Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has faced criticism for what opponents describe as “dangerous” and “deeply inaccurate” claims about violence against women and girls. Speaking in the House of Commons, she suggested the government’s new strategy should focus on migrants “from cultures that don’t respect women” rather than tackling misogyny in schools.
The safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, had just introduced the government’s long-awaited strategy to address what she called “the national emergency” of violence against women and girls. The plan aims to halve such crimes within a decade and includes measures to prevent the radicalisation of young men, stop abusers, and support victims.
Badenoch dismissed the focus on schools, arguing that “it’s not 11-year-old boys in school who are perpetrating violence against women and girls”. She called instead for more police on the streets and for stopping people “from cultures that don’t respect women” from entering the country, as well as removing foreign criminals after they commit crimes.
Charities working with victims condemned the remarks. Ghadah Alnasseri, co-executive director of Imkaan, said Badenoch’s language was “very dangerous” and could make migrant women less safe. She added that the majority of victims know their abuser, and that the rhetoric was “misinformation” that spreads racism.
Shadow Home Office minister Katie Lam also focused on immigration in her response, claiming that not every culture believes women are equal to men and that this can be dangerous when people from such cultures come to the UK. Phillips countered by stating that violence against women occurs in every community, and that “the vast majority” of perpetrators and victims are UK-born.
Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women coalition, described the political point scoring as unhelpful, stressing that gendered crimes are “not an imported problem” but a deeply entrenched issue in British society.
