Vera Baird DBE KC

Chair Criminal Cases Review Commission. Member Women’s Justice Bd.
Ex Victims’ Commissioner, Solicitor Gen & PCC. Fellow St Hilda’s Oxford. Writer. Labour Party

Tag: vawg

Leading Labour’s commitment to women at the next General Election – Northumbria’s Police & Crime Commissioner
Vera Baird QC, Police & Crime Commissioner for Northumbria, will today release the findings of a report which will influence the next Labour Government’s agenda on delivering for women across the north east and United Kingdom.
In 2011 the Labour Party asked Vera Baird to lead ‘Everywoman Safe Everywhere’ Commission and come up with recommendations for the next Labour Government. An interim report was produced in 2012 with the final report being published today (Wednesday, 10 December, 2014).
The research covered many areas affecting women – from legal aid to services for victims of domestic violence.
The report asks the next Labour Government to do more than just reverse the last five years of decline by putting tackling violence against women and girls at the heart of our modern welfare state.
It proposes a statutory obligation on Government and local authorities to develop integrated domestic and sexual violence strategies and the establishment of a new Commissioner to tackle violence against women and girls, to drive their implementation and bring national standards of service to all.
The report encourages reforming how services are commissioned, refocusing on the practical need for specialist women-centred services with a track record of success.
Vera Baird said: “I was delighted to be asked by Yvette Cooper to lead this Commission, as it’s allowed me to put the changes we’ve implemented here in Northumbria on a national platform.
“The work happening in our region can be used as a model of good practice by the next Labour Government. The main job for Ed Miliband and his team is to develop an integrated domestic and sexual violence strategy. If we get it right from day one of the next Labour Government we will change lives for a generation.”
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has already accepted one of the report’s recommendations for a new national refuge fund, to provide the safe places that women and children need and national Rape Support Funding on a three-year cycle, to give rape crisis centres real security.
Vera Baird added: “The Shadow Home Secretary’s actions show how Labour take women’s issues seriously and we are committed to providing safe places for women and girls when they need it most.
“The Commission’s recommendations are about fixing this issue, in all its myriad forms, including forced marriage, trafficking, slavery, harassment, honour crimes, FGM and prostitution; putting them at the heart of the modern public services that Ed Miliband’s Premiership will deliver. Next we should work on a strategy with the Department of Education, to prevent violence against women and girls in coming generations so we can also drive a lasting legacy of culture change.”
December 10, 2014
Northumbria’s Police & Crime Commissioner welcomes White Ribbon Day (25th November 2014)
Vera Baird QC, Northumbria’s Police & Crime Commissioner welcomes 2014 White Ribbon Day and calls on men across the North East to take a stand against domestic violence as part of International White Ribbon Day.
White Ribbon Day is inspired by the White Ribbon Pledge lead by men who campaign to stop domestic violence against women. They believe that men need to take a share of the responsibility of putting an end to domestic violence against women.
Vera Baird hopes men across the region will support White Ribbon Day by wearing their ribbon.
Mrs Baird said: “Wearing a white ribbon shows that men are saying loud and clear that they will never condone, take part in or remain silent about domestic abuse against women. To stop domestic abuse and violence we all have to take a share of the responsibility in putting an end to it.\”
Supporting White Ribbon Day is local Member of Parliament Nick Brown. Mr Brown said: “Everyone in public life should take a stand against domestic violence. Bullying is unacceptable. Victims should be able to approach the police confident that those in authority will take the issue seriously.”
Mrs Baird added: “Quite simply domestic violence is unacceptable and we will continue to do everything within our powers to put an end to it”. But we can only do this if we all work together – this includes, men, women, businesses and charities.\”
Vera Baird has worked closely with Ron Hogg (PCC Durham) and Barry Coppinger (PCC Cleveland) to develop a North East regional strategy to ensure all victims can expect the same level of service from the police, no matter where they live. Next month the Commissioners will be marking one year of the regional strategy, looking at successes during 2014 and plans for the year ahead.

Mrs Baird concluded: “I will continue to ensure that Northumbria Police and its partners do everything they can to tackle domestic violence. The effects of domestic abuse affect many people – the victims, children, family members and even employers. I hope that White Ribbon Day shows local people that they have a role to play in tackling domestic abuse. Let’s no longer allow it to be the silent crime and give victims the voice to report it.”
Across the Northumbria Force region there are a number of services available to support victims.

Vera Baird will be speaking at Gateshead’s White Ribbon Day event on Friday 28th November 2014 that is being hosted at Caedmon Hall, Gateshead Library, Prince Consort Road in Gateshead between 11am and 3pm.

November 24, 2014
Stormont decision welcomed by Northumbria Commissioner

Northumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird has welcomed the decision of Stormont assembly members to start the legislative process to ban paying for sex.
In the UK, selling or buying sex is not currently illegal.
However, it is illegal to buy sex from someone who is controlled for another person’s gain; other illegal activities including loitering and soliciting for prostitution; kerb crawling; keeping a brothel and placing an advert for prostitution within the vicinity of a public telephone box.
Northern Ireland has now started the process that paying for sex becomes illegal.
Discussions went on until late into the night and the Bill is aimed at amending Northern Ireland’s laws on trafficking and prostitution.
Currently, when it comes to prosecution it is the prostitute who is more likely to be prosecuted rather than the person paying for sex.
Government figures for 2002 show there were 2,678 convictions for soliciting in comparison to only 993 convictions for kerb crawling.
Vera Baird said: “I congratulate the members of Stormont Assembly for leading the way in further ensuring the protection and safety of women.
“By following the Nordic model, consumers rather than workers in the sex trade are targeted.
“Many of these women often have very troubled backgrounds and research shows that up to 70% of those in street prostitution have a history of local authority care and up to 75% have been physically assaulted at the hands of pimps and punters.
“The introduction of this Bill will ensure these women are safer.”
The clause was passed, during the Bill’s consideration stage, by 81 to 10 votes. It still has to go through the legislative process but, as such a large number of members supported the Bill, it is likely to become law.
Mrs Baird said: “Stormont has spoken loud and clear on members’ wishes to further protect women and I welcome the strong commitment from across the assembly to support the legislation. We must follow suit in the rest of the UK as quickly as possible.”
There was opposition to the Bill from a minority of members, including Stormont’s Justice Minister David Ford who saw no evidence to prove that this legislation would reduce the incidence of trafficking.
Mrs Baird said: “One of the most common forms of trafficking and slavery is using women for prostitution, enticing them when they are at their lowest ebb with promises of money and security. Yet prostitution puts the women in a very dangerous position.
“In 2006, it was found that people are much less likely to be convicted of murdering a prostitute than any other kind of murder. The murder conviction rate stands at 75% but drops to 26% when it comes to the killings of women in prostitution.”
She added: “We all have a duty to support these women to ensure they can enjoy a life away from fear and intimidation.”
October 21, 2014
“Loose Women” TV Programme debate – Judy Finnigan
The comments of broadcaster Judy Finnigan in her debut on the TV programme ‘Loose Women’ in relation to a high profile rape case involving a footballer have been criticised by Vera Baird.
The former Richard and Judy star was commenting on the case of footballer Ched Evans who was jailed for five years in 2012 for raping a 19-year-old woman.
The player is preparing to be released from prison and the broadcaster was discussing if he should be allowed to rejoin his club.
Ms Finnigan said he had served his time, the rape was not violent and his victim had had far too much to drink.
The Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, a lifelong campaigner against violence against women and girls, said: “He raped her – that is a serious injury and undermines some people for life.
“Ms Finnigan seems to have already forgotten the testimony of the teenage victims of Rolf Harris and others who have said in detail in their victim impact statements how their lives had been ruined.
“No bodily injury has little relevance, it doesn’t have to do physical damage to be rape and it is the essence of violence to force himself upon her.”
The Commissioner said she had no view about whether they should take Evans back into football, but added: “He has to work somewhere but it probably shouldn’t be in such a public role since it looks like he’s being given a platform for approval.”
She also questioned what being drunk had to do with anything, saying: “What has this got to do with this if he forced himself upon her.
“If you get drunk and someone steals your wallet does this mean it’s any less of a theft than if you were sober.”
Judy Finnigan’s comments on the popular ITV show were publicly condemned by many who took to social media to voice their opinion.
October 16, 2014
The Guardian – 26th September 2014. “Police Commissioners seek inquiry…”
North East Police & Crime Commissioners say Judge Moorhouse\’s lax sentence told women that \”male judges will not protect them\”
Read more by clicking here www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/26/police-commissioners-inquiry-judge-leniency-domestic-abuse
September 26, 2014
Labour Women\’s Safety Conference
National plans making domestic and sexual violence a priority
Labour plans which would revolutionise the way sexual crimes are handled have been welcomed by Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird.
The Commissioner, who has made domestic and sexual violence a priority in her Police and Crime Plan, was at Labour’s Women’s Safety Conference.
Delegates were discussing ways of improving justice for domestic and sex crimes, some of which have become more prevalent through the growth of the worldwide web, and improving women’s safety.
Key note speaker Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the insults levelled at teenage girls on a daily basis in schools could be easy to dismiss but were getting worse.
And it isn’t just abuse and harassment of girls and young women which is growing but violence in young relationships.
The British Crime Survey has shown 16-19-year-old girls being most at risk of domestic violence, with more than 10% experiencing violence or abuse in a relationship.
‘Revenge porn’, where an ex posts a half-naked photo or stalks the person online, and ‘sexting’, where young girls send ‘sexy and pouting’ pictures of themselves on their mobile phones, is also growing.
Yet delegates heard that while the number of reported domestic violence and rape crimes has gone up, the number of prosecutions have fallen since 2010.
Additionally legal aid reforms have made it difficult for women to afford the legal costs.
Vera Baird said: “It’s vital that changes are made not only in attitudes but our culture and that any woman or young girl suffering from any kind of abuse or violence comes forward to seek help.
“We all have a duty to stand up against these perpetrators and bring an end to their control and I fully support this call for action to prevent violence and change attitudes.
“I whole-heartedly agree that we cannot ignore online access to extreme and violent porn, which is changing young people’s perceptions of sex, and that education of young people to have a zero tolerance of violence in relationships is a key factor.”
The Commissioner said changes had already been made by Northumbria Police to make it easier for victims to come forward and that officers did all they can to make the reporting of these crimes as straightforward as possible, listening to all victims and taking action to help them.
Northumbria, together with neighbouring forces Durham and Cleveland, has introduced a new power – Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPOs) -allowing police to take immediate action to ban a suspected perpetrator from the victim’s address for 48 hours.
“This gives any victim much needed breathing space providing them with the reassurance that they are safe and allowing them time to consider their options and get access to support services without pressure from the perpetrator,” Vera Baird said.
At the conference delegates called for a new law to tackle violence against women and Labour will be gathering information ready for the election.
This will reform the criminal justice system, bring in new national standards for policing and victim support and provide stronger prevention too.
“Violence in any relationship should never be tolerated and ending violence against women and girls is a personal priority for me.
“Any and every measure which can be made available to the police and other organisations which will help victims of what is sometimes a very hidden crime must be welcomed.”
July 8, 2014