Violence against women an 'epidemic' that needs more resources, says Labour

Shadow minister Jess Phillips spoke out following suspected abduction of Sarah Everard

Violence against women is an epidemic which requires far more attention and resources, Labour's shadow minister for domestic violence, Jess Phillips, has said, in the wake of the disappearance of Sarah Everard, who police believe may have been abducted as she walked home in south London.

Phillips, who will speak at parliament's International Women's Day debate on Thursday when she will read out the names of all the women murdered by men in the past year, said it was untrue to say that the killing of women was rare.