RISE Innovation Forum: Addressing violence against women and girls together

On 2-3 June 2026, the RISE Innovation Forum brought together researchers, policymakers, practitioners and third sector organisations from across the UK for a high-level agenda building event addressing violence against women and girls (VAWG).

Led by RISE research leads Rose Broad and Mark Elliot, the Forum combined presentations from RISE’s broad portfolio of projects with cross-sector discussion and collaborative breakout sessions to identify areas where collective action and investment are most urgently needed and develop a future-facing research agenda.

The event opened with a keynote on 'Men, Masculinities, and Gender-Based Violence/VAWG' from Michael Kaufman, a world-renowned advisor, activist, and keynote speaker working to engage men and boys in promoting gender equality and positively transforming men's lives. 

This set the tone for a programme of talks from RISE’s four core research projects and nine funded projects, covering key areas including early intervention, women’s safety in public spaces, technology‑enabled extreme misogyny, multiagency perpetrator management, male allyship and inclusive approaches to VAWG.

On the second day, focus shifted from sharing research to using its findings in practice to inform future priorities. Thinking about the gaps, opportunities and collaboration in the VAWG landscape, participants collectively developed a series of recommendations for policymakers and practitioners, as well as the components of a future research agenda.

In bringing together cross-sector expertise from research, policy and practice, the event created a space for candid discussions on what approaches are working, where systems and evidence are falling short and how diverse sectors can become more joined up.

The full RISE Innovation Forum post-event report and presentation slides will be available soon.