Rishi Sunak urged to do more to tackle violence against women

02 September 2023 , 20:50

792     0

PM Sunak announced a new law forcing criminals to appear in court during sentencing (Image: PA)

Rishi Sunak will meet campaigning relatives of murder victims to tackle violence against women.

The PM agreed to meet them in an 11-minute phone call to Farah Naz, aunt of Zara Aleena, 35, who was killed by a pervert in East London last year.

Mr Sunak rang her last week to announce the new law forcing criminals like Zara’s killer to appear in court for sentencing. He agreed to meet her and other relatives in the next two months, including Mina Henry whose daughters Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, were stabbed to death in London in 2020.

Farah Naz, aunt of Zara Aleena who was killed last year (PA)

Farah said the new law gave families hope of change but added: “None of us are jumping up and down for joy because when we got to the courtroom we had already lost everything. The tone is very much, ‘OK, one small step done’ and now there are much bigger steps to go.”

Farah is calling for change across education, the mental health system, police, prisons and local communities.

Gangsters ‘call for ceasefire’ after deadly Christmas Eve pub shooting

Louise Lazell