Women and children will receive stronger support as the government appoints Jess Asato MP as its new Violence Against Women and Girls Adviser, tasked with leading a major overhaul of the NHS response to domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Asato will drive cultural change across the health system, ensuring women experiencing violence are identified and supported at the earliest opportunity. Her work will also integrate VAWG services into Neighbourhood Health Centres – new “one-stop shops” bringing together GPs, nurses, pharmacists, and other services under one roof.
The appointment forms part of the government’s Plan for Change, which aims to halve violence against women and girls within a decade through its safer streets mission. Over the next six months, Asato will focus on three priorities:
- Reducing the impact of alcohol on VAWG.
- Embedding VAWG support into neighbourhood health services for easy access to specialist help.
- Improving commissioning of VAWG services to ensure the right support is available in the right place.
The scale of the challenge is clear: in the year ending March 2025, 3.8 million people aged 16 and over experienced domestic abuse, 1.4 million were victims of stalking, and 900,000 experienced sexual assault, including attempted offences.
Commenting on her appointment, Jess Asato said:
“I am honoured to have been asked to advise the Health Secretary on how the Department of Health and Social Care can contribute to our government’s mission of halving violence against women and girls.
“VAWG isn’t just a criminal justice issue, it’s a public health emergency. When we strengthen healthcare systems to identify abuse early, support survivors, challenge perpetrators and address the trauma that fuels cycles of harm, we make communities safer. Ensuring health is not an add-on to prevention; it is a core part of the solution.”
Jess Asato brings experience to the role, having worked for Barnardo’s and SafeLives before entering Parliament. She will collaborate with NHS England, health teams, and other government departments to ensure victims receive treatment and open access support through NHS services.
This appointment complements wider government action, including mandatory safeguarding training for all NHS staff, the rollout of Raneem’s Law embedding domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms, and the introduction of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders, which have already safeguarded over 1,000 victims. The government is also investing £20 million this financial year in specialist organisations supporting survivors.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting also said:
“Violence against women and girls is a stain on our society and tackling it is everyone’s problem – including the NHS.
“We think of these as hidden crimes, but we know that in most interactions with the NHS and other institutions the signs are there if we have the training, tools, and the will to look.
“Jess Asato will use her expertise in protecting women and children from vile abuse to ensure victims across the NHS are spotted sooner and given the help they need.”
The announcement comes ahead of the publication of the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, which will set out how government will tackle VAWG across all sectors.
Image credit: iStock
