VAWG: Call for more investment in prevention

The CEO of Freeda is calling for more attention and investment on prevention, as part of ongoing efforts to tackle violence against women and girls in Jersey.

The first of five new laws aimed at tackling VAWG will come into force in December.

Currently it's an offence to threaten to kill, rape or cause someone serious physical injury, but it will soon also cover threats to commit a wider range of sexual offences.

Kate Wright said:

"Clearly my colleagues and I really welcome this. I think what has not been well understood before is just how a threat of sexual harm can cause serious harm and exert control before any assault takes place.

"If you really believe that the threat that somebody is making against you they mean, then you can imagine how that impacts your fear, their ability to control you.

"So this law is incredibly important because it closes a specific gap in recognising that."

Other laws covering crimes such as stalking, online abuse and fatal strangulation have also been approved and will come into effect at a later stage.

Ms Wright served as the independent chair of the Jersey Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce, which was established in 2022 to tackling all forms of violence against women and girls.

The following year, 77 recommendations were made, with 58 for the Government of Jersey.

Ms Wright added:

"I was so privileged to chair the taskforce. I worked with 29 professionals across different government departments, agencies, States of Jersey Police, charities, community groups. It was a real mix of people, the people who every day work with and support and investigate VAWG and gender-based violence, crimes against women and girls and the threat of that too.

"It wasn't easy. It's fair to say it was a much bigger piece of work that anybody anticipated it would be and thank goodness it was commissioned because what we saw made us realise just how important it was to understand better just what violence against women and girls looks like in Jersey, how it's perpetrated, how it's experienced by different people within our society.

"I'll be honest, it was so huge and the recommendations so significant, I think if anybody had told me three and a half years ago that all of the recommendations would be accepted and that we'd be reading the news that on 1 December one of the first major law changes is coming through, I would have massively pinched myself and not believed them.

"It's really wonderful to see, it's just so important and I cannot overstate how much laws like these will help change the landscape for women and girls in Jersey."

Home Affairs Minister, Senator Helen Miles, said recently that recorded criminal incidents of violence against women and girls had increased by around 30% over four years, with 844 offences recorded in 2025.

Over the same period, rape and serious sexual offences increased by 58%.

A business case has also been submitted by the Minister for more prison space at La Moye to increase capacity because of the new laws to protect women and girls from violence.

Ms Wright added:

"There will be more crimes investigated because of these new laws, that's really important, there will be more perpetrators prosecuted and some will be sent to prison and that's really important, appropriate sentencing is absolutely key and we've had to fight for that.

"But a really important piece that isn't talked about nearly enough in Jersey is prevention and we need to see a lot consideration and investment in prevention, and that means things like rehabilitation.

"There are different degrees of severity when it comes to VAWG-related crimes, but many perpetrators aren't going to be sent to prison, many will go to prison and will be released, and so rehabilitation and restorative justice are concepts that we need to understand much better.

"I think we have to have faith that there are many perpetrators who want to change their behaviour. There are people who seek help before they perpetrate a crime and that is really to be commended, so prevention is absolutely key.

"It's why at Freeda, we're known as a refuge and that's certainly a very important part of what we do - protection, a safe place for people fleeing domestic abuse - but a major part of our investment and strategy is prevention, so education and awareness.

"We would love to be part of a conversation on this island around rehabilitation, for example."

Support services:

Victims First Jersey: 0800 7351612 or email victimsfirstjersey@gov.je

Protection against stalking: Protection Against Stalking | Look Forward Not Behind

Suzy Lamplugh Trust: Suzy Lamplugh Trust

National Stalking Helpline: 0808 8020300

Revenge Porn Helpline (18+): Revenge Porn Helpline - 0345 6000 459 | Revenge Porn Helpline

The Cyber Helpline: The Cyber Helpline | Free support with online threats

Paladin Service: Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service | Paladin Service

If it's an emergency, call 999. More information here.