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A taskforce has outlined 77 key recommendations to tackle the "very real" issue of violence against women and girls in Jersey, and hopes to "spark a wave of change that will lead to real and lasting transformation".
The Jersey Independent Taskforce on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) has today published its research findings.
The Independent Chair of the Taskforce, Kate Wright described the report as a "shocking revelation of the extent and nature of violence experienced by women and girls in Jersey".
Nearly all respondents to the public survey reported having experienced at least one form of sexual harassment in their lifetime, whilst one-in-four respondents had undergone the ordeal of rape or attempted rape.
Among the 77 recommendations made to Government and other agencies, the taskforce has called for an independent review of the Jersey criminal justice system in relation to domestic abuse, rape, and serious sexual assault – and a similar review of the family court system.
Pictured: Almost all general public survey respondents had experienced at least one form of sexual harassment in their lifetime.
Police have already accepted the relevant recommendations, while the Home Affairs Minister has assured islanders that she will “carefully consider these findings and the 77 recommendations” and committed to sourcing “dedicated resources” to fund the suggested changes.
Deputy Helen Miles added that a "significant shift in community attitudes towards women" is required, as well as "potentially radical change to the way systems currently respond to this problem".
The taskforce – which is made up of 20 local professionals working in this area – found that “gaps” in Jersey’s legislation were “undermining the ability of the criminal justice system to protect victim-survivors or effectively manage perpetrators".
There was also a focus on online violence, with the report recommending that Jersey's Government "should review and strengthen the current legal framework to better protect islanders from online and technology-facilitated abuse".
Pictured: Almost two thirds of the general public survey respondents who are under the age of 25 have received unwanted messages of a sexual nature.
Almost two thirds of the survey respondents under the age of 25 have received unwanted messages of a sexual nature, and 9 out of 10 respondents said that sending unsolicited photos of genitalia should be a crime.
However, 8 out of 10 respondents to the general public survey thought that the Government and the Courts in Jersey do not take online forms of violence against women and girls seriously.
Taskforce Chair, Mrs Wright said: "I wish to thank those brave victim-survivors who have endured painful abuse and trauma yet chose to share their experiences to help us understand and confront these serious issues head-on.
“It is testament to the courage of our daughters, sisters, mothers, partners, friends, and colleagues who have endured unthinkable violence, abuse, harassment or been failed by our systems that should have protected them.
"By giving a voice to their experiences, we hope to spark a wave of change that will lead to real and lasting transformation."
Pictured: One 17-year-old respondent said: “Girls worry about their safety – boys don’t have to.”
Mrs Wright added: "The findings of this report are a wake-up call to issues that affect many women and girls and that we can no longer ignore. As a community, we have a moral obligation to address these issues swiftly and decisively.
"To achieve the aims of the Taskforce, it was essential that the voices of women and girls should be at the centre of our work and that these voices were listened to without prejudice.
“Women and girls deserve to feel safe no matter where they are, whether that be at their place of education or at work, in public spaces, at home or online. However, the Taskforce’s research shows that this is not the reality for many women and girls in Jersey.”
You can read the full report online HERE.
Almost all general public survey respondents had experienced at least one form of sexual harassment in their lifetime.
More than three quarters of general public survey respondents had experienced sexual harassment in the last 12-months.
Over a third of hotspots showing where respondents to the safety heatmap felt unsafe were in St Helier.
More than two thirds of general public survey respondents told us that wolf-whistling or catcalling should be a crime.
Almost 8 out of 10 general public survey respondents had experienced unwanted touching in their lifetime.
9 out of 10 general public survey respondents who had experienced sexual harassment, reported that the harasser was male.
8 out of 10 general public survey respondents adapt their behaviour in outdoor public spaces and more than three quarters adapt their behaviour in indoor public spaces to avoid sexual harassment.
The most common location that general public survey respondents reported experiencing sexual harassment was in the street (42%), followed by clubs, pubs, or bars (33%).
A quarter of general public survey respondents have experienced rape and/or attempted rape in their lifetime.
More than half of general public survey respondents have experienced unwanted, overt sexual touching in their lifetime.
9 out of 10 respondents to the general public survey told us that someone sending photos of their genitalia when this has not been asked for should be a crime.
8 out of 10 respondents to the general public survey think that the Government of Jersey does not take online forms of VAWG seriously.
8 out of 10 respondents to the general public survey think that the Courts in Jersey do not take online forms of VAWG seriously.
More than a third of victim-survivors surveyed had experienced a form of online or tech-facilitated abuse.
Almost two thirds of the general public survey respondents who are under the age of 25 have received unwanted messages of a sexual nature.
Just over half of the general public survey respondents have experienced displays of pornographic or offensive material in their lifetime.
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