Agenda item

10.43pm – As the guillotine had fallen, the special motion in the names of Councillors Rebecca Harvey and Lisa Homan was taken as moved and seconded:

“The Council notes that 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that commences on 25 November 2022, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December 2022, Human Rights Day. First created and launched in 1961 it calls on the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls which this Council fully endorses.

The Council is deeply concerned that VAWG is rampant across the country. It notes that under the current Government, sex-based offences such as rape and sexual assault have seen unprecedented rises and low prosecution rates and even lower conviction rates.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council has over many years consistently worked towards:

• the goal of eliminating violence against women and girls
• devised our strategy of ending Violence Against Women and Girls through prevention and education and support
• working with partners including the Angelou Project, Standing Together, Refuge
• and encouraging businesses to support projects such as Ask Angela.

The Council notes that in 2022, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence coincides with the World Cup in Qatar. Violence against women and girls increases from between 26 – 38% during international football competitions and that during Euro 2020 there was a spike in reported domestic abuse.

Considering the disastrous state of the underfunded criminal justice system in this country, there is a serious risk of an escalation in domestic violence cases in the coming months. This Council pledges to redouble its efforts to work with our partners including those in the Angelou Partnership, our residents and wider community to try and keep everyone safe and prevent VAWG.

The Council calls on the Government to properly fund the criminal justice system so that perpetrators can be held to account.

The Council calls on organisations in the borough working in all sectors to raise awareness of domestic violence and misogyny, making it clear that it is unacceptable at any time.”

The motion was then put to the vote:

FOR                        UNANIMOUS

AGAINST                0

NOT VOTING         0

The motion was declared CARRIED.

10.43pm – RESOLVED

The Council notes that 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that commences on 25 November 2022, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December 2022, Human Rights Day. First created and launched in 1961 it calls on the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls which this Council fully endorses.

The Council is deeply concerned that VAWG is rampant across the country. It notes that under the current Government, sex-based offences such as rape and sexual assault have seen unprecedented rises and low prosecution rates and even lower conviction rates.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council has over many years consistently worked towards:

• the goal of eliminating violence against women and girls
• devised our strategy of ending Violence Against Women and Girls through prevention and education and support
• working with partners including the Angelou Project, Standing Together, Refuge
• and encouraging businesses to support projects such as Ask Angela.

The Council notes that in 2022, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence coincides with the World Cup in Qatar. Violence against women and girls increases from between 26 – 38% during international football competitions and that during Euro 2020 there was a spike in reported domestic abuse.

Considering the disastrous state of the underfunded criminal justice system in this country, there is a serious risk of an escalation in domestic violence cases in the coming months. This Council pledges to redouble its efforts to work with our partners including those in the Angelou Partnership, our residents and wider community to try and keep everyone safe and prevent VAWG.

The Council calls on the Government to properly fund the criminal justice system so that perpetrators can be held to account.

The Council calls on organisations in the borough working in all sectors to raise awareness of domestic violence and misogyny, making it clear that it is unacceptable at any time.