Theresa May: too many young people think domestic violence is acceptable

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/nov/25/theresa-may-young-people-domestic-violence-acceptable

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Too many young men still think it is OK to hit their girlfriends, while many young women do not realise such relationships are unhealthy, Theresa May, the home secretary, has said.

The senior cabinet minister made the comments at a parliamentary event for the 40th birthday of Women’s Aid, the charity that helps women suffering domestic violence.

She said statistics suggesting one in four young people thinks it is “OK for the boyfriend to hit the girlfriend” are a worry and real problem in the UK.

Asked at the event whether some of the causes could be violent porn or video games, she said: “It’s difficult with these things to say exactly what it is that has led to this. The environment in which violence appears to be acceptable in any form helps to lead to this sort of thinking. It’s also about young people being shown that here is a relationship that is healthy. If this is happening then the relationship isn’t.”

She cited two advert campaigns launched by the government as being important in educating young people about violence being unhealthy in a relationship.

Despite her support for Women’s Aid, the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, accused May of turning a blind eye to cuts in council funding for women’s refuges.

Writing for the Guardian, she said: “What is the Home Office doing about it? Where are the national standards? What is Theresa May doing to protect women’s safety? Or to make sure that local councils work together so women’s safety isn’t disproportionately hit? Too often this government is just turning a blind eye.”

Labour has pledged to spend £3m saved from the abolition of police and crime commissioners to set up a national women’s refuge fund.

May’s appearance at the Women’s Aid event follows a high-profile week for the home secretary. She is about to bring forward new legislation to combat terrorism and is under scrutiny over the role of the security services in monitoring the killers of Lee Rigby.

May also appeared on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs on Sunday and is the subject of a Spectator profile this week, prompting speculation about her ambitions to lead the Conservatives. In the magazine piece, one unnamed friend of the home secretary claimed she had lost faith in the abilities of David Cameron.