Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to contribute to the target of halving violence against women and girls in ten years.

The Government is committed to halving violence against women and girls in a decade. My Department is working closely with NHS England, the Home Office, and others on a coordinated approach to achieve this goal and improve the health response to victims and perpetrators.

NHS England has launched a national campaign to raise awareness of sexual assault referral centres and encourage survivors of sexual assault and abuse to seek help. These specialist services offer dedicated care and support to anyone who has been raped, sexually assaulted, or abused.

All integrated care boards have now appointed Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence leads to review their policies, training, and support systems for patients and staff. NHS England has also introduced a comprehensive package of measures to tackle sexual misconduct in the workplace.