Violence Against Women and Girls Is a public health emergency, says Lowestoft MP
Lowestoft MP Jess Asato has been appointed as the government’s new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Adviser
Lowestoft MP Jess Asato has been appointed as the government’s new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Adviser, tasked with leading major reforms to how the NHS identifies and supports victims of abuse.
The appointment, announced by the Department of Health and Social Care, forms part of the government’s plan to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.
Ms Asato, a former domestic abuse and child protection adviser, will work part-time within the department over the next six months. Her role will involve shaping the NHS’s approach to spotting signs of abuse earlier and ensuring victims receive faster, more effective support.
“A public health emergency”
Speaking after her appointment, Jess Asato said:
“I am honoured to have been asked to advise the Health Secretary on how the Department of Health and Social Care can contribute to our Government's mission of halving violence against women and girls. VAWG isn’t just a criminal justice issue, it's a public health emergency.
"When we strengthen healthcare systems to identify abuse early, support survivors, challenge perpetrators and address the trauma that fuels cycles of harm, we make communities safer. Health is not an add-on to prevention; it is a core part of the solution.”
She added that survivors frequently report attempts to disclose abuse in healthcare settings that were “ignored” or not followed up:
“Many survivors tell me that they did disclose to health professionals, but were ignored or didn't receive the support that they so desperately needed. This is an opportunity for us to change that.”
Three key priorities
Ms Asato will focus on three areas:
- Understanding the links between alcohol and VAWG
- Embedding specialist support within Neighbourhood Health Centres
- Improving how VAWG services are commissioned locally, so victims can access the right help the first time
Missed chances to spot victims
Ms Asato said that while NHS staff work hard to identify abuse, opportunities to help victims are still being missed:
“We know that health professionals work really, really hard to make sure that they identify and refer victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. But too often, chances are missed to identify victims and make sure that they get the specialist support that they need urgently.”
She said she will explore ways to ensure health staff have the time, tools and specialist back-up to safely ask about abuse:
“In terms of spotting signs of abuse earlier, it's about making sure that we have time as a health professional… to ask questions sensitively and with empathy about whether somebody has experienced a traumatic incident.
What I hope through our work at the Department of Health and through the VAWG strategy is that we’ll be able to find mechanisms such as co-locating specialist domestic abuse and sexual violence workers in health settings.”
Health Secretary: “These are not hidden crimes”
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said the NHS has a clear role to play in tackling violence against women and girls:
“Violence against women and girls is a stain on our society, and tackling it is everyone’s problem, including the NHS.
We think of these as hidden crimes, but we know that in most interactions with the NHS and other institutions, the signs are there if we have the training, tools and the will to look.
Jess Asato will use her expertise… to ensure victims across the NHS are spotted sooner and given the help they need.”
Support for local victims
Ms Asato said she will continue to champion women and girls in her constituency:
“For women and girls who've experienced trauma in Lowestoft and the rest of the East of England, I will be working incredibly hard as I always do to make sure that I'm championing their interests in my role as an MP in Parliament.”
She added that while immediate changes are unlikely, the forthcoming VAWG Strategy will set the “direction of travel” for future reforms.
Background
The government says around 3.8 million people experienced domestic abuse and 900,000 experienced sexual assault in England and Wales in the year to March 2025.
The appointment comes as the NHS rolls out mandatory safeguarding training, including domestic abuse, and follows measures such as Raneem’s Law and the introduction of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders.
A full cross-government Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy is expected to be published soon.