Lack of funding threatens Govt. promise to tackle violence against women and girls
A charity is warning a shortfall in funding could impact commitment to protect women and girls
Campaigners gathered outside Parliament on Tuesday morning to call for more funding for safe accommodation and refuge services.
It comes as a domestic abuse charity is warning a shortfall in funding means the Government's strategy to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) falls short.
The charity Refuge said there is an annual £55.5 million funding shortfall which threatens to undermine the Government’s pledge to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.
The wide-ranging VAWG strategy announced in December set out ways to prevent violence, crack down on abusers and support victims, and was backed by £1 billion.
As part of that was a promised £19 million funding boost for councils to provide safe housing for domestic abuse survivors.
Other measures as part of the cross-government strategy included all children in secondary schools being taught about healthy relationships and teachers trained to spot worrying behaviour in young men early on.
The Government said specialist rape and sexual offences investigators would also be introduced to every police force and better support provided to survivors in the NHS.
At the time, domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales Dame Nicole Jacobs said the commitments “do not go far enough” to see the number of people experiencing abuse start to fall.
On Tuesday, Refuge said the Government must “urgently address the annual £55.5 million funding shortfall for safe accommodation and refuge services”.
As part of the charity’s Home is Where the Hurt is campaign, which launched earlier this month, Refuge staff, supporters and ambassadors demonstrated outside Parliament, which they described as “the biggest ‘house’ of all”.
Holding placards resembling estate agent boards, they surrounded a large coffin-shaped front door with the number 75 on it – which they said represents the number of women killed by domestic homicide in the year ending March 2025.
Refuge chief executive Gemma Sherrington said: “Home should be a safe place, but at Refuge we know it can be the most dangerous place for women experiencing domestic abuse.
“There are a myriad of ways in which perpetrators weaponise the home environment every day: from controlling the purse strings, to misusing smart home devices such as the heating or locks, to physical abuse.
“The Government have pledged to halve violence against women and girls by 2034, but without investing the full funding needed for services that save women’s lives, their VAWG strategy comes up short.”
Refuge ambassador and television presenter Ranvir Singh said: “Seventy-five women were killed in the last year, by a partner, ex or family member.
“These deaths are not inevitable and often happened in the home, behind closed doors. We’re not going to let this continue and I stand with Refuge to call for an end to male violence against women and girls.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We’re treating violence against women and girls as a national emergency, with a clear commitment to halve it in the next decade.
“That’s why we’ve announced almost £500 million to help councils provide support in safe accommodation for survivors, including refuges and Sanctuary Schemes, so they can get the safety and stability they deserve.”