TORFAEN MP Nick Thomas-Symonds paid a visit to a women’s aid organisation in Pontypool to mark activism against gender-based violence.

He visited Cyfannol Women’s Aid in Pontypool to mark the launch of the United Nations’ 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

It is an annual campaign running between November 25 and December 10. The start date marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and ends on International Human Rights Day.

Mr Thomas-Symonds said: “I was privileged to visit Cyfannol Women’s Aid to discuss the work they do in providing services and support to people who have experienced any form of violence against women, domestic abuse or sexual violence. I would like to thank all frontline support services who work tirelessly every day to support women and girls who suffer from domestic abuse, and Labour will not stop campaigning until we have eradicated violence against women and girls from society.”

The aim is to highlight that work still needs to be done to end violence against women and girls and that gender-based violence is a violation of human rights.

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Statistics by ONS have shown that during the national lockdown period between March and June this year found that police recorded 259,324 domestic abuse-related offences – an increase in seven per cent from the same period in 2019.

Mr Thomas-Symonds said: “The launching of the UN’s 16 days of activism against gender-based violence offers a poignant reminder that we need to do so much more in tackling domestic abuse, and these challenges are even starker during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One of my top priorities in my role as Shadow Home Secretary is addressing violent abuse against women and girls, which is why I called on the UK Government at the start of the pandemic to earmark £76million for addressing domestic abuse. It is clear from these latest statistics that the Conservatives have failed to take the issue of domestic abuse seriously and they must get to grips with providing a sustainable support system for victims of domestic abuse.”