GOVERNMENT efforts to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) in recent years have not improved outcomes for victims, the National Audit Office (NAO) revealed today.

The spending watchdog described VAWG as a “significant and growing problem” affecting one in 12 women and criticised the Home Office for failing to lead an effective cross-government response.

A key Labour pledge when they came into government last summer was to halve VAWG within a decade.