Violence against women and girls

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) remains an urgent challenge facing our borough. Every woman and girl deserves to feel safe, at home, at work, and on our streets. 

That’s why we welcome Merton Council’s commitment to developing its Ending Violence Against Women & Girls Strategy 2026–2029. Its ambition for a borough-wide, multi-agency response is the right one. Tackling VAWG requires coordinated action across public services, community organisations, and local businesses.

This Strategy needs to lead to real, measurable change in making Merton safer for women and girls, rather than becoming just another report to be filed away and forgotten. The Liberal Democrats are committed to working constructively to strengthen this plan so that it delivers meaningful change.

In 2021, following the tragic murder of Sarah Everard, Merton Council committed to doing more, particularly in listening to women and girls and exploring new approaches like restorative justice where appropriate. While the current strategy references ‘hearing the survivor’s voice,’ there is little evidence that these commitments have been fully delivered. There is no clear indication that meaningful opportunities for women and girls to share their experiences have been established, nor that restorative justice has been seriously explored. We believe this must change.

A strategy is only as strong as its ability to show progress. We are calling for clear use of both raw numbers and percentages, accessible formats such as charts, tables, and maps, and regular public reporting on progress. This is essential to ensure accountability to residents, and to survivors.

Our plan 

We are urging the Council to focus on clear, deliverable measures that will make a tangible difference:

• Safer streets through better lighting
  Identify unsafe areas using data and public consultation, and invest in improved street lighting where women and girls feel most at risk.
• Expanding Safe Havens and Safe Zones
  Work with local businesses and licensed venues to create a visible network of safe spaces across the borough. Currently, there are only 17 beds available for women fleeing domestic abuse, and none of the Council's current Safe Havens are open after 7pm.
• Training for public-facing professionals
  Equip taxi drivers, hospitality staff, and other frontline workers with the skills to recognise and respond to VAWG, building on initiatives such as White Ribbon.
• Listening better to survivors
  Ensure frontline professionals understand that survivors want them to ask questions and engage with sensitivity, rather than avoid difficult conversations.
• A guaranteed housing pathway for survivors
  Provide emergency accommodation within 24 hours and secure stable, long-term housing within six months.
• Exploring restorative justice approaches
  Where appropriate, offer restorative justice as an additional pathway for support and prevention, an approach already endorsed by Full Council in April 2021.

Facing the funding challenge

We recognise the financial pressures facing the Council. But that makes prioritisation even more important. The strategy should clearly identify which services are at risk due to funding constraints. For example, concerns have already been raised about the future of the Independent Domestic Abuse Advisor (IDVA) role. Residents deserve honesty about what can, and cannot, be delivered without additional resources.