More than 100,000 women and girls in the UK are at risk of, and living with the consequences of female genital mutilation, forced marriage and so called ‘honour-based’ violence.
This is according to the October 2017 report (pdf) from End Violence Against Women (EVAW) and Southall Black Sisters.
This report highlights the role of human rights in tackling the day to day operational police failures that women and girls continue to experience when reporting gender-based violence.
The report finds:
- Legal aid has shrunk, and abused women are often unable to obtain legal advice and representation which has meant that some women find themselves face to face with their perpetrators in courts
- Inquiries into child sexual abuse repeatedly reveal failures at every level of the State to prevent or protect girls from abuse
- BME women suffer disproportionately from violence, and face multiple barriers to reporting (including heightened forms of shame, stigma, cultural and religious constraints, racism, immigration insecurities and lack of awareness of their rights).
