10 October 2022
An independent taskforce has been launched today, 10 October, to tackle violence
against women and girls (VAWG) in Jersey, under the direction of the Home Affairs
Minister.
VAWG is any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in,
physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of
such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in
private life.
In order to inform and best shape the island’s strategy to target these types of crimes
and behaviours, the taskforce has issued a call for evidence to find out more about
VAWG in Jersey. There are three different ways to engage with the call for evidence,
so that Islanders can participate in the way that suits them best: an online survey,
Share Your Story – testimony submission, and an online safety heatmap.
The first survey invites all Islanders to contribute their views and opinions
on VAWG in Jersey; respondents do not need to have any direct experience
themselves.
Share Your Story – testimony submission is designed for anyone with experience of
violence against women and girls. It provides an opportunity for people to share their
experience in their own words and make their own recommendations for reform.
The online safety heatmap allows Islanders to identify places that make them feel
unsafe in Jersey, explain why and suggest what the Government can do to help.
The call for evidence will remain open until 10 December 2022 when the findings will
then be analysed and a report containing recommendations for Government will be
published by April 2023.
The taskforce will be conducting a separate piece of research with specialist support
service providers, children and young people, and victims and survivors to discuss
VAWG in more depth.
Home Affairs Minister, Deputy Helen Miles, said: “The launch of the taskforce is
fundamental to our island’s progress in tackling all forms of violence against women
and girls. I’m grateful to the members of the taskforce for their dedication to the
cause and look forward to the findings that will shape a strategy to make a real
difference to Islanders.”
Kate Wright, Independent Chair of the taskforce, added: “I’m proud to be the Chair of
such an important group, an issue I am personally passionate about tackling, and
believe we have a real opportunity to influence how future generations understand
and experience this type of abuse. I would encourage all Islanders who are willing and
able, to share their views and experience through the call for evidence. The taskforce
has already met and we are all agreed that input from Islanders is fundamental to how
successful we are at driving forward this important piece of work.”
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