Agenda item

Violence Against Women and the Effects on Women of Government Policies

It was moved by Councillor Nikki Bond, seconded by Councillor Neale Gibson, that this Council:-

(a)       is proud to have supported the One Billion Rising (Sheffield) campaign and its events on 14th / 15th February 2013 to raise awareness about violence against women and girls;

(b)       pledges to make this issue a priority for the next 12 months, through the following measures:

(i)        to continue to provide support to the local Sheffield Rising 2013 movement through the Women's Network and other relevant areas of Council activity;

(ii)       to promote the voice and influence of women and girls who are victims of violence and the local organisations which work to support them;

(iii)      to support initiatives in schools and colleges promoting consciousness about - and zero tolerance to - violence in relationships among young people; and

(iv)      to collaborate with other public bodies in seeking ways to address the problem and find solutions;

(c)        condemns the Coalition Government for the effect that their policies are having on women;

(d)       notes that there are more millionaires than women in the Coalition Cabinet and their misogynistic polices are having a massively disproportionate effect on women;

(e)       recalls that in April 2012 unemployment amongst women stood at 1.4 million, the highest level in 25 years;

(f)        knows that women make up a high proportion of public sector workers and are more likely to claim benefits such as working tax credits, etc;

(g)       notes that research by the GMB has shown that women account for 76% of the drop in the number of employees in the South East;

(h)       believes that the cuts are having a disproportionate effect on women; the cuts hit women harder because:

(i)         many women have pregnancy and maternity needs;

(ii)        women are far more likely to be lone parents (92% of lone parents are women);

(iii)       women are more likely to be the primary carers for children, frail older people, sick and disabled people;

(iv)       women are more likely to be the victims of domestic and sexual violence;

(v)        women live longer, often spending the final years of their lives alone; and

(vi)       women are, on average, financially poorer than men – particularly so in later life;

(i)         recalls that the Home Secretary, The Rt. Hon Theresa May MP, has publically warned that the cuts could hit women hardest;

(j)         notes that the Fawcett Society have challenged the budget from last year claiming it failed in its duty to assess whether it would impact on women unfairly; and

(k)        calls upon the Coalition Government to review benefit cuts and pension reforms that directly affect women disproportionately; women are entitled to a fair deal.

Whereupon it was moved by Councillor Penny Baker, seconded by Councillor Alison Brelsford, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (c) to (k) and the addition of new paragraphs (c) and (d) as follows:-

(c)        supports measures the Coalition Government has taken to tackle domestic violence, including enforcing serious case review for deaths related to domestic violence, and use of the international aid budget to address domestic violence abroad; and

(d)       regrets the need of the mover of the motion to cloud the very important issue of domestic violence with party-political point-scoring.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried, as follows:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:

(a)       is proud to have supported the One Billion Rising (Sheffield) campaign and its events on 14th / 15th February 2013 to raise awareness about violence against women and girls;

(b)       pledges to make this issue a priority for the next 12 months, through the following measures:

(i)        to continue to provide support to the local Sheffield Rising 2013 movement through the Women's Network and other relevant areas of Council activity;

(ii)       to promote the voice and influence of women and girls who are victims of violence and the local organisations which work to support them;

(iii)      to support initiatives in schools and colleges promoting consciousness about - and zero tolerance to - violence in relationships among young people; and

(iv)      to collaborate with other public bodies in seeking ways to address the problem and find solutions;

(c)        condemns the Coalition Government for the effect that their policies are having on women;

(d)       notes that there are more millionaires than women in the Coalition Cabinet and their misogynistic polices are having a massively disproportionate effect on women;

(e)       recalls that in April 2012 unemployment amongst women stood at 1.4 million, the highest level in 25 years;

(f)        knows that women make up a high proportion of public sector workers and are more likely to claim benefits such as working tax credits, etc;

(g)       notes that research by the GMB has shown that women account for 76% of the drop in the number of employees in the South East;

(h)       believes that the cuts are having a disproportionate effect on women; the cuts hit women harder because:

(i)         many women have pregnancy and maternity needs;

(ii)        women are far more likely to be lone parents (92% of lone parents are women);

(iii)       women are more likely to be the primary carers for children, frail older people, sick and disabled people;

(iv)       women are more likely to be the victims of domestic and sexual violence;

(v)        women live longer, often spending the final years of their lives alone; and

(vi)       women are, on average, financially poorer than men – particularly so in later life;

(i)         recalls that the Home Secretary, The Rt. Hon Theresa May MP, has publically warned that the cuts could hit women hardest;

(j)         notes that the Fawcett Society have challenged the budget from last year claiming it failed in its duty to assess whether it would impact on women unfairly; and

(k)        calls upon the Coalition Government to review benefit cuts and pension reforms that directly affect women disproportionately; women are entitled to a fair deal.

(Note: The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Vickie Priestley) and Councillors Simon Clement-Jones, Shaffaq Mohammed, Robert Murphy, Jillian Creasy, Rob Frost, Sylvia Anginotti, Colin Ross, Joe Otten, Penny Baker, Diana Stimely, Roger Davison, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Denise Reaney, Ian Auckland, Anders Hanson, Katie Condliffe, David Baker, and Alison Brelsford voted for paragraphs (a) and (b) and abstained on paragraphs (c) to (k) of the Motion and asked for this to be recorded.)