girls were reported in the UK from 2022 to 2023, making up one-fifth of all recorded crimes, according to a new report commissioned by the National Police Chiefs' Council and the College of Policing.

The report finds that one in every six murders is linked to domestic abuse, and one in every 12 women falls victim to crimes such as sexual offenses, rape, stalking, harassment, or online sexual abuse annually. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to underreporting.

'Violence against women and girls is a national emergency,' stated Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth. She emphasized the need for societal change and greater acceptance that such violence is preventable, not inevitable. The report revealed a 37% rise in these crimes from 2018 to 2022.

Violence against women and girls was classified as a national threat to public safety by the British government last year. Police forces were instructed to treat this issue with the same urgency as terrorism and serious organized crime.

However, despite the thousands of police officers newly trained in the past year to tackle rape and serious sexual offenses, Blyth insisted that government support is essential to rectify an 'overwhelmed and under-performing' criminal justice system.