Open letter to the Prime Minister to prioritise the Primary Prevention of men’s violence against women and girls

White Ribbon has sent an open letter to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, calling for the prioritisation of the Primary Prevention of violence against women and girls to achieve his Governments ambition to halve violence against women and girls within the decade.

The letter has been signed by strategic leaders in White Ribbon UK partner organisations and demonstrates support across sectors including local authorities, transport industry, healthcare and support services.

The prevalence of violence against women and girls will not decrease unless we start addressing the so-called ‘low-level’ attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate and normalise violence and abuse. If Government works in partnership with organisations to promote changes in the social and cultural patterns of behaviour that perpetuate gender-based violence, we can prevent violence against women and girls.

A copy of the letter can be read below.

Dear Prime Minister,

Re: Halving violence against women and girls in a decade

We are writing as a partnership of White Ribbon UK’s organisations and colleagues in the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls sector. We welcome the Government’s commitment to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. This commitment can only be achieved with a focus on preventing violence before it starts, requiring culture change, promoting equality and challenging gender stereotypes to transform the harmful male cultures that lead to violence.

We are calling for a plan that prioritises the Primary Prevention of violence against women and girls that takes a whole society approach, engaging men and boys. To curb attitudes and behaviours that lead to the harm of women and girls, all areas of society must work together to influence positive culture change. We welcome the Government’s focus on the education of young people, but it must take a cross-department approach that also supports workplaces, sports organisations and the media to shift harmful attitudes that lead to violence against women and girls.

Such work has been underfunded for many years and much of it delivered by small charities. Such work needs proper investment with statutory sources of funding made available for specialist organisations working on Primary Prevention initiatives.

The prevalence of violence against women and girls will not decrease unless we start addressing the so-called ‘low-level’ attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate and normalise violence and abuse. If Government works in partnership with organisations to promote changes in the social and cultural patterns of behaviour that perpetuate gender-based violence, we can prevent violence against women and girls.

Yours sincerely,

Anthea Sully, Chief Executive, White Ribbon UK

Simon Foster, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, The Office of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner

Colette Byrne, CEO, Broxtowe Women’s Project

Robert Prince, Managing Director – Group Corporate Shared Services, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Melanie Dales, Chief Constable, Ministry of Defence Police

Justin Griggs, Head of Policy and Communications, National Association of Local Councils

Martin Oliver Blakebrough, CEO, Kaleidoscope Project

Ian Swift, Director of Housing Operations and Deputy Corporate Director, Islington Council

Andrew Burnell, Group CEO, City Health Care Partnership CIC

Glenn Bowen, Enterprise Programme Director, Cwmpas

Mark V G Dodd, Deputy Director of Operations, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Marice Hawley, Head of Communities and Community Safety, Broxtowe Borough Council

Sarah Hayes, HR Director, Securitas

John Roberts, Senior Operating Officer, Kingdom Local Authority Support

Spencer Palmer, Strategic Director, Environment, Housing & Neighbourhoods, London Borough of Sutton Council

Cllr Shantanu Rajawat, Leader of Hounslow Council, Hounslow Council

Tom Sackville, Via Executive Director of Services, Via Community Ltd

Cllr Rob Inglis, Cabinet Portfolio holder for Environment & Safety, Rushcliffe Borough Council

Maria Lovell, Portfolio Holder Women, Equalities, & Community Safety, Luton Borough Council

Adam Ratcliffe, Operations Director, Safer Business Network

David Mote, Chair - Dartford Borough Council White Ribbon Steering Group, Dartford Borough Council

Cllr Ruth R Berkley, Lead Member Adults, South Tyneside Council

David Whitehouse, Safety, Security & Environment Director, Avanti West Coast

Martyn Hale, Operations Director, Trent & Dove Housing Ltd

Dave Walton, Deputy Chief Fire Officer/Director of Service Delivery, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service

Cllr Angela Douglas, Cabinet Member, Gateshead Council

Steven Trice PSLCC, Town Clerk - Haywards Heath Town Council, Society of Local Council Clerks

Abu Siddeeq, Customer Experience Director, Trenitalia c2c

Cllr Millie Earl, Leader of Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole Council, Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole Council

Jo Rae, JOY Project Lead, Worcester Community Trust

Jennie Simmons, Assistant Vice Principal, St Mary’s College, Hull

Jon Roberts, Detective Chief Inspector, West Mercia Police

Cllr Aga Dychton, Deputy Mayor of Watford & Central Ward Councillor, Watford Council

Cllr John McKay, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Eastrop & Grove, Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council

Kate Rooney, Deputy Headteacher, St Julie's Catholic High School

Sarah Rennie, Head of HR Services, Stagecoach London

Steve Helps, CFO, County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service

Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of Medway Council, Medway Council

Kerry Elizabeth Heathcote, Deputy CEO and Vice Principal Curriculum & Quality, University Centre West Anglia

Cllr Lee Hunt, White Ribbon Cabinet Member and White Ribbon Champion, Portsmouth City Council

Rob MacDougall, Chief Fire Officer and Director of Community Safety at Oxfordshire County Council and as the Coordinating Committee Chair for People, Culture and Leadership with the National Fire Chiefs Council, Oxford County Council and National Fire Chiefs Council

Matthew Perry, Chief Officer Place, Powys County Council

Jonny Wiseman, Customer Experience Director, West Midlands Trains Ltd

Brenda Dacres, Mayor of Lewisham, Lewisham Council

Vicky Mounsor, Interim Headteacher (SENDCo, Designated Safeguarding Lead), Oldfleet Primary School

Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Leader of Three Rivers District Council, Three Rivers District Council

Sarah King, Vice Principal People and Wellbeing, Gower College Swansea

Lora Draper, Chief Executive Officer, The Change Project

Michael Cullen, Chief Executive, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

Sarah Robson, Deputy Chief Executive, Chief Officer - People and Places, Sevenoaks District Council

Geraint Owen, Corporate Director, Cyngor Gwynedd

Stephen McCormick, Area Manager, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

Neil Edward Owen, Regional Director, Mears

Amanda Foley, Chief Executive, St Albans City & District Council

Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive, London Borough of Bexley

Cllr Susan Fajana-Thomas OBE, DCL, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Regulatory Services and Labour Councillor, Stoke Newington Ward, London Borough of Hackney

Cllr John Batchelor, Lead Cabinet Member for Housing and District Councillor for Bartlow, Castle Camps, Great Abington, Hildersham, Linton, Little Abington and Shudy Camps, South Cambridgeshire District Council

Alexander Kubeyinje, National Director for Safeguarding, Church of England

Jim Smith, Headteacher, Meden School

Paul M Murphy, Area Manager, Merseyside Fire & Rescue

Miss Satia Devi Rai, CEO, IPSA

Richard Parry, Executive Director, Adults and Health, Kirklees Council

Iwan Cray, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

Ben Selby, Assistant General Secretary, Fire Brigades Union

Shelley Goodinson, Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding Partnerships Manager, East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Agnieszka (Aga) Dychtoń, Deputy Mayor of Watford and Watford Central Ward Councillor, Watford Borough Council