• Manifesto highlights endemic sexual harassment in London
• ‘Mayorwatch’ website launched to track candidates’ pledges to end abuse
• Hustings event set for Tuesday 12 April, central London

Women’s groups in London today (24 March) published a ‘manifesto for ending violence against women and girls in the capital,’ and sent open letters to Mayoral candidates including Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan, highlighting endemic levels of domestic and sexual violence in London, and asking them to make specific commitments on FGM (female genital mutilation), prostitution, ensuring support services are maintained, and the effective policing of these crimes.

The manifesto and open letters precede an ‘ending violence against women and girls hustings’ in central London on 12 April, at which Yvette Cooper MP and Deputy Mayor Stephen Greenhalgh will be among those on the panel, and are accompanied by a new ‘VAWGmayorwatch’ website which will track all Mayoral and Assembly candidates’ pledges in this area.

The scale of the problem in London

The End Violence Against Women Coalition and Imkaan 12pp manifesto draws on a new YouGov survey which reveals that 40% of women in London have experienced unwanted sexual contact in public places, and 33% have been subject to indecent exposure, both higher than the national average. It also highlights that:

• Police in London recorded 146,000 domestic violence incidents in 2015, with 28 women murdered in domestic violence related homicides over 12 months
• Police in London recorded 5,500 rapes in 2015 (it’s estimated only 10-15% are reported to police)
• Police in London recorded almost 300 cases of forced marriage and ‘honour-based violence’ last year (also likely to be very under reported)
• Thousands of women are estimated as being exploited in prostitution in London
• Specialist support services led by and for women are suffering due to cuts and competition.

Women’s groups recommendations

The manifesto and letters to candidates ask them to commit to maintaining London’s pioneering Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy as developed under Boris Johnson, and also specifically asks them to commit to:

• Police – Specialist training for police on all forms of abuse, and increased attention to online abuse; support the police in resisting media or political pressure to drop historic investigations
• Direct funding for Rape Crisis services across the capital as the current Mayor has done since 2008
• Direct funding for BME women’s support services in London which provide holistic support for domestic and sexual violence as well as FGM, forced marriage and ‘honour-based violence’
• Ensure London’s housing strategy includes a safe pathway for women at risk
• Maintain a specific focus on FGM, forced marriage and ‘honour-based violence’
• Change police policy and practice on prostitution such that women do not face criminal penalties and the policing focus is switched to ‘pimps’ and ‘punters’; ensure there is a specialist exiting service available for every woman who needs it
• Ensure that British Transport Police and TFL work tackling sexual harassment and assaults on the transport network continues
• Ensure the needs of women prisoners, who can be very vulnerable, are prioritised as Holloway is closed down.

The manifesto, open letters to candidates and a tracker of candidates’ comments and pledges on these issues are all available at new website VAWGmayorwatch, which is already being shared widely and encourages visitors to contact candidates directly asking about their policies to end violence against women and girls.

Part of a longer Press Release at http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/news/237/zac-and-sadiq-asked-to-pledge-to-end-violence-against-women-girls

March 31, 2016