January 29th 2025.
In 2023, it is estimated that over 1.3 million women in England aged 16 and above experienced domestic abuse. This alarming statistic has raised concerns for the future of domestic abuse charities, with one refuge warning that they may not be able to "survive" due to a significant funding shortfall of £321 million from the government.
According to new research from Women's Aid, a whopping £516 million in funding is needed to properly address and combat domestic abuse in England. However, accessing these necessary funds has become increasingly difficult for smaller organizations in local communities. As a result, they are being "pushed out" and forced to close their doors, which could have devastating consequences for those in need of their services.
Surwat Sohail, the chief executive of Roshni, a domestic abuse organization that focuses on marginalized communities dealing with forced marriage, honor-based abuse, and sexual abuse, shared that their refuge in Birmingham is also facing this issue of being "pushed out" of funding. She expressed her concerns about their survival, as they heavily rely on funding from various grant funders. Unfortunately, the government cuts are also pushing other organizations towards grant funding, making it difficult for smaller organizations like Roshni to compete and stay afloat.
This funding issue is not just affecting smaller organizations, but also local services that fill the gaps left by larger outreach programs. As a result, some of these services are facing closure, which could have a significant impact on victims of domestic abuse. Refuges play a crucial role in helping victims escape and rebuild their lives, but unfortunately, out of the estimated 1.6 million victims, less than one in ten were able to receive community-based support.
Even when victims are referred to a refuge or community organization for help, 60% of these referrals are rejected. The main reason for this is that refuge services simply do not have the resources to support all their clients. This is a concerning issue, as it leaves many victims without the necessary support they need to escape their abusive situations.
If smaller domestic abuse refuges like Roshni are forced to close due to funding issues, there will be a significant gap in direct support options for abuse victims. This could potentially increase risk factors for victims, such as mental health issues and even suicide rates. Ms. Sohail shared that some women may not even leave their abusive relationships if there are no available services to help them.
The head of Research and Evaluation at Women's Aid, Sarika Seshadri, also echoed these concerns and emphasized the need for more support, both financial and otherwise, for community-based services and refuges for domestic abuse victims. She pointed out that the government has pledged to halve violence against women and girls within a decade, but there is currently a deficit of £321 million in funding for the sector.
In response to this issue, Metro launched the "This Is Not Right" campaign on November 25, 2024, to address the epidemic of violence against women. Throughout the year, the campaign will share stories that shed light on the severity of this problem. In partnership with Women's Aid, the campaign aims to engage and empower readers to take action against violence towards women. Readers can also share their stories by emailing the campaign.
Furthermore, the 2024 Labour manifesto promised to halve violence against women and girls within a decade by using all available government tools to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence. Ms. Seshadri added that the government should work closely with the violence against women and girls sector to develop their strategy and inform their policy discussions.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
