Written Statement: Violence against Women, Gender-based Violence, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence National Advisers Annual Report 2018-19

The Welsh Government published its annual progress report, as required by the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015, in July. I am now pleased to announce the publication of the Annual Report 2018-19 produced by the National Advisers for Violence against Women, Gender-based Violence, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence. This is also a requirement of the Act.

The Report describes the National Advisers’ impressions of the progress made towards achieving the purposes of the Act and the objectives set out in the accompanying National Strategy on Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence 2016-2021.

Amongst many highlights, they note how the Government’s Coercive Control campaign “This is not Love. This is Control” was followed by a massive increase in reporting of such crimes.

They also reference the expertise being utilised in the development of the new Relationships and Sexuality Education element of the curriculum and how the National Training element of our work has now reached more than 158000 professionals in Wales.

I am grateful to them for their analysis and for the support they have given me and my officials throughout the reporting period.

The report can be accessed here:

Violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence: National Advisers annual report 2018 to 2019