The Council notes:

·            Across the UK misogyny, harassment and violence towards women and girls is endemic.

·            Like women and girls across the country, our residents suffer harassment and abuse every single day. A 2021 YouGov national survey on behalf of UN Women UK found that among women aged 18-24, 97% said they had been sexually harassed, while 80% of women of all ages said they had experienced sexual harassment in public spaces.

·            The Office for National Statistics reported that last year alone 618,000 women were victims of a sexual assault or an attempted sexual assault by a man.

·            In the year to March 2020, just 1.4% of rape cases recorded by police resulted in a suspect being charged (or receiving a summons).

·            That the Law Commission is currently reviewing all current hate crime legislation to consider whether any additional characteristics, including misogyny, should be granted legal protection, and is due to report back to Parliament in 2021.

·            The Government announced in March that from Autumn Police Forces will record misogyny as a hate crime on an ‘experimental basis’, following years of Campaigning from Women’s Groups and campaigners.

·            In Trafford, the birthplace of Emeline Pankhurst, we are proud of our history and connections to the Women’s rights movement. We want Trafford to be a safe place for our women and girls and will support organisations who have continually fought for the safety and protection of women.

·            Studies have shown that the intersectional nature of discrimination means that women with additional protected characteristics, such as those who are from Black, Asian or Ethnic Minority communities, disabled or LGBT+, are even more likely to experience harassment, discrimination and abuse.

The Council resolves:

·            To ensure that Trafford Council continues to do everything in its power to build a borough free from misogyny and violence against women and girls.

·            It is vital that women’s and girl’s voices are heard; and that the Council will bring forward a process that proactively encourages and listens to women’s voices across the wards. This task force will involve all women Councillors.

·            That the newly refreshed Domestic Abuse strategy will strengthen support for victims, and will deliver safe accommodation for women and their children in Trafford.

·            To call on the Government to listen to the lived experience of women and girls across our country and to urgently act on any recommendations the commission makes to strengthen the law on hate crime, and to reform legislation around harassment to recognise as an offence a ‘course of conduct’ which targets women and girls in their community.

·            To call on the Government to provide the legislation, resource and funding for police forces across the UK to effectively tackle harassment, misogyny and domestic abuse.

·            To call on Greater Manchester Police to record harassment of women as a hate crime as soon as possible.

·            To adopt the Greater Manchester’s recently published Violence against Women and Girls Strategy.

·            To become a White Ribbon Accredited Organisation.

It was moved and seconded that:

          “The Council notes:

·            Across the UK misogyny, harassment and violence towards women and girls is endemic.

·            Like women and girls across the country, our residents suffer harassment and abuse every single day. A 2021 YouGov national survey on behalf of UN Women UK found that among women aged 18-24, 97% said they had been sexually harassed, while 80% of women of all ages said they had experienced sexual harassment in public spaces.

·            The Office for National Statistics reported that last year alone 618,000 women were victims of a sexual assault or an attempted sexual assault by a man.

·            In the year to March 2020, just 1.4% of rape cases recorded by police resulted in a suspect being charged (or receiving a summons).

·            That the Law Commission is currently reviewing all current hate crime legislation to consider whether any additional characteristics, including misogyny, should be granted legal protection, and is due to report back to Parliament in 2021.

·            The Government announced in March that from Autumn Police Forces will record misogyny as a hate crime on an ‘experimental basis’, following years of Campaigning from Women’s Groups and campaigners.

·            In Trafford, the birthplace of Emeline Pankhurst, we are proud of our history and connections to the Women’s rights movement. We want Trafford to be a safe place for our women and girls and will support organisations who have continually fought for the safety and protection of women.

·            Studies have shown that the intersectional nature of discrimination means that women with additional protected characteristics, such as those who are from Black, Asian or Ethnic Minority communities, disabled or LGBT+, are even more likely to experience harassment, discrimination and abuse.

The Council resolves:

·            To ensure that Trafford Council continues to do everything in its power to build a borough free from misogyny and violence against women and girls.

·            It is vital that women’s and girl’s voices are heard; and that the Council will bring forward a process that proactively encourages and listens to women’s voices across the wards. This task force will involve all women Councillors.

·            That the newly refreshed Domestic Abuse strategy will strengthen support for victims, and will deliver safe accommodation for women and their children in Trafford.

·            To call on the Government to listen to the lived experience of women and girls across our country and to urgently act on any recommendations the commission makes to strengthen the law on hate crime, and to reform legislation around harassment to recognise as an offence a ‘course of conduct’ which targets women and girls in their community.

·            To call on the Government to provide the legislation, resource and funding for police forces across the UK to effectively tackle harassment, misogyny and domestic abuse.

·            To call on Greater Manchester Police to record harassment of women as a hate crime as soon as possible.

·            To adopt the Greater Manchester’s recently published Violence against Women and Girls Strategy.

·            To become a White Ribbon Accredited Organisation.”

Following a debate on the matter, the Motion was agreed with the unanimous consent of the Council.

RESOLVED: That the Council notes:

·            Across the UK misogyny, harassment and violence towards women and girls is endemic.

·            Like women and girls across the country, our residents suffer harassment and abuse every single day. A 2021 YouGov national survey on behalf of UN Women UK found that among women aged 18-24, 97% said they had been sexually harassed, while 80% of women of all ages said they had experienced sexual harassment in public spaces.

·            The Office for National Statistics reported that last year alone 618,000 women were victims of a sexual assault or an attempted sexual assault by a man.

·            In the year to March 2020, just 1.4% of rape cases recorded by police resulted in a suspect being charged (or receiving a summons).

·            That the Law Commission is currently reviewing all current hate crime legislation to consider whether any additional characteristics, including misogyny, should be granted legal protection, and is due to report back to Parliament in 2021.

·            The Government announced in March that from Autumn Police Forces will record misogyny as a hate crime on an ‘experimental basis’, following years of Campaigning from Women’s Groups and campaigners.

·            In Trafford, the birthplace of Emeline Pankhurst, we are proud of our history and connections to the Women’s rights movement. We want Trafford to be a safe place for our women and girls and will support organisations who have continually fought for the safety and protection of women.

·            Studies have shown that the intersectional nature of discrimination means that women with additional protected characteristics, such as those who are from Black, Asian or Ethnic Minority communities, disabled or LGBT+, are even more likely to experience harassment, discrimination and abuse.

The Council resolves:

·            To ensure that Trafford Council continues to do everything in its power to build a borough free from misogyny and violence against women and girls.

·            It is vital that women’s and girl’s voices are heard; and that the Council will bring forward a process that proactively encourages and listens to women’s voices across the wards. This task force will involve all women Councillors.

·            That the newly refreshed Domestic Abuse strategy will strengthen support for victims, and will deliver safe accommodation for women and their children in Trafford.

·            To call on the Government to listen to the lived experience of women and girls across our country and to urgently act on any recommendations the commission makes to strengthen the law on hate crime, and to reform legislation around harassment to recognise as an offence a ‘course of conduct’ which targets women and girls in their community.

·            To call on the Government to provide the legislation, resource and funding for police forces across the UK to effectively tackle harassment, misogyny and domestic abuse.

·            To call on Greater Manchester Police to record harassment of women as a hate crime as soon as possible.

·            To adopt the Greater Manchester’s recently published Violence against Women and Girls Strategy.

·            To become a White Ribbon Accredited Organisation.