Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is an umbrella term which recognises that, while they can happen to anyone, certain crimes and forms of abuse disproportionately affect women and girls. Policy-making around VAWG identifies this issue as an unacceptable human rights violation, which damages millions of lives worldwide.
These crimes include:
- Domestic homicide or abuse-related death
- Domestic violence and abuse, including coercive control
- Rape and other sexual offences
- Non-fatal strangulation
- Stalking and harassment
- Drink and drug spiking
- 'Honour-based' violence and abuse
- Female genital mutilation (FGM)
- Forced marriage
- Upskirting and Downblousing (sexualised covert photography)
- Digital crimes which exploit technology and online platforms to harass, intimidate, humiliate or abuse, such as:
Action on VAWG
There are national co-ordinated strategies to work together to reduce violence against women and girls:
Find out more
Visit the dedicated VAWG pages on the GOV.UK website, to find services, research and policy on violence against women and girls.