The United Nations defines Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) as:

"Any act of gender-based violence that is directed at a woman because she is a woman, or acts of violence which are suffered disproportionally by women, that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to a woman or girl, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life."

It refers to the following crime types:

• domestic violence and abuse
• sexual offences
• stalking
• female genital mutilation
• crimes said to be committed in the name of 'honour'
• forced marriage
• prostitution
• trafficking for sexual exploitation
• exploitation of girls by gangs.

Support for violence against women and girls crimes

We have factsheets on all of the above:

Download support and information factsheets

Royal Greenwich violence against women and girls strategy

We have a specific strategy for violence against women and girls.

Download our violence against women and girls strategy