Call for Views: New Strategies - Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy and Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy - Written Response

Overview

A Call for Views has been launched to inform the development of two new strategies:

(i)    a Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy, led jointly by the Department of         Health and the Department of Justice; and

(ii)   an Equally Safe Strategy (a Strategy to tackle Violence Against Women         and Girls) led by the Executive Office.

The new Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy will adopt an inclusive approach and apply to all victims of domestic and sexual abuse regardless of a person’s gender or gender identity. The new strategy is intended to raise awareness, support victims and address offending behaviour. 

Some of the broader initiatives, including those designed to address societal attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that contribute towards violence against women and girls, will be led by the Executive Office under a new Equally Safe Strategy. This strategy will reach more widely to include unwanted behaviours and other acts and threats of gender-based violence that result in, or may result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, whether occurring in public or in private life, in the physical world or online.

Why your views matter

We welcome views to help inform the content, actions and overall direction of the two strategies. There are a number of ways that you can get involved. You can use as many of these as you wish by clicking the relevant links.

1. Submit information, evidence and data by completing our online written response form, which contains a number of questions in relation to each area. To complete this please click on the continue button at the bottom of this page.
2. Complete our online survey as a member of the public (aged 16 or over). The Call for Views Public Survey should take 15-20 minutes to complete.
3. Complete our online survey as a victim of domestic or sexual abuse (if you are aged 16 or over) – Call for Views Victim Survey should take 20-30 minutes to complete.
4. An Easy Read version of the Call for Views document contains a number of questions that you can answer.
5. A Children and Young People’s version of the Call for Views document contains a number of questions that you can answer.
6. Take part in one of our online public engagement events. Details are available at Consultations | Department of Health Department of Justice | The Executive Office.
7. Take part in a stakeholder focus group (the Departments will contact our key stakeholders about this or you can email us at CallforViews@justice-ni.gov.uk ).

Before responding, using any of the options above, you may find it helpful to read the Call for Views document.

The written response to the Call for Views can be accessed by clicking below.