Jess Phillips
Published November 25, 2025 6:00am
Share this article via whatsappShare this article via xCopy the link to this article.Link is copiedShare this article via facebook
Comment now
Comments
As the Minister responsible for tackling VAWG, I fight from inside government for the right of women to feel safe (Picture: Nicola Tree/Getty Images)
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a national emergency.
No, this isn’t just another government line – it’s the reality I’ve seen every day for years, supporting victims and hearing their all-too-often harrowing stories.
I’ve worked with women who have suffered domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking, and now as the Minister responsible for tackling VAWG, I fight from inside government for the right of women to feel safe in this country.
Because the numbers are shocking.
A woman is killed by a man on average every three days in the UK.
One in five homicides are domestic homicides.
And, the truth is, every woman I know has suffered at the hands of men, myself included.
Whether it’s violence, financial abuse or coercive control, abusers will do whatever it takes to make victims feel powerless, isolated, small and as though they have nowhere to turn.
I hear this first hand, and that’s why I’ve made it my life’s work to fight for victims. Giving them a voice and putting their safety first is at the heart of everything I do.
For the 10 years since I came into Parliament, I’ve read the names of every woman suspected of being killed by men on International Women’s Day.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Up Next
Previous Page Next PageThis Is Not Right
On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a year-long campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.
With the help of our partners at Women's Aid, This Is Not Right aims to shine a light on the sheer scale of this national emergency.
You can find more articles here, and if you want to share your story with us, you can send us an email at [email protected].
Read more:
- Introducing This Is Not Right: Metro's year-long violence against women campaign
- Remembering the women killed by men in 2024
This is something I wish I didn’t have to do. Every year, my voice catches, I hold back tears. But I know I have to use my voice to lament the loss of these women and to lay bare the consequences when we, as Parliamentarians, fail to take decisive action.
As a Minister, I feel that weight of responsibility more than ever, but I’m determined to continue this fight. Because every woman who dies in this way has been failed. So, I will honour these women in this way – we must not look away.
I also know from experience that the biggest help we can offer victims is bold, practical action that makes a real difference in their lives.
And, with Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPO), that’s what we are doing.
Once issued, the orders, which can be tailored to each case in a way that reflects victims’ experiences, meaning perpetrators must comply with a robust range of restrictions and conditions, such as electronic monitoring or ‘tagging’ and attendance on behaviour change programmes.
Fundamentally these orders, more than any others I have ever worked with, take the burden off the victim on to the offender.
The biggest help we can offer victims is bold, practical action (Picture: Nicola Tree/Getty Images)
Rolled out in a pilot scheme last year across Greater Manchester Police, Cleveland, North Wales, and in three boroughs across the Met (Bromley, Croydon and Sutton) alongside the British Transport Police, they combine the strongest protections we have into one comprehensive tool.
Crucially, there are no time limits (previously, some existing orders could only be enforced for 28 days) so victims have protection for as long as they need, including indefinitely if required.
This is also the first protection of its kind to cover all forms of domestic abuse including economic abuse, coercive and controlling behaviour, stalking and ‘honour’-based abuse. So, this means combining the strongest elements of the protection order regime to cover all forms of physical, emotional, coercive, economic abuse, not just violence.
And, breaching an order is a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
Since their launch, more than 1,000 orders have been issued across England and Wales. That’s 1,000 victims better protected, and 1,000 abusers held under tighter restrictions.
The facts: Domestic abuse in the UK
- One in four women experience domestic abuse in their lives. For men, this figure is one in six.
- Two women are killed by a current or former partner every week in England and Wales.
- Globally, one in three women have experienced sexual or physical violence – in most cases from a partner or family member.
- Around 54 per cent of rapes reported to police take place within the context of domestic violence.
- Every minute a domestic violence case is reported to police. But…
- Only 35 per cent of domestic violence cases are actually reported to the police.
Sources: Refuge, nia
I’m proud of this initiative.
And, I’m pleased to see this government is making real progress on our unprecedented mission to halve these crimes within a decade.
In the last year, we’ve ensured domestic abuse specialists are embedded in five police forces’ 999 control rooms, to improve the police response to domestic abuse victims as part of ‘Raneem’s Law’, established in honour of Raneem Oudeh and her mother Khaola Saleem, who were murdered by Raneem’s ex-husband in August 2018.
The police were alerted to concerns about Raneem’s safety on 13 occasions, but no arrests were made. On the night she was killed, she rang 999 four times, but the police failed to respond in time.
Anyone who has heard the recordings of these calls – as I have – would be compelled through anger and upset to do better.
Jess Phillips (centre) with Nour Norris (left), the sister and aunt of victims Khaola Saleem and Raneem Oudeh, during a visit to domestic abuse charity in September 2024 (Picture: Gareth Fuller – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Both Raneem’s and Khaola’s deaths were tragically avoidable. And whilst I was shocked when I first heard about this case, sadly, I was not surprised.
It is for women just like Raneem and Khaola that I do the work that I do. Because for too long, we’ve heard that lessons will be learned after horrendous events like these and nothing tangible is done.
Domestic abuse helpline
If you are in immediate danger call 999. If you cannot talk, dial 55 and the operator will respond.
For emotional support, you can contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. Alternatively, for practical and emotional support, please contact Women’s Aid Live Chat 10am – 6pm seven days a week.
You can also reach the National Centre for Domestic Violence on 0800 270 9070 or text NCDV to 60777.
For free and confidential advice and support for women in London affected by abuse, you can call Solace on 0808 802 5565 or email [email protected].
Male victims of domestic abuse can call 01823 334244 to speak to ManKind, an initiative available for male victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence across the UK as well as their friends, family, neighbours, work colleagues and employers.
Alternatively, the Men's Advice Line can be reached at 0808 8010327, or emailed at [email protected].
And that’s why I have to advocate for women because that is how we will save lives. By shining a light on uncomfortable truths and taking direct action to fully address these issues.
I also know that this will take funding.
So, we have established the new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection backed by £13 million of funding to enable policing to better target these crimes and help keep women safer.
Jess Phillips (5th from right) joins women’s rights protesters in Parliament Square as part of #Wednesday4Women day of action (Picture: Rob Pinney/Getty Images)
This year we also boosted specialist services supporting victims, giving an additional £6 million in funding to the specialist helplines to support more victims.
And soon we will publish our cross-government VAWG Strategy.
That’s also why Metro’s This Is Not Right campaign on this issue has been so vital, bringing together amazing organisations like Women’s Aid, Refuge, White Ribbon, Killed Women and the End Violence Against Women coalition to shed light on the sheer scale of this problem.
Learn more about Rape Crisis England & Wales
Rape Crisis England & Wales is a charity working to end rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, child sexual abuse – and all other forms of sexual violence.
Whether it happened recently, or a long time ago; whether you know without a doubt that you experienced sexual violence, or aren't quite sure; whether it happened to you, or someone you know; Rape Crisis England & Wales will always believe you and listen to you, and they can offer you information and support.
You can find out more about Rape Crisis England & Wales here; and if you're aged 16 or over, you can call the charity's 24/7 support line for free on 0808 500 2222.
Because this is too important to ignore and VAWG isn’t something that can be dealt with by one organisation alone. It requires a whole-society response.
More Trending
-
Who should actually be held accountable for government failings in Covid?
Channel: Letters Letters 18 hours ago By Letters Editor - The Metro daily cartoon by Guy Venables
- The Metro daily cartoon by Guy Venables
- The Metro daily cartoon by Guy Venables
This is everybody’s business and to make real progress we know we need to bring you, the public, along with us.
We need everyone to unite to bring this to an end.
Because this is more than just words. This is a moral mission, and I will do whatever it takes to ensure we make this country safer for women and girls.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Share your views in the comments below.
Arrow MORE: New tool to protect victims used on more than 1,000 abusers in year since launch
Arrow MORE: I’m A Celebrity proves Kelly Brook has always been TV’s easiest target
Arrow MORE: Photos reveal ‘horrendous’ reality for girl who sweats three litres a day
Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source Puzzles NewsletterGet your favourite puzzles when they are ready to play on the website sent directly to you every day and track your daily streak!
Email I agree to receive newsletters from Metro I agree to receive newsletters from Metro Sign UpSign UpThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy
