Cindy Torrens,  program manager at an Australian front-line agency, and Sean Callaghan, a researcher based in the UK, reflect on what more can be done to end violence against women and girls.

The statistics are stark and confronting. One in three women globally will experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime, most likely inflicted by an intimate partner. And more than 140 million girls and women alive today have experienced female genital cutting.

In this episode of ESG Matters, we look at the causes and risks of violence against women and girls. We highlight the barriers to preventing this, and we look for signs that progress can be made.

Ashurst pro bono lawyers Alison Elliott and Emma Minimbi hear a frontline account from Cindy Torrens, who manages the Throughcare team at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency in the Northern Territory. And they speak with Sean Callaghan from the Orchid Project, who conducts research into female genital cutting and provides data to organisations working to eliminate this practice.

Support is available

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, you can contact these organisations for support:

• Australia: Respect
• United Kingdom: the National Domestic Abuse Helpline