‘Record the crimes linked to misogyny’
City region mayor’s call to police forces
ABUSE: The mayor of the Sheffield City Region has called for police forces to record when a crime is linked to misogyny as new legislation on domestic abuse reaches its final stage in Parliament.
Dan Jarvis joined with other Labour metro mayors, saying there was not a woman in public life who did not face abuse online.
THE MAYOR of the Sheffield City Region has called for police forces to record when a crime is linked to misogyny as new legislation on domestic abuse reaches its final stage in Parliament.
Dan Jarvis joined with other Labour metro mayors to make the call, as the national policing advisor for hate crime said there was not a woman in public life who did not face abuse online.
An amendment put forward to the Government’s Domestic Abuse Bill, debated for the final time in the House of Commons yesterday, aims to oblige police forces to record the link, with the hope it will give clearer data on the extent of misogyny and how it is tied to abuse and violence.
It follows evidence from five police forces which do make the link which showed it improved outcomes in addressing the abuse and harassment of women and girls.
Mr Jarvis said: “I’m supporting
this work to get all police forces to record data on when crimes are motivated by misogyny so that we can track and trace the source of the violence and harassment women and girls face.
“With these crimes increasing during lockdown it’s even more important we have this information to help better prevent such crimes and ensure the safety of women not just in Yorkshire but across the country.”
The campaign is backed by organisations including the Jo Cox Foundation, and comes as the Law Commission will begin consulting on how to incorporate misogyny into hate crime laws.
Labour MP Stella Creasy, who put forward the amendment, said: “It is incredibly powerful to see the metro mayors come forward collectively for the first time and join the call for misogyny to be made a hate crime at a time when we know violence against women is on the rise.
“The Law Commission tell us they are about to begin consulting on this and that needs the police to record the data to work – with these five leaders standing together with campaigners and MPs to call for change, women and girls know who is taking their safety seriously.”
The wide-ranging Bill has been described as game-changing by the Government and aims to transform the response to domestic abuse.