Question
Eighteen months ago a woman in my constituency was assaulted at a local train station, but with limited CCTV footage no charges were brought forward. This trauma was compounded by a lack of victim-centred support from British Transport police, with my constituent left feeling belittled and ignored. As we approach this year’s 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, what discussion is the Minister having with the Department for Transport to ensure that the voices of women and girls are heard and not dismissed?
Answer
My hon. Friend raises a very important point. Victims should be listened to, believed and supported, and the Government are committed to ensuring that every single victim of sexual offending feels heard, supported and able to access the information and specialist support services that they need. As part of our flagship strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, we are committed to preventing these awful crimes, as I have said, and this is a commitment that we are signed up to across Government, including with the Department for Transport. I regularly meet with my counterparts in that Department and others to ensure that the Departments are joined up in our approach to tackle these crimes wherever they exist.50% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (35/100)
The reply partly answers the question. It says the Minister regularly meets Department for Transport counterparts to keep work on these crimes joined up, but the answer is mostly general. It does not mention British Transport Police or victim-centred support specific to transport settings, and its statements that victims are listened to rest on broad commitments rather than concrete detail. A member of the public would likely need to ask again for specifics.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the nature of the Minister's engagement with the Department for Transport on ensuring that the voices of women and girls are heard and not dismissed, including in relation to victim-centred support from British Transport Police. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | Statements 5 and 6 describe the general nature of the engagement, saying the Minister regularly meets DfT counterparts to keep departments joined up on these crimes, which answers the core question. However, the reply never mentions British Transport Police or victim-centred support specific to it, and the 'voices heard and not dismissed' element is covered only by generic statements about victims being listened to and supported (statements 2 and 3). |