Violence as an intersectional issue – putting it into practice

Shehla Husain Equality and Diversity Unit CPS

4 June 2007

CPS Single Equality Scheme 2006-2010  Published 4 December 2006  Race Equality Scheme, Disability Equality Scheme and Gender Equality Scheme  Also encompassed developing legal obligations with respect to the ‘new’ equality strands of sexuality and gender identity, religion or belief and age

Why a single scheme?

   Practicality & timing Outcomes based approach:  Workforce representation, satisfaction & experiences      Public confidence Victim and witness satisfaction Prosecution decisions free from bias Prosecution of hate crimes Community informed policy development and service improvement Commitment to moving beyond statutory requirements

Putting this into practice

  1.

2.

Gathering the evidence: employment defendants, victims and witnesses and hate crimes Equality & Diversity Impact Assessments   Monitoring policies for adverse impact on equality Endorsed by leadership

Taking a closer look at an outcome area: hate crime  Tackling hate crime is our core business  It’s a thread throughout our Scheme  Hate Crime Measure: target is to reduce unsuccessful outcomes to 28%  For 2007-08 CPS has one of its key priorities:  Ensuring we respond to public needs by delivering on community justice, developing our responses to hate crime,

violence against women

and community engagement

The move towards a Violence Against Women strategy     CPS responsible for prosecution of criminal offences of violence against women: domestic violence, rape and other sexual assaults, human trafficking, prostitution, child abuse & developing policy on elder abuse forced marriage, so-called honour crimes and female genital mutilation are currently addressed under the umbrella of domestic violence Development of a co-ordinated strategy of Violence Against Women in 2007-08 Equality Action Plan – a key component of the Gender and Gender Identity

Developing a Violence Against Women strategy & action plans  Coordinate & rationalise work across a range of issues that are gendered crime – DV, FM, so called HBV, FGM, rape, sexual assaults, human trafficking, prostitution, pornography, sexual harassment, child abuse and elder abuse  How it fits together: effects of VAW on women offenders, prosecutions, victims, staff  Data  Action plans

In conclusion: future proposals

 Links to mainstream  Area Co-ordinators, specialist prosecutors  VAW Guidance  Training  Indicators  Monitoring