Skip to main content
Policy paper

Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy

This strategy sets out the government’s vision and actions for meeting its ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.

Updates to this page

From:
Home Office
Published:
18 December 2025
Last updated:
26 May 2026
Show all updates

  1. Added accessible versions of the following Welsh documents: volumes 1 and 2 of the strategy, 'what works to reduce violence against women and girls', and 'men and boys explanatory note'.

  2. Added Welsh translations of the strategy, action plan, summary of the evidence and men and boys explanatory note.

  3. Added the easy read versions of the strategy and the action plan.

  4. Added accessible versions of the documents.

  5. Updated the strategy and action plan with corrections.

  6. Added a summary of the evidence.

  7. First published.

This was published under the 2024 to 2026 Starmer Labour government

Documents

Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls (accessible)

Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-6142-3, E03514542 12/25, CP 1450-I

HTML

Order a copy

Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls

Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-6142-3, E03514542 12/25, CP 1450-I

PDF, 3.54 MB, 92 pages

Order a copy

Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls (easy read)

PDF, 2.04 MB, 15 pages

Freedom from violence and abuse volume 2: action plan (accessible)

Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-6142-3, E03514542 12/25, CP 1450-II

HTML

Order a copy

Freedom from violence and abuse volume 2: action plan

Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-6142-3, E03514542 12/25, CP 1450-II

PDF, 1.95 MB, 51 pages

Order a copy

Freedom from violence and abuse volume 2: action plan (easy read)

PDF, 3.32 MB, 17 pages

What works to reduce violence against women and girls: a summary of the evidence (accessible)

HTML

What works to reduce violence against women and girls: a summary of the evidence

PDF, 1.06 MB, 78 pages

Freedom from violence and abuse: men and boys explanatory note (accessible)

HTML

Freedom from violence and abuse: men and boys explanatory note

PDF, 979 KB, 29 pages

Details

The publication of ‘Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’ is the first step in a truly transformational approach to addressing violence against women and girls (VAWG) that:

  • prioritises prevention and tackling the root causes of VAWG
  • relentlessly pursues perpetrators
  • supports victims and survivors of violence and abuse

It explains that we must take a ‘whole of society’ approach to tackle VAWG, working across government, public services, and wider society to make lasting, meaningful change.

It is informed by the best available evidence on what works to address VAWG and the views and experience of delivery partners and experts in the VAWG sector.

We are aware this publication may have accessibility issues, for example if you use assistive technology.

Contact us if you need this document in a different format.

We cannot answer any other questions through this form.

Read our accessible documents policy.

Sign up for emails or print this page