Agenda item

To consider a motion on notice submitted by Councillor Parr and seconded by  Councillor Thornberry. The motion is enclosed with the officer briefing note.

Councillor Parr proposed the following motion having given the required notice to the Chief Executive in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15:-

“Women and girls of the district, and in Lancashire as a whole, are suffering from misogyny, expressed in sexual harassment, domestic abuse and death. Lancashire women suffer a higher than average rate of deaths – the femicide census ranks Lancashire as 13th highest female killings in a list of 42 police forces in the UK.

There is evidence of a link between domestic abuse and terrorism.

We call upon the city council to write to the Minister of State for Crime and Policing, Kit Malthouse, with the following requests:

•    That he prepare legislation to make misogyny a hate crime, to be recorded as such by all police forces across the UK, and prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service with as much vigour as other hate crimes.

•    That police forces should be required to record all instances of femicide, the killing of a woman or girl by a man, with immediate effect.

•    That a task force be set up before the end of this year to assess the extent and impact of incel (involuntary celibate) groups both online and offline, and to work with voluntary groups and experts who have already begun work in this field.

•    That all incidents of domestic violence should be treated as violent assault or grievous bodily harm, to be prosecuted automatically without the victim being required to make a formal complaint.

•    That policing resources should be increased to ensure that police forces are able to do these new responsibilities. At the very least they should return to pre 2010 strength.

•    That resources be made available to further study the links between domestic abuse and the perpetrators of terrorist actions.

We also call upon Lancaster City Council to use its social media presence to promote local organisations that can support women impacted by misogyny.”

Councillor Thornberry seconded the motion.

Officer comments were included in a briefing note to accompany the motion.

Councillor Parr responded to questions from Councillors and a lengthy debate followed.

At the conclusion of the debate a vote was taken and the motion was clearly carried.

Resolved:-

Women and girls of the district, and in Lancashire as a whole, are suffering from misogyny, expressed in sexual harassment, domestic abuse and death. Lancashire women suffer a higher than average rate of deaths – the femicide census ranks Lancashire as 13th highest female killings in a list of 42 police forces in the UK.

There is evidence of a link between domestic abuse and terrorism.

We call upon the city council to write to the Minister of State for Crime and Policing, Kit Malthouse, with the following requests:

•    That he prepare legislation to make misogyny a hate crime, to be recorded as such by all police forces across the UK, and prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service with as much vigour as other hate crimes.

•    That police forces should be required to record all instances of femicide, the killing of a woman or girl by a man, with immediate effect.

•    That a task force be set up before the end of this year to assess the extent and impact of incel (involuntary celibate) groups both online and offline, and to work with voluntary groups and experts who have already begun work in this field.

•    That all incidents of domestic violence should be treated as violent assault or grievous bodily harm, to be prosecuted automatically without the victim being required to make a formal complaint.

•    That policing resources should be increased to ensure that police forces are able to do these new responsibilities. At the very least they should return to pre 2010 strength.

•    That resources be made available to further study the links between domestic abuse and the perpetrators of terrorist actions.

We also call upon Lancaster City Council to use its social media presence to promote local organisations that can support women impacted by misogyny.