Dame Elish Angiolini’s meticulous report into the shocking murder of Sarah Everard was sickening and unsurprising in equal parts. Sarah’s tragic murder is gut-wrenching for all women who have ever felt scared walking home from a night out, or that they have been let down by the criminal justice system.
I don't want to have to tell my daughter that she shouldn't go out at night to enjoy herself, or to have a drink without worrying it might be spiked. Women should have the freedom to live life on their own terms.
For abusers to face justice, women must feel that they are supported by the justice system to come forward. As well as the immediate tragedy, the catalogue of failures outlined in black and white by Dame Angiolini shows this horrific crime risks breaking down the essential trust between women and the police.
In London, this trust is plummeting to record depths. This failure must ultimately lie at the door of the man in charge of policing in London, Mayor Sadiq Khan. He has catastrophically let women down.
But with horror stories like this, it is easy to forget that we are moving forwards in tackling violence against women and girls across the country.
Both as a Minister and Member of Parliament, I campaigned to put victims of rape, sexual abuse and harassment, domestic abuse and stalking at the centre of the criminal justice system. And while serving in the Home Office, I implemented a comprehensive and successful plan to prevent spiking at festivals - a blueprint that has now been adopted by the industry and law enforcement.
Landmark measures like the Domestic Abuse Act and the Rape Review, combined with extensive changes to policing and the courts system have significantly changed things for the better. There is a long road ahead, but we are on the right path.
Victims of sexual crimes are better supported now than ever before. In addition to cracking down on the perpetrators of these horrific crimes, victims’ rights have been enshrined in the Victims Code. Importantly this is backed by significant funding.
On top of new offences, like upskirting and cyber-flashing, measures such as increased sentences for offences against women, ending early release from prison for rapists and paedophiles, improved public protection against sex offenders, and a specific plan for courts to improve rape convictions are making a real difference.
This approach has already improved outcomes. Since 2019, we have more than doubled the number of suspects charged with an adult rape and the volume of adult rape cases reaching Crown Court, as well as trebling the number of suspects the police refer to the CPS for rape.
We are making big positive strides, but Dame Angiolini’s report is a call to action. We must press ahead on the path to liberating women and girls.
