On Thursday, 9th January, Rebecca Smith MP delivered a powerful speech in Parliament on Plymouth’s pioneering working to end Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). VAWG is a term used to describe any form of abuse that is directed at women and girls, encompassing physical, sexual, psychological, emotional and financial abuse.
Prior to her election as the Member of Parliament for South West Devon in July 2024, Rebecca served as the Chair of Plymouth’s Violence Against Women and Girls Commission. She has vowed to continue to champion the cause in Parliament; a promise she met with this speech. Drawing on her experiences, the local MP touched on the progress that has been made to educate and change attitudes as well as creating safe spaces for women.
Opening her speech, Rebecca Smith MP, Member of Parliament for South West Devon, shared:
“In 2021, Plymouth [...] had two horrific tragedies affecting a number of people. We had the Keyham shootings [...] and the tragic murder of Bobbi-Anne McLeod. [...] What came out of those tragedies was an opportunity to shine a light on VAWG in the city in a way that had never happened before, as well as to see what was already being done, and what more could be done to make things even better, and ultimately to make women and girls safe, and feel safe.
The Plymouth Violence Against Women and Girls Commission was established in response, and I had the privilege of leading it. It took us six months, but we worked cross-party, and we reported back with 15 recommendations, which were supported by organisations and businesses right across the city.”
Rebecca speech was well received across the House, with MPs on the Government benches thanking her for her “powerful and compelling” speech and local work tackling VAWG. The South West Devon MP continues to work closely with Plymouth City Council and domestic abuse charities to take action on VAWG in Parliament.
