We all know that women and girls face systemic inequality, but on the Isle of Wight, those challenges are magnified by geography. When your transport system makes it harder to access safety, opportunity, and healthcare, inequality becomes isolation. For women and girls here, that isn’t hypothetical, it’s their reality.
I’m very conscious of the cliché of a male MP speaking for women rather than letting women speak for themselves. But with no female parliamentary representation on the island, I believe it’s vital that I use my position to amplify the voices of those who don’t currently have one.
Let me be clear: women and girls on the Isle of Wight do not lack ambition nor ability. Quite the opposite. But determination alone cannot overcome structural barriers. And those barriers have been made worse by infrequent and costly cross-Solent ferry services. The ferry service isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a lifeline that’s failing. And when it fails, it’s not just an inconvenience it exposes the island’s most vulnerable women to real danger.
Take domestic abuse. With only one women’s refuge on the island, offering just six rooms, many victims are forced to leave the Isle of Wight entirely to find safety. That means uprooting their homes, communities, and support networks simply because local provision doesn’t exist. This is not a marginal issue: domestic abuse-related crimes have risen by 25% between 2018 and 2023. For the most vulnerable women, this lack of refuge space turns an already traumatic situation into an impossible choice, stay with an abuser or abandon everything familiar to escape harm.
The picture is equally bleak for survivors of rape and sexual violence. Violent and sexual offences remain the most commonly recorded crimes on the island, yet there is no dedicated Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). These centres provide specialist medical care, forensic examinations, and emotional support—a lifeline for victims seeking justice and recovery. Without one, survivors are often forced to travel to the mainland, sometimes still wearing the clothes they were assaulted in, simply to access the care and evidence they need. For those already enduring severe trauma, this additional burden magnifies what is already unimaginable pain.
And the barriers don’t stop there. St Mary’s Hospital, the island’s major hospital, can only provide abortions up to 13 weeks. Beyond that point, women must travel to the mainland for what is already an emotionally and physically challenging procedure, often without family support and at significant personal and financial cost. No woman makes this decision lightly, yet for those with the fewest resources, the burden is greatest. Geography should never dictate access to essential healthcare, but on the Isle of Wight, it does.
These healthcare inequalities alone make a compelling case for government intervention. But they also reveal something deeper: geography is directly shaping outcomes on the Isle of Wight. When essential services are an ocean away, choice becomes privilege, and for too many women and girls, that privilege doesn’t exist. Every missed appointment, every delayed procedure, every journey for care is a reminder that equality isn’t just about policy, it’s about proximity.
The challenges extend to education and opportunity. This year’s GCSE and A-level results paint a stark picture: the Isle of Wight ranks at the bottom nationally, with just 62.5% of students achieving a standard pass compared to 70.5% nationally. Poor cross-Solent connectivity restricts access to training, higher education, and employment, locking too many young women into a cycle of limited choices.
While I am calling for greater intervention, I do so with the utmost confidence that the women and girls of the Isle of Wight will seize any opportunities with determination and resilience. They have never lacked ambition, only access.
The women and girls of the Isle of Wight understand the extra burdens of island life. But the burden we are placing on them now is a burden too far, and it starts and ends with our transport system. Until we fix that, we cannot claim to offer equality, safety, or opportunity to those who need it most. And I’d lastly like to pay tribute to my wife for constantly fighting to ensure that our daughters and others can seize those opportunities once they arise.
Women and girls on the Isle of Wight do not lack ambition nor ability, but determination alone cannot overcome structural barriers
