Rise In Convictions For Violence Against Women

Prosecutions and convictions for crimes of violence against women and girls have risen by 15,000 over four years.

The figures come from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) which covers England and Wales.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, said the rise was due to better training and a greater understanding of victims. The Refuge charity welcomed the increase but said it represented only "the tip of the iceberg".

Most victims of domestic violence suffer in silence - Mr Starmer said a woman would on average be assaulted 30 times before she sought help. In a speech he will highlight the progress he believes the CPS has made when it comes to all violent crime against women and girls.

The DPP will tell his audience that last year in England and Wales there were 91,000 prosecutions and 52,000 convictions. The CPS launched its Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy in 2008.
It focused on a number of issues including domestic violence, rape, forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

You can read more on this story on the BBC News website here.

A Teenager's Life In Care: 'Sex, Drink & Drugs'

There is a special feature on the BBC News website about the sexual exploitation of a teenager whilst in care.

Julie, not her real name, was placed in care at the age of 11, where she remained until she was 18, staying in a combination of foster homes and children's homes. Now 19, she has spoken to Newsnight about her experiences of sexual exploitation.

You can read the full feature here.


You can watch this episode of Newsnight on the sexual exploitation of children and what is being done to combat it on Tuesday 3rd July, 22.30 BST on BBC2, then afterwards on BBCiPlayer here.

Child Abuse In Care Homes: Children Subjected To 'Violent & Sadistic' Sexual Abuse

Children in care homes are being subjected to sexual abuse of a "violent and sadistic nature", England's Deputy Children's Commissioner Sue Berelowitz has warned.
She made the comments as the government announced new reforms that aim to better protect youngsters who reside in the country's 455 children's homes.
The action comes following a report published by Ms Berelowitz, which was ordered after the jailing of a sex abuse ring in May which preyed on vulnerable girls in Rochdale. Only one of the girls was in care at the time of the abuse but all were known to social services at some point in their childhood.

The ongoing inquiry has highlighted evidence that children in care are particularly vulnerable to child sex exploitation, with some residential homes being specifically targeted by abusers.Ms Berelowitz said her research found perpetrators come from all ethnic groups, as do their victims, who are as young as 11 and are largely but not exclusively girls.

Speaking alongside Children's Minister Tim Loughton as he announced the new measures, she said of the abuse: "It is of a violent and sadistic nature. I've been in the children's services field for a very long time, and I have never come across the scale of violence and sadism that I'm encountering now. The stories that children and young people tell us are truly horrific."

"I think it's quite right and proper that the Government is paying special attention to this group of children as the state is their parent and therefore we have a special duty of care to children who are under care orders of one kind or another."

A spokesman for Ofsted welcomed the government's commitment to reform, adding that its own inspections of children's homes were constantly reviewed.

New Adverts Aims To Stop Teens Being Victims of Rape

The Home Office is launching cinema, TV and online ads to try to stop teenagers "becoming victims and perpetrators of rape and sexual violence". It is to be shown after warnings that many teenagers don't think it counts as assault if it happens in a relationship and that it only involves strangers. The ads will run for a month online, at cinemas and during youth-focused TV shows like E4's Skins.

According to official figures, a third of teenage girls and about one in six boys say they've experienced sexual violence from a partner. About a fifth of 16-to 20-year-olds also thought it was probably acceptable for a boy to have sex with a girl if he had spent time and money on her. You can view the ad here: