Government, Police, and Music Industry Collaborate to Combat Violence Against Women and Girls

In a concerted effort to combat violence against women and girls, attendees at the Reading and Leeds Festival were met with impactful messaging aimed at raising awareness of abusive behaviours throughout the weekend.

The campaign reached a vast audience of festivalgoers, drawing attention to various forms of abusive conduct that often go unnoticed. It also encouraged individuals who may engage in harmful actions to reflect on their behaviour. This initiative builds on a summer of advocacy at concerts and live music events, aiming to declare a firm stance against violence targeting women and girls, with similar efforts observed at Latitude Festival earlier this season.

Engaging Young Audiences to Foster Change

By bringing the ENOUGH campaign to some of the UK’s most prominent festivals, the initiative aims to engage hundreds of thousands of young individuals with messages that have been shown to shift perceptions and encourage self-reflection. This approach is designed to ensure that more people comprehend their responsibility in preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG).

In collaboration with Festival Republic, the government is also working closely with Thames Valley Police and West Yorkshire Police to confront abuse and encourage a collective commitment to safeguarding women and girls.

The government’s ambition to halve incidents of violence against women and girls within a decade is more pertinent than ever. Recent estimates suggest that approximately 1 million adults aged 16 and older experienced sexual victimisation in the year leading up to March 2026.

New Measures to Promote Safety in Communities

This announcement coincides with the introduction of a series of measures aimed at restoring hope within communities by enhancing the safety of women and girls. These initiatives are part of broader reforms intended to ensure that policing is responsive to the needs of the public.

Satvir Kaur, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, remarked, “Violence against women and girls devastates lives, and we are determined to halve this issue in a decade. To succeed in this mission, we must drive change in every arena of our society. By engaging directly with young men and women at Reading and Leeds and spotlighting examples of abusive behaviours that often go unrecognised, we can facilitate that change.”

Kaur emphasised that this is merely one step in the ongoing effort to create a safer environment for women and girls across the country.

Collective Responsibility in Addressing Misogyny

Bridget Phillipson, Minister for Women and Equalities, stated, “Challenging violence against women and girls and addressing misogynistic attitudes is a collective responsibility. Each of us has a role in calling out such behaviour, and the ENOUGH campaign, especially during festival season, represents a vital effort in eliminating actions that have become too commonplace.”

Phillipson affirmed that halving violence against women and girls remains a key commitment for the government, pledging to utilise every available resource, from confronting misogyny to employing the full force of the law, to safeguard women and girls.

Creating Safe Environments at Festivals

Melvin Benn, Managing Director of Festival Republic, expressed pride in partnering with the UK government for the ENOUGH campaign. “Fostering safe, inclusive, and welcoming environments is at the core of our mission across all events. By supporting the ENOUGH initiative at Reading and Leeds, we empower our community to identify and safely intervene against harmful behaviours, while ensuring that support is readily accessible on-site,” he stated.

Detective Chief Inspector Laura Corscadden of Thames Valley Police commented on the success of their Consent Conversations campaign at the Reading Festival in previous years, noting the importance of open discussions among young people regarding consent. “Education and prevention are paramount, and we aim to explore the nuanced aspects of consent,” she added. Corscadden expressed enthusiasm for returning to both Reading and Leeds Festivals alongside West Yorkshire Police to facilitate critical conversations about consent throughout the nation.

Comprehensive Crackdown on Violence

The Consent Conversations initiative, developed by Thames Valley Police in collaboration with production company Breaking Barriers and campaigner Georgia Harrison MBE, aims to foster meaningful and ongoing dialogues about consent in all its forms. The campaign encourages individuals everywhere to initiate conversations and ensure that their friends grasp the concept of consent.

Additionally, the government is implementing the most extensive crackdown on violence against women and girls in British history. This includes directives for all police forces to establish specialist teams for investigating rape and sexual offences, the nationwide rollout of domestic abuse protection orders, and the integration of domestic abuse specialists into 999 control rooms.