Why the UK's response to Violence Against Women and Girls needs stronger leadership

A recent National Audit Office report [https://bit.ly/naovawg] examining the UK government's response to violence against women and girls (VAWG) has highlighted a persistent challenge in public sector transformation: the paradox of data collaboration. While there is universal agreement about the importance of sharing data across agencies to improve outcomes, the reality falls consistently short of aspirations.

?The Scale of the Challenge

The statistics are stark: over one in four women experience sexual assault or attempted assault in their lifetime, and one in 12 women are victims of VAWG annually. In 2022-23, 20% of all police-recorded crime was related to violence against women and girls. The economic and social cost of domestic abuse alone could be as high as ￡84 billion.

?The Data Disconnect

?The NAO's findings reveal a fundamental disconnect in how VAWG is measured and understood across different agencies. The Home Office's definition includes all victims across all ages and genders, while police forces only include women and girls. This basic definitional misalignment creates ripple effects throughout the entire system, making it impossible to accurately measure progress or understand the true scale of the problem.

?The Collaboration Conundrum

?When we talk about collaboration, we often encounter two contradictory interpretations: the aspirational "working together to achieve something" versus the fearful "treasonous cooperation with the enemy." This duality perfectly captures the challenge in cross-agency data sharing. While everyone agrees in principle about the importance of collaboration, the practice is often hampered by deep-seated organisational fears and cultural barriers.

?Leadership and Funding Gaps

?The report identifies critical gaps in leadership and funding that have undermined effective data collaboration:

?The Home Office has not centrally coordinated funding for VAWG across government departments, unlike other strategic initiatives.

?Cross-departmental governance structures failed to ensure all departments prioritised the VAWG Strategy's aims, with the Officials' oversight group not meeting until a year after the strategy's launch.

?The Home Office has consistently underspent its budget by an average of 15% between 2021-22 and 2023-24, while lacking visibility of resources committed by other departments.

?A key addition is needed regarding the classification of this work as a 'mission' rather than a project or programme:

?Why This Must Be a Mission

?The framing of tackling violence against women and girls as a 'mission' rather than a project or programme is crucial. A mission transcends traditional organisational boundaries and timeframes in several important ways:

?Firstly, missions galvanise action around a clear, measurable goal that resonates with both practitioners and the public - in this case, halving violence against women and girls within a decade. Unlike projects which focus on outputs or programmes which coordinate related activities, missions orient entire systems toward achieving a bold, transformative outcome.

?Secondly, missions demand sustained commitment beyond political cycles and departmental priorities. While projects typically last months and programmes years, missions persist until the goal is achieved. This longevity is essential for tackling deeply embedded societal challenges like VAWG that require generational change.

?Thirdly, missions create what might be called 'productive tension' in the system. By setting ambitious targets that cannot be achieved through business as usual, missions force organisations to innovate and collaborate in new ways. The scale of reducing VAWG by 50% cannot be achieved by any single department or through conventional approaches - it requires fundamental transformation of how agencies work together.

?Finally, missions build momentum through what is often called the 'mission mural' effect - as progress is made, success becomes visible and inspires further action. This virtuous cycle of achievement is essential for sustaining the long-term, multi-agency commitment needed to transform how we tackle violence against women and girls.

?The mission approach recognises that truly solving VAWG requires more than just coordinated activity - it demands a fundamental reimagining of how our public services work together. This is not about managing a portfolio of initiatives, but about reshaping our entire system response around a clear moral imperative.

?Recommendations for Systemic Change

?1. Strong Central Leadership

?The government needs to establish a dedicated cross-departmental unit, with seconded staff from all relevant departments. This would help ensure senior-level buy-in and genuine collaboration rather than mere cooperation.

?2. Unified Data Framework

?Develop and implement a standardised framework for defining and measuring VAWG reduction risk and protective factors and activities across all agencies. This should include:

-?????? Common definitions and metrics

-?????? Shared data quality standards

-?????? Integrated reporting mechanisms

-?????? Clear data sharing protocols

3. Sustainable Funding Model?

Create a joint spending review bid across all departments involved in tackling VAWG, ensuring resources are allocated strategically and supporting the necessary data infrastructure.

?4. Cultural Transformation

?Address the fear-based culture around data sharing by:

?-?????? Providing clear legal guidance and protocols

-?????? Celebrating successful data collaboration initiatives

-?????? Creating safe spaces for innovation and learning

-?????? Building trust through transparent governance and a ‘dare to share’ approach

?Moving Forward

?The technical solutions for effective data collaboration exist. What's lacking is the political will, leadership commitment, and cultural transformation necessary to implement them effectively. The government's ambitious target to halve VAWG within a decade provides an opportunity to address these systemic issues.

?Success will require a fundamental shift in how we think about and practice collaboration. This means moving beyond surface-level agreements to tackle the deep-seated fears and cultural barriers that prevent effective data sharing. It means creating governance structures that actively enable rather than inadvertently inhibit collaboration.

?The NAO report makes clear that the current approach isn't working. The cost of continued failure - both in human and economic terms - is too high to accept. It's time for bold leadership to break down the silos and create a truly integrated and data-led response to violence against women and girls.

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