I am pleased to announce that on Wednesday 25 November, the international day for the elimination of violence against women, I am launching a cross-Government strategy to address violence against women and girls.

In recent years much has been achieved to increase protection for women and to prosecute their attackers. However, the strategy will be the first comprehensive, co-ordinated effort to tackle this form of gender-based violence, integrating work from across government under the headings of prevention, provision and protection.

The Government recognise that the complexity of this issue demands not only a firm criminal justice response, but focussed measures to stop violence from happening in the first place while ensuring that appropriate help and support for women and girls is available to those who need it. To deliver these commitments we will continue to work closely with local partners to achieve our goal of ending violence against women.