The moral case for supporting survivors of sexual violence is self-evident. The harm inflicted is profound and can have long-lasting impacts on almost every aspect of life. That alone should be enough to justify investment in prevention and specialist support.
But, in the UK, moral clarity is not always matched by political will. Public spending decisions are led by chronic short-termism and economic pressures, particularly in a time of widespread crisis – whether in health, housing, or the climate.
The Labour government has made little progress on its promise to halve violence against women and girls in the UK within a decade, and has rowed back on its international promises to prioritise women and girls around the world by cutting aid to fund defence. In the context of this worrying change in direction, it becomes necessary to make the economic argument alongside the moral one.
