The Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Conference 2026: Prevention, Perpetrator Accountability, and Strengthening Victim Support
Previous Supporters Include
Overview
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) remains one of the most pressing public policy challenges in the UK, with rising offences, evolving forms of abuse, and increasing demand on frontline services. In December 2025 the government confirmed its vision and actions for meeting its ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade by improving prevention and early intervention, pursuit of its perpetrators, and support for all those affect by violence and abuse. While this is a step in the right direction, the rise of misogyny and the rapid growth of technology-enabled abuse continue to reshape the scale and complexity of harm.
- One in eight women in England and Wales in the year ending March 2025 experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking. (ONS, 2025)
- On average, almost 200 rapes were recorded by the police every single day in the year ending June 2025, which itself is likely to be an underestimate of how many of these crimes actually occur. (Home Office, 2025)
- On average, a woman is killed by a man in the UK every three days (Femicide Census)
Join us at the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Conference 2026 to hear from leading experts exploring how the UK can move from strategy to delivery, with a focus on prevention, cultural change, perpetrator accountability, and strengthening victim support across the criminal justice system and beyond.
Agenda
Registration
Chair’s Opening Remarks
Dr Katherine Allen, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Social Justice and Crime, University of Suffolk (CONFIRMED)
Keynote: Delivering the UK’s VAWG Strategy
- Outline progress on the national mission to halve VAWG in 10 years
- Gain insight into how the three strategic pillars (prevention, perpetrator pursuit, and victim support) are being operationalised
- Explore the role of cross-government coordination in driving systemic change
- Identify challenges in implementation at local and regional levels
- Learn how organisations can align their work with national priorities
Alex Davies-Jones MP, Parlimentary Under-Secretary of State for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, Ministry of Justice (invited)
Keynote: Addressing Public Sexual Harassment and Everyday Misogyny
- Understanding how the normalisation of everyday harassment contributes to the wider continuum of violence against women and girls
- Exploring the impact of so-called “low-level” incidents and why early intervention is critical to prevention
- Practical approaches for challenging harmful attitudes and behaviours before they escalate into more serious forms of abuse
- Examining the role of education, awareness raising, and bystander action in creating safer public spaces
- Key insight into campaigns and community initiatives that are driving cultural change and increasing accountability
Issy Warren, Director of Programmes and Impact, Our Streets Now (CONFIRMED)
Keynote: Challenging Misinformation and the Weaponisation of VAWG
- Identify the risks of dominant myths and their impact on policy and prevention
- Understanding why getting the narrative right is critical to achieving the government’s goal of halving VAWG within a decade
- Explore how misinformation disproportionately affects marginalised groups, including migrant and minoritised women
- Gain practical tools to challenge harmful narratives within professional roles
Questions and Answers
Comfort Break
Keynote: The Changing Nature of VAWG: New Threats and New Responses
- Understand how technology is reshaping patterns of abuse, including deepfakes, image-based abuse, and evolving offender tactics and tradecraft
- Examine the stark gender imbalance evident in child sexual abuse imagery circulating online, and what this tells us about technology-enabled violence against girls
- Gain insight into new and proposed legislation addressing technology-enabled violence against women and girls
- Identify key operational challenges, including the cross-border nature of online abuse, jurisdiction, and platform accountability
- Explore practical responses spanning prevention, disruption, safeguarding, and support for victims and survivors in a digital context
Emma Hardy, Communications Director, Internet Watch Foundation (CONFIRMED)
Case Study: Engaging with Young People
- Understand the drivers of harmful behaviours among young people, including online influences
- Explore effective approaches to relationships and sex education (RSE) and consent education
- Learn how to engage boys and young men in conversations about respect and healthy relationships
- Examine how youth voice and co-production can strengthen interventions
Questions and Answers
Lunch Break
Breakout Networking: Strengthening Frontline Collaboration on VAWG
This interactive breakout session offers participants the opportunity to share challenges, successes, and innovations in delivering effective responses to violence against women and girls through multi-agency collaboration.
Keynote: Tackling Public Sexual Harassment: From Legislation to Enforcement
- Understand the scope and implications of new legislation on public sexual harassment
- Explore how enforcement is being delivered in practice across policing and local authorities
- Identify the role of public awareness campaigns in increasing reporting and prevention
- Examine how data and reporting can be used to drive accountability and system improvement
Rose Caldwell, CEO, Plan International UK (invited)
Case Study: Strategy Implementation: A Public Health Response
- Understand how public health frameworks can be applied to VAWG prevention and response
- Explore the role of multi-agency governance and partnership working in delivering strategy
- Identify how early intervention and prevention can be embedded across services
- Examine how local areas can align with national strategy while tailoring delivery to community needs
Mark Nuti, Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, Surrey County Council (CONFIRMED)
Questions and Answers
Comfort Break
Case Study: Session Details Coming Soon…
Carl Hall, Director for Community Development, Interventions Alliance (CONFIRMED)
Case Study: Delivering Effective Perpetrator Intervention Programmes
- Understand the role of perpetrator programmes within the wider VAWG strategy
- Explore how programmes can safely challenge behaviour while protecting victims
- Examine the importance of multi-agency working in managing high-risk perpetrators
- Assess how success is measured, including reductions in reoffending and harm
Senior Representative, The Drive Partnership (CONFIRMED)
Questions and Answers
Chair’s Closing Remarks
Dr Katherine Allen, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Social Justice and Crime, University of Suffolk (CONFIRMED)
Conference Close
Get in Touch
Previous Speakers
Dr Hazel Sayer
Research Fellow
Northumbria University
Ellie Softley
Chief of Staff
Everyone’s Invited
Harriet Smailes
Research Manager
Institute for Addressing Strangulation
Jess Asato MP
Officer
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Domestic Violence and Abuse
Danielle Sharp
Chief Executive
Centre for Safer Society
Sue Harper
Deputy Director Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Prevention
Hestia
DC Neil Howells
Cyber Crime Protect Officer
West Midlands Police
Elizabeth Anderson
Chief Executive Officer
Digital Poverty Alliance
Testimonials
The event was outstanding, brilliantly organised, deeply impactful, and truly engaging from start to finish. Each session tackled critical issues around violence against women and girls with clarity and urgency, offering practical insights and survivor-centred approaches. The speakers were exceptional. A powerful and thought-provoking experience.
Excellent event with the opportunity to both network and understand themes from a variety of organisational perspectives.
The event was very informative with a range of inspiring speakers. I would recommend the event to any professionals working in the VAWG sphere as there is some excellent learning that can be taken away from the event as well as being able to network with like-minded people.
Great event – the topics covered had a great deal of impact, and the speaker’s expertise was priceless.
Why You Should Attend
✓ Gain the latest insights into the UK’s VAWG strategy and policy developments
✓ Learn practical approaches to prevention, early intervention, and cultural change
✓ Understand emerging threats including tech-enabled abuse and online harms
✓ Explore effective multi-agency responses across policing, health, and local government
✓ Networking opportunities with speakers and senior colleagues across policing, local authorities, education, and the voluntary sector
✓ 8 hours of CPD points towards your yearly quota
Who Should Attend
| Advocates | Charities |
| Safeguarding Leads | Think Tanks/NGOs |
| Academics | Police and Law Enforcement |
| Policy Managers | Local Councils |
| University Student Support Staff | Government Departments |
| Social Workers | Schools |
| Police | Universities |
Pricing Options
PRIVATE SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
PUBLIC SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
VOLUNTARY SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
Support and Information
Some of the issues explored in this programme may be difficult or personally relevant. If you have been affected by the subject matter, specialist organisations are available that may be able to provide information, advice and support. View support and advice.
Please note that we are a professional conference and learning provider and are not a crisis or specialist support service.
Sponsorship
Raise Your Profile, Showcase Your Solutions, Generate New Business
If your products, services, and solutions can support our audiences in their roles, and you want to make connections and generate new business with key stakeholders, decision makers, and influencers, then please contact us HERE
IMPORTANT: There are only a small number of sponsorship opportunities available to ensure maximum exposure and ROI – contact us today to secure your place.
Virtual vs F2F
Whilst F2F provide better options for networking, there are many distinct advantages of sponsoring our online conferences including:
- Wider geographical reach of delegates and a different audience who prefer online to f2f
- Lower sponsorship package costs
- No travel/accommodation
- Less time out of the office
- No stand materials required (lower costs)
- 1 of only 2 sponsors involved – less competition on the day
- Prime speaking slot in the morning of the conference including Q&A – less distractions and easier for delegates to hear/absorb information
- Receive all delegate data after the conference to follow-up directly with those who attend and don’t attend (small % but still key stakeholders)
- Ongoing exposure via OnDemand access
To find out more and discuss your specific objectives, please contact us below:
