National emergency: UK's Lammy sets out plan to halve violence against women “As a father, it terrifies me”

In an opinion piece for The Guardian, David Lammy, the UK’s deputy prime minister, lord chancellor and secretary of state for justice, sets out the government’s case for treating violence against women and girls as a national emergency.

Drawing on recent statistics, personal reflections and new policy commitments, Lammy argues that tougher enforcement must be combined with cultural change, particularly in how boys and young men are influenced and supported.

Lammy begins by highlighting the scale of the problem. He points to figures showing that, in the year leading up to March 2025, one in eight women in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking. He also notes that nearly 200 rapes are recorded each day and that, on average, three women are killed by men every week in the UK. These statistics demonstrate that despite years of strong rhetoric, action has fallen short.

According to Lammy, the government now intends to “deploy the full power of the state” in what he describes as the largest crackdown on violence against women and girls in British history. He frames the issue not only as a public safety crisis but as a deeply personal concern, referencing his role as a father to both a daughter and two sons. This, he suggests, underscores the need to rethink how society addresses masculinity and male behaviour.

A central theme of the article is the role of culture and the digital environment. Lammy argues that casual misogyny has become embedded in online spaces, where harmful content is easily accessible to children. He cites the influence of figures such as Andrew Tate, noting research that suggests a significant proportion of young men hold positive views of him. Lammy links this trend to wider evidence indicating that some young men are becoming more regressive in their attitudes towards consent and gender equality.

In response, Lammy outlines a new government strategy with a target of halving violence against women and girls within a decade. The strategy, he explains, is built around three pillars: preventing young men from being drawn into harmful behaviour, stopping perpetrators, and supporting victims.

Measures include improved data use, specialist policing teams focused on high-risk offenders, and stronger protections for victims through the expansion of domestic abuse protection orders. These orders would allow courts to impose curfews, electronic tagging and exclusion zones, with strict penalties for breaches.

Lammy also emphasises reforms to the criminal courts aimed at delivering swifter justice, while acknowledging that enforcement alone is not enough. He argues that prevention must start earlier, particularly through education. The strategy includes support for schools and parents to teach consent, respect and healthy relationships, as well as efforts to challenge stereotypes that discourage boys from expressing vulnerability or seeking help.

Reflecting on his own upbringing without a father, Lammy stresses the importance of positive male role models. He calls for greater involvement of men in addressing the problem and announces plans to convene a national summit on men and boys to listen and shape a healthier understanding of masculinity.

"These measures protect women and girls. But they also protect boys from being drawn into this culture. Because toxic masculinity and violence against women and girls are very much connected. To end one, we must confront the other. I want my daughter to grow up without fear. I want my sons to grow up knowing that masculinity can be kind," the UK official writes. 

By Sabina Mammadli