UN says bystanders must step in to help end UK's violence against women epidemic

UN Women UK said more must be done to encourage members of the public to intervene, as Keir Starmer holds crunch talks in Downing Street about tackling Britain's violence epidemic

Bystanders must step in if they witness violence against women and girls in order to tackle the crisis in the UK, the UN has said.

In a powerful intervention it called on the Government to speed up work to prevent women being killed by men, with harrowing figures showing there is an average of one case every three days. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has declared it a “national emergency”, and Labour has vowed to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.

The call comes as Keir Starmer brings police, transport and hospitality chiefs in Downing Street demanding better protection for women in the build-up to Christmas. He will announce that spiking will become a new criminal offence after years of Tory failure, with specialist training rolled out for staff in pubs, bars and nightclubs.

UN Women UK said more must be done to encourage members of the public to intervene if they witness violence. Executive director Tabitha Morton said: “As harrowing as the statistics are, violence against women and girls can be prevented and bystander intervention is a crucial part of a whole-systems approach.

"When we intervene, we signal to perpetrators that their behaviour is unacceptable. If this message is constantly reinforced within our communities and our workplaces, we can shift the boundaries of what is considered acceptable.

"It’s on all of us to enact meaningful change by adapting our behaviour to help defuse situations, discourage harassers, and support victims.” The UN has launched a 'Stop, Support, Report' campaign, calling on bystanders to offer help to victims, aid them getting to safety and contact police if that's what they want.

Alarming figures show one in 12 women is affected by stalking, harassment, sexual assault and domestic violence in England and Wales, while recorded offences have risen by 37% in the past five years.

Perpetrators are getting younger, the UN said. The Government has brought in a number of measures aimed at tackling violence against women and girls.

These include plans to launch new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders to give greater protection to victims, and ensuring domestic abuse specialists will be embedded in 999 control rooms.

Mr Starmer said clamping down on spiking is central to dealing with the crisis. He said: “My government was elected on a pledge to take back our streets, and we will never achieve this if women and girls do not feel safe at night.

"Today, I will bring together police chiefs, heads of industry and transport bosses to demand coordinated action to stop women being targeted, whether they are out with friends or simply travelling home. Cracking down on spiking is central to that mission."

He said it can be "incredibly difficult" for victims to support spiking, but cases can be hard to prosecute. Mr Starmer said: "We must do more to bring the vile perpetrators who carry out this cowardly act, usually against young women and often to commit a sexual offence, to justice."

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “People shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of their drinks on a night out. These changes are about giving victims greater confidence to come forward, and ensuring that there is a robust response from the police whenever this appalling crimes take place”.

The previous Government also announced measures to tackle spiking last December, but failed to bring in new legislation before Rishi Sunak called a general election in May.

Under the Tory plans, those found guilty would face up to 10 years in prison.