Trigger warning this blog mentions conflict, Violence Against Women and Girls, murder, stalking, harassment, rape, domestic abuse, modern slavery, human trafficking, forced marriage, image-based sexual abuse, female genital mutilation, racism, Islamophobia, discrimination and far-right views.
As an undergraduate criminology student, I have become aware of various contemporary problems through the news, but Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) has progressively become an increasing concern. Even though numerous organisations, including End Violence Against Women Coalition, This Ends Now and Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis England and Wales, have attempted to highlight the issue, the severity and prevalence has only recently become a high priority within government which is evidenced in Labour’s manifesto; “for too long, violence against women and girls has been ignored. Our landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade will require a national effort. We will use every government tool available to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence”.
VAWG should have been addressed decades (if not centuries) ago. However, the lack of visibility and limited data have prevented the issue from being recognised as a serious problem within society. The #MeToo movement and recent high-profile cases of VAWG in society and the news have prompted the government to take the issue more seriously. Consequently, this piece discusses and looks into the murders of Alice Dasilva Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe, and argues the importance of victims not being forgotten.
Current state of VAWG
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Violence Against Women and Girls is a term used to describe gender-based crimes that are directed towards women and girls. This can include stalking, harassment, rape, murder, domestic abuse, modern slavery, human trafficking, forced marriage, image-based sexual abuse and female genital mutilation. VAWG is not a new issue in society, however over the past few years the increase in frequency has heightened worry and fear internationally with cases such as Sarah Everard in 2021. Even though VAWG strategies have been implemented, the NPCC identified that over 1 million crimes of violence against women and girls occurred between 2022-2023, suggesting further action is required. To achieve change, VAWG education must teach both girls and boys about the severity and significance of the issue; laws must clearly criminalise all forms of VAWG for prosecution; all workplaces must train staff in VAWG to identify the issue; government must fund organisations who are supporting women and girls who have been victimised, and research must be conducted to identify trends and prevention techniques needed to change the trajectory of VAWG.
What happened on the 29th July 2024?
On the 29th July 2024, 3 young girls were murdered by a 17-year-old boy in Southport, presenting the extent to which VAWG continues. However, instead of change and justice for the victims, further savagery was fuelled due to false information being shared speculating that the perpetrator was a Muslim and an Asylum Seeker. Consequently, far-right or ‘Extremists’ took advantage of this by inciting violence and targeting individuals who showed characteristics of the perpetrator's identity, by creating fires, vandalising, looting shops and attacking police officers.
Impact and consequences of Far-Right riots
The far-right caused further violence following the tragedy, in an effort to further their own agenda and views without considering the impact or further consequences. By causing more violence and disorder, this behaviour ultimately led to further emotional harm and suffering for the families of Alice Dasilva Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe, as the right wing group weaponised and exploited the events to spread hate, harm and suffering towards innocent individuals of specific characteristics and demographics. This highlights that the far-right focused on false details about the perpetrator to cause more disorder; to occupy attention away from the initial issue of VAWG.
Right-wing supporters were not addressing VAWG; instead, they exploited the issue to amplify and promote racist views targeting minority groups within society. Right-wing extremists attacking and targeting individuals indicates that people of this mindset continue to prioritise the discrimination of non-white members of society over the issue of VAWG in this country. By diverting attention away from VAWG, this shift would have reduced public awareness of the issue and delayed government efforts to address it. Consequently, the main questions to ask are; why did the media switch attention from VAWG immediately? Why was the loss of 3 young girls used as leverage to allow further aggression and conflict by the far-right? And why did the far-right think that their behaviour could be excused and justified as a result of the tragedy?
Refocusing onto the victims
Following the events on the 29th July, the girls who fell victim to VAWG were disregarded as a consequence of further violence and hostility. Racism, Islamophobia and discrimination are persistent issues in society, but the far-right’s attempt to distract attention away from VAWG has led to three victims being forgotten. Reflecting on the news coverage following the murders, the media has been dominated by aggression, suggesting that the far-right has created additional issues to contend with. Moreover, Womens Aid have contested that even though the gendered nature of the attack has been acknowledged, the government and media have perceived the crimes as independent from VAWG. Consequently, this diminishes and invalidates Alice Dasilva Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe, and implies that the contemporary problem of young girls and women experiencing forms of violence is not a core issue. This must be challenged to ensure justice is served for all victims of VAWG.
Negative effects of riot sentences being comparable to minimum sentences for rapists
After the riots, numerous agencies - including the Criminal Justice System - took action to incarcerate and punish those responsible for causing disorder and aggression within society. The purpose of acting immediately was to communicate and convey that harmful behaviour and violence will not be tolerated. Acting as a deterrent, this course of action caused the riots to decline. Riots are a threat to public safety; highlighting the importance of acting quickly to ensure no further harm comes to civilians. However, David Wilkinson who was convicted of violent disorder, radically aggravated criminal damage and attempted arson was sentenced to six years in prison, which is more than a minimum sentence for rape - which is 4 years. This indicates that the Criminal Justice System views public disorder and associated actions, including property damage, as equal if not more of an issue in severity to sexual violence, which undermines public trust and discourage potential victims of gender-based crimes from seeking justice. The Criminal Justice System must ensure that society understands such behaviours are not tolerated; however, longer sentences place additional strain on prison staff and the system. Nonetheless, the individuals involved in the riots who are navigating the criminal process are contributing to a backlog that delays justice for victims of rape, causing additional distress and harm.
The general public's response and reaction
Before the riots overshadowed the case, the tragic murders of three young girls would have deeply impacted and harmed society. As an undergraduate criminology student, this case of violence highlights the urgent need for more decisive action to address VAWG. It serves as a reminder that, despite some efforts to mitigate gender-based harm and violence, we require more comprehensive and strategic measures to effect real change. There would have been a range of public responses, from individuals supporting the victims’ families to the Criminal Justice System holding the perpetrator accountable. This is one of many tragedies of VAWG showing that new action must be taken to stop the amount of violence perpetrated towards women and girls, as the problem is beginning to become an ingrained normality within society.
A more nuanced approach is needed to tackle VAWG. Especially as Alice Dasilva Aguiar, Bebe King, and Elsie Dot Stancombe were not considered to have died as an act of VAWG within the media, which would have influenced the public’s perception of the case. Nevertheless, awareness and knowledge surrounding VAWG has increased, but this is not enough to solve the problem. There must be a concentrated effort to implement and enforce strategies which will directly address the gendered nature of these crimes, including focusing on the behaviour of the perpetrator rather than the victim. Some things, including the phrase VAWG, can be interpreted as victim since the emphasis is placed primarily on women and girls. This framing may shift the focus toward the behaviours of victims instead of holding perpetrators accountable. To combat this, the term ‘Male Violence Against Women and Girls’ is being adopted to drive change, as in a majority of cases the perpetrator is a man, and the victim is a woman, making this distinction crucial for effective intervention and awareness. Subsequently, the UK government must help restrict the amount of harm directed towards women and girls, as the contemporary issue is becoming more prominent. This is no longer just a standalone case, but a daily occurrence.
