Health secretary calls domestic abuse and sexual violence an epidemic at Labour conference

At a women's health reception on the sidelines of the Labour Party conference, Health Secretary Yvette Cooper described the rise in domestic abuse and sexual violence against women and girls as an epidemic that requires a health-sector response. She referenced government data showing millions of victims, noting that women are disproportionately impacted. Cooper said she will use her forthcoming keynote to detail how the NHS and public-health system will be mobilised to support survivors.

The Freedom from Violence and Abuse strategy, launched last December, aims to halve such violence within ten years. Experts from the Royal College of Psychiatrists warned that abuse drives serious mental-health conditions, reinforcing the need for coordinated action.