RISE hosts policy roundtable in Westminster
Earlier this month, we were honoured to host a policy roundtable in Westminster sponsored by Jess Asato MP, where we presented our RISE research on violence against women and girls to a packed room of parliamentarians and stakeholders across health, social care, built environment and design.
Chaired by RISE lead Professor Rose Jenkins, researchers from across the UK shared their evidence and insights on tackling violence against women and girls in all its forms, from online harms to violence experienced in schools, public spaces, homes and healthcare settings.
The roundtable showcased the breadth of RISE's research and reinforced the need for a whole-society approach to tackling both entrenched and emerging forms of VAWG, including:
The normalisation of technology-facilitated abuse among young people and new, hidden forms of online VAWG.
Creating safer, more inclusive parks and public spaces through evidence-informed practitioner training.
The effectiveness of multi-agency responses to high-risk high-harm perpetrators.
Ensuring mothers are recognised and protected within VAWG prevention strategies.
A recurring theme throughout the event was the need to move beyond raising awareness towards practical, tangible action. This means equipping teachers, parents, health and social care professionals, police forces and online platforms with the tools and resources they need to identify early warning signs, support prevention efforts and respond effectively when it occurs.
A huge thank you to Jess Asato MP for sponsoring the event and to everyone who joined the discussion. We look forward to continuing to work closely with policymakers and practitioners and ensure RISE research creates a real-world impact to tackle VAWG in all its forms.
"To achieve our mission of halving violence against women and girls (VAWG) within the next decade, policy decisions must be guided by the best available evidence.
I was pleased to share RISE's wide range of research with policymakers and sector leaders in Westminster, helping to ensure its findings inform how we make sense of, prevent and respond to VAWG.
I was particularly struck by the breadth of issues RISE addresses, its strong emphasis on preventative action, and how the research was informed by insights from partners in healthcare, education, planning and technology.
We need sustained collaboration between policy, practice and research to deliver a whole-society response to VAWG that matches the scale of this national emergency.
I would encourage anyone working in this space to engage with RISE's research and help to build those vital partnerships."
Jess Asato MP
