Hampshire police and crime commissioner Donna Jones praised for work on violence against women and girls

For her work tackling violence against women and girls, Donna Jones has been commended by a government minister who says the commissioner is ‘leading in this field’. Sarah Dines MP, minister for safeguarding, praised Ms Jones during a debate on the Protection from Sex-based Harassment Bill, which is currently going through parliament.

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Last year, the police and crime commissioner launched a task force dedicated to combatting violence against women and girls – which has worked to make public spaces safer for women and girls, improved the response to offenders and sped up legal processes to get justice for victims.

Ms Jones said: ‘As commissioner, I am here to stand up for victims, to ensure they get the outcomes and support they expect, and I will strive to ensure the violence against women and girls task group continues to make a positive difference on this important issue across our two counties. The Protection from Sex-based Harassment Bill is a vital piece of legislation if we are to really crack down on violence against women and girls.

‘I know from the research my office has carried out that 45 per cent of the women we surveyed said they had experienced an offence in an outdoor space, and 37 per cent in the club, pub or bar, therefore it’s right and proper we respond to these statistics.

‘This legislation will be a turning point and a culture change for what is not acceptable in public spaces anymore.’