Liz Truss has promised to introduce a national domestic abuse register and a new offense of street harassment if she becomes prime minister.

The Tory leadership contender said politicians must do more to tackle unrest against women and girls.

In the past two years the nation had been "shocked" by the number of high-profile murders of women, she added.

Labour MP Stella Creasy, who has pushed for misogyny to be made a crime, called it a major U-turn by Ms. Truss.

The domestic abuse register being recommended by the foreign secretary would include coercive and controlling behavior and financial abuse and would intend to break the cycle of repeat offending.

She said convicted offenders would have to inform the police of their arrangements with new partners and their children or face harsh penalties.

Ms. Truss has also promised to fasten the process of handling rape cases, as part of a program to build on the government's Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.

She said: "Violence against women and girls doesn't have to be inevitable. Women should be able to walk the streets without fear of harm, and perpetrators must expect to be punished.

This will be a head start to a great change in ensuring safety for women. The perks of having a woman as the PM of the country are huge. It instills hope in the woman who aims high in politics. Moreover, this unequal representation has to change.

Source: The BBC