Ashford MP Hosts Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse Event in Parliament

On 3^rd March the Member of Parliament for Ashford, Sojan Joseph hosted an event with Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse (STADA) to coincide with the week commencing International Women’s Day in Parliament’s Attlee Suite to discuss how the NHS could play a part in tackling domestic violence and delivering the Government’s ambitious mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. 

Attendees heard about how domestic abuse needs to tackled as a public affairs and “whole-health” concern in which the NHS can play a collaborative role with the justice system in supporting victims/survivors.

Speakers included Baroness Gillian Merron of Lincoln, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Mental Health and Women’s Health Strategy, Mr Joseph and Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Dame Nicole Jacobs, as well as victims of domestic abuse who shared their stories with the event’s attendees. 

Sojan Joseph MP Quote: 

“Having Spent 22 years of my life working in the NHS, I know healthcare has a central role in both preventing domestic abuse and providing support for victims. They often come to healthcare professionals first and unfortunately there are far too many cases of victims slipping through the net. People working in the NHS need to be trained to spot the signs of abuse – whether its physical or mental. Staff need to be given the relevant training for them to develop professional curiosity, allowing patients to speak openly and honestly about their home life. More can be done to detect abuse earlier and provide support for victims.” 

Baroness Gillian Merron, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health Quote: 

“The NHS and wider healthcare system has an important role in our goal to end domestic abuse. Healthcare professionals are often the first lifeline for domestic abuse victims and survivors – playing a vital role in supporting domestic abuse victims and survivors to overcome trauma and rebuild their lives. This event and further collaboration going forward, will drive the government’s commitment to halve cases of violence against women and girls in a decade.” 

Standing Together’s CEO, Cherryl Henry-Leach Quote: 

“We are grateful to the government for their support in helping us deliver this work with the NHS and partners over the last three years. Our work and this event are testament to the importance of the health sector in the government’s mission to half violence against women and girls. We look forward to working with the NHS and others as part of this important mission. By bringing together healthcare professionals, policymakers, survivors, and advocates, we have demonstrated how a united approach can create meaningful change. At Standing Together, we believe that collaboration lies at the heart of ending domestic abuse, and this event showcased the incredible impact we can achieve when we work together. As we approach International Women’s Day, it’s crucial to remember that domestic abuse is a global issue rooted in gender inequality, and our response must reflect this reality.” 

The Labour Government is aiming to halve violence against women and girls through a cross departmental strategy. For example, the newly introduced “Raneem’s Law” – which will ensure that domestic abuse specialists are present in all emergency call rooms so that calls for help are not missed.  

New preventative measures will be introduced in schools and the education sector too, so that young people can learn about healthy relationships, respect, and consent. As well as working with NHS England to develop local ‘pathfinder’ projects for enhanced trauma-informed mental health support for sexual abuse victims and survivors with the most complex needs.

ENDS