Yvette Cooper Calls Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence an Epidemic
The UK Health Secretary stated that more must be done to address these issues, advocating for them to be treated as health matters.
Yvette Cooper, the UK's Health Secretary, has declared that domestic abuse and sexual violence against women and girls have reached "epidemic" levels. Speaking at a fringe event during the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Cooper emphasized the need for increased efforts to combat these issues, advocating for their impact to be recognized and treated as health concerns.
Cooper is expected to outline her plans for prioritizing this issue and tasking the National Health Service (NHS) with assisting victims in her keynote speech at the conference on Wednesday. Official statistics indicate that millions in Britain are affected by sexual and domestic violence, with women bearing a disproportionate burden.
The government launched its Freedom from Violence and Abuse strategy in December, aiming to reduce violence against women and girls by half within a decade. Cooper remarked at the PLMR Women's Health Reception, "I'm keen for us to do more around the impact of domestic abuse, of sexual violence, and that those should be seen as health issues."
She highlighted her consistent focus on this issue across her various government roles. "I am here this year as health secretary, last year as foreign secretary, the year before as home secretary. Different jobs, same values, because in each of those jobs, I have highlighted how much we need to do to tackle violence against women and girls," she stated.
Cooper referenced her previous work on criminal justice system reforms and policing as Home Secretary, and efforts at the Foreign Office to address sexual abuse in conflict zones. "On Wednesday, as part of my speech, I'll be setting out our next steps around how we do our part through the NHS and through public health and through the whole way in which we respond to health to make sure that we are also treating this as the epidemic that it really is," she added.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates that 739,000 women experience sexual assault annually, and 2.2 million experience domestic abuse. However, sexual violence remains significantly under-reported, with only a small fraction of victims reporting incidents of rape or assault by penetration to the police. Perpetrators are most commonly partners, former partners, or known individuals.
Professor Subodh Dave, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, commented on the severity of the issue. "We have long been aware of the serious harm that violence and abuse can do to women and girls' mental health. Tragically, it is not uncommon for female patients to experience long-term abuse that causes serious symptoms, including suicidal ideation or symptoms of psychosis," he told the Daily Mail. He added that the Royal College of Psychiatrists has long warned that violence and abuse contribute to mental illness in women and girls, expressing support for Cooper's commitment and anticipation for further details and collaboration.