Boris, in response to a question regarding the curtailment of street prostitution…
“In April 2009 I intend to publish my draft Violence Against Women Strategy which will include issues around prostitution.“
Now, let’s remind ourselves of Boris’s little encounter with the Commons…
“Labour’s Margaret Moran says Boris was committed to increasing the number of rape crisis centres in his campaign. So why is he reducing the budget for domestic violence?
Boris says that that is not his policy.
Moran say she understands he has “reduced, downgraded” the GLA’s domestic violence strategy.
Boris, again, refuses to accept this. Malthouse intervenes to help him out.
He says the domestic violence strategy will be incorporated into a broader “violence against women” strategy. So they are extending the commitment, not downgrading it.”
Waiting eleven months before publishing even a draft strategy is a pretty weird way of “extending the commitment“. It also seems to contradict the curiously informed anonymous commenter at The Tory Troll, who assured us that the strategy would take “a few months to put in place“.
Little has been seen of the rape crisis centres, either. Professional Fundraising made one inquiry back in August…
“A pre-election pledge by London Mayor Boris Johnson to commit £700,000 to three new rape crisis centres in London has yet to come to fruition, his press office admitted.
A spokeswoman said it was “still a priority” and was “being worked on” but nothing concrete could be announced yet.”
Will we have to wait until next April, or beyond, to see anything “concrete”?
With around 180 reported cases of rape a month and waiting lists of about three months that simply isn’t good enough.
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Any issue which mainly affects women is a non-event with Boris, his attitude is shocking.
Where’s that list of priorities, then? First I’ve heard of rape crisis centres being on them.
Just at the bottom of page 7…
http://www.londonforum.org.uk/f/d/Boris_Johnsons_published_priorities_May_2008_161.pdf
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