Empowering and engaging citizens to take action
The public has a pivotal role to play in the prevention of sexually motivated crimes against women in public spaces. In recognition of that: a. By April 2026, the Home Office should agree funding for a multi-year series of active bystander public information campaigns. Campaigns should be launched by no later than December 2026. b. By July 2026, the Home Office should agree which agencies should have ownership of the coordination standards and messaging around active bystander training. c. By July 2026, the Government should consider the arguments for the introduction of a wider Good Samaritan law, as championed by Farah Naz, Zara Aleena's aunt.
- Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Jess Phillips made a written statement to Parliament (HCWS1122) on 2 December 2025 accepting all 13 Part 2 recommendations, announcing £13.1 million in funding to the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection (Written Statement HCWS1122, 2 December 2025).
- No specific public evidence that funding for active bystander campaigns has been agreed, or that coordination of bystander training standards has begun, as of March 2026.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedParliamentary Under-Secretary of State Jess Phillips made a written statement to Parliament (HCWS1122) on 2 December 2025 accepting all 13 Part 2 recommendations. The government announced £13.1 million in funding to deliver a coordinated approach through the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection, and committed to putting police vetting standards on a statutory footing to exclude those with cautions or convictions for violence against women and girls offences. The government pledged to halve violence against women and girls within a decade and to embed expertise from programmes such as Operation Soteria and Project Vigilant across police forces.