Violence against women's minister Jess Phillips 'not surprised' by research into killings by men

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips. Credit: ITV News

A government minister says she is "not surprised" by the results of an ITV Calendar investigation which lays bare the extent of the problem of violence against women.

Research conducted in conjunction with the Femicide Project found 18 women were killed in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire by men already known to police in the last five years.

Fifteen of the victims had gone to the police themselves.

Four of the men on bail at the time they carried out the killings.

Labour's Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women, told ITV Calendar: "I'm afraid to say that what you have found is not something that comes as a particular surprise to me.

"That is the entire reason why I personally have dedicated my life to trying to improve things and why in government we are absolutely determined that these stories you are telling about repeated failures, women having to return to the police, are ended once and for all."

Among the victims identified by Calendar were Bethany Vincent, from Louth, Lincolnshire, and Bethany Fields, from Huddersfield.

In both cases reviews carried out after the killings found there were missed opportunities to intervene before they died.

Ms Phillips said there was "fair criticism" of the use of domestic homicide reviews, which are mandatory in such cases.

She said: "We are currently reviewing exactly how domestic homicide reviews actually go on to change things. It is a worry that I have had for a long time.

"I've sat on domestic homicide reviews and... if the same failures continue to happen, there's fundamentally something that has to be done."

The new Labour government has pledged to halve the violence against women and girls.

Ms Phillips, who each year reads out the names of all women who have been killed by men in the UK, said she was confident the tide could be turned.

She said: "I wouldn't do it if I didn't think it was going to change things. The reason that I read those women's names out is I don't want to get used to the statistic of a woman dying every three days as if she's not a real human being.

"In the decade that I have done that, I think the country does care considerably more about it, and makes huge demands of people like me and of police forces, and that's the reason for doing it."

When asked if the police take domestic abuse seriously enough, Ms Phillips said: "There is good and bad practice all across the country.

"I have worked with police officers who have gone so far above and beyond in the pursuit of a woman's safety and I have seen real dedication. What we have to make sure is that there are standardised practises across the country and across officers.

"We are putting specialist teams in every 999 call centre to make sure that the first response, not the third response, is the best one. We are moving every lever that we possibly can.

"To be honest, I don't feel like we are getting any resistance from policing colleagues so i think that the time is now and they recognise it and we recognise it."

Domestic abuse advice and support

Refuge

Refuge supports more than 6,000 clients on any one day, helping them rebuild their lives and overcome many different forms of violence and abuse - including domestic violence, sexual violence, so-called ‘honour’-based violence, human trafficking and modern slavery, and female genital mutilation

  • If you, or someone you care about, is experiencing domestic abuse, you can phone The National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.

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Women's Aid

Women’s Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. They have been at the forefront of shaping and coordinating responses to domestic violence and abuse through practice for over 45 years.

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IDAS

IDAS is the largest specialist charity in the North supporting people affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence.

  • idas.org.uk

  • North Yorkshire and Barnsley: 03000 110110

  • Sheffield: 0808 8082241

  • email: info@idas.org.uk

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ManKind

The Mankind Initiative is the principal, expert and specialist charity in the UK focussing on male victims of domestic abuse. The charity collaborates and works in close partnership with other organisations and practitioners to support these victims too. It was the first in Great Britain to support male victims.

  • You can call ManKind on 01823 334 244 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm)

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Men's Advice Line

Men’s Advice Line is a team of friendly Advisors who will listen and believe you. Its focus is to increase the safety of men experiencing domestic abuse, and the safety of any children, by providing confidential support.

  • You can call on 0808 8010 327 for non-judgemental information and support.

  • Lines are open Monday and Wednesday, 9am to 8pm, and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am to 5pm

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