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Public Consultations

We want to hear your views about our prosecution policy and so we conduct consultations to help inform our policy making.

Find out about current consultations and read the results of past consultations

Prosecuting Violent Crime

Violent crime covers a wide range of offences including:

These crimes are extremely rare, they account for only about 1% of all crime. Yet they cause significant harm, both to individual victims and their families in terms of physical injury and psychological trauma, and to society more widely in terms of fear. We are committed to prosecuting violent crimes efficiently and effectively.

Home » News Centre » Press Releases » CPS seeks views on Violence Against Women Strategy

CPS seeks views on Violence Against Women Strategy

05/11/2007

The Crown Prosecution Service today launched a public consultation on its Violence against Women Strategy and Action Plans. The Strategy aims to coordinate and improve the prosecution response to a range of crimes that fall under the umbrella of 'violence against women'.

Sir Ken Macdonald QC, Director of Public Prosecutions, said: "Crimes of violence against women can have a devastating effect on the victims and their friends and families. The way these crimes are dealt with is a matter of great public concern and I am determined to ensure that we offer the best possible service."

'Violence against women' crimes include:

  • domestic violence, including harassment
  • forced marriage
  • so-called honour crimes
  • female genital mutilation
  • rape and sexual offences
  • human trafficking for sexual exploitation
  • prostitution, including child prostitution
  • pornography (obscene publications)
  • crimes against the older person and child abuse where they overlap with violence against women and girls
  • sexual harassment at work.

The CPS is committed to the fair and consistent application of the criminal law so that those who commit crimes of violence against women are properly dealt with; victims and witnesses are properly supported and protected; and society as a whole is safer.

Sir Ken added: "It is our role to apply the law to bring offenders of violence against women crimes to justice.

"The CPS Violence against Women Strategy sets out our vision for developing work on these crimes which are committed primarily by men against women within a pattern of power and control, and builds on the work that we've done over the past few years.

"This consultation will give members of the public the chance to comment. I want to ensure that the service we offer takes account of public attitudes and views and that people have a fuller understanding of, and confidence in, our work."

  1. The consultation paper can be found in the Your CPS/Consultations on this website.
  2. For further details, or a copy of the CPS Violence against Women Consultation please contact the CPS Press Office on 020 7796 8079.