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Order! Order!

Hello, I'm Sean Curran, and this is today in Parliament from BBC Radio 4 for Thursday the 18th of December,

when, after months of delays, the government published its new strategy to cut violence against women and girls.

We are calling violence against women and girls the national emergency that it is.

We are committing to halve these horrific crimes within a decade.

The Conservatives protest at plans to ask some councils in England if they want to postpone

elections scheduled for next May.

The question many will be asking out there today is what does this Labour government have

against democracy?

And the author of a review into puberty blocking drugs for children backs plans for a clinical

trial.

Is it better that they get their medication under careful clinical supervision rather than on the dark web?

MPs and peers left Westminster today for the Christmas break,

but not before the government published its plan to tackle violence against women and girls.

The safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, warned MPs there was a national emergency.

Last year, one in every eight women was a victim of domestic abuse, stalking or sexual assault.

Every day, 200 rapes are reported to the police and many go unreported.

Behind every one of these figures is a woman or girl whose life has been shattered.

And behind every crime lies a perpetrator who all too often gets away Scott free.

She said the much delayed strategy, it was first expected in the spring,

will include training for teachers in England

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