Veronica Oakeshott, Head of External Affairs at Women’s Aid, comments:  

“Women’s Aid welcomes the Victim’s and Courts Bill receiving Royal Assent. This legislation makes some important changes that survivors of domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) have long called for.   

“We know from our work with survivors that many women and children have been let down by the complex criminal justice system which, for too long, has failed to recognise and prioritise their needs. This is especially the case for marginalised survivors, who face significant barriers to seeking justice and further prejudice in the systems intended to bring them justice. The failures have been so extensive and the lack of understanding of the complexities are so profound, that less than 1 in 5 women feel able to report their experiences to the police.  

“The government has committed to halving violence against women and girls in the next decade and this Bill is promising significant improvements. We are pleased to see that victims and bereaved families will now have longer to challenge unduly lenient sentences, giving grieving families the opportunity to make decisions without undue pressure. We are also pleased to see that non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) will no longer be exploited to cover up criminal conduct.  

“We also welcome new limitations to parental responsibility for perpetrators, though this needs to go further. Parents who perpetrate violence against women and children pose a clear and significant risk of harm to their children in multiple forms. It is a narrow and insufficient approach to treat child sexual offences as the only threshold for restricting parental responsibility. We are looking forward to new laws committed to by the Government in October that remove the presumption of support for parental contact where there is domestic abuse and the child does not want to see a parent, or it is unsafe for them to do so. We know from our years of research on child homicides, that without this change children will continue to die as a result of unsafe contact.  

“Improvements for survivors who are in the justice system or considering reporting to the police, are not just about legislation but also about the resourcing of high-quality specialist services. The specialist organisations that support victims through complex criminal proceedings continue to face a funding crisis. We urge the Government to prioritise work planned to reform commissioning practices, so specialist services receive the funding urgently needed.” 

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Sarah Davidge, Head of Membership, Research and Evaluation at Women’s Aid, comments: 

 “The new data from the Domestic Homicide project, which for the first time, has identified a teenage girl dying of suicide as a result of domestic abuse, is incredibly disturbing.  

“Domestic abuse has a devastating impact on the mental health and wellbeing of survivors, and it is heartbreaking to see that this heinous crime is impacting a growing number of young women and girls. Sadly, young men and boys are increasingly exposed to violent and misogynistic content online, which further feeds into the harmful behaviours we know underpin violence against women and girls (VAWG). We know from our own research that those who have viewed such content are five times more likely to view hurting someone physically as acceptable if you say sorry afterwards. We also know that worrying behaviours indicative of controlling behaviour, including ‘love bombing’, stalking and the giving of unwanted gifts, are normalised by those who have been exposed to harmful content online.   

“We must do more to ensure that young people have access to reliable and trustworthy information about what constitutes a healthy relationship that is rooted in consent and mutual respect. We must also ensure that survivors are being heard and helped before they feel like it is too late. Every life lost is preventable and we owe it to the families of these girls and women to do better.” 

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Five years ago, a landmark piece of legislation was passed that changed the way the nation responds to domestic abuse. The Domestic Abuse Act was signed into law on 29 April 2021, after years of campaigning by Women’s Aid alongside dedicated survivors and activists. 

We marked this milestone with with a anniversary film and a dedicated reception, where we were joined by a whole host of voices, dedicated to making life better for survivors of domestic abuse: 

Powerful messages were shared by our speakers throughout the evening, including our CEO, Farah Nazeer, saying that: “Our task is clear: match the promise of the law with the reality of peoples’ lives”. Our ambassador, Charlie Webster also said: “You can’t design a system to protect people whose reality you don’t understand. Survivor voice is not a nice addition to policy. It’s quality control. The abuse ending is not the end of the story. We need long term wrap around support. Because healing is not an incident, it’s a journey. And right now we’re leaving too many people to walk it alone.”

The Act delivered a real step change in our society. It introduced provisions in a wide range of areas, from housing to the family courts, reflecting the diversity of needs that survivors have when fleeing abuse, as well as the insidious nature of domestic abuse – permeating every aspect of a survivor’s life.

For the first time ever, children were recognised as victims of domestic abuse in their own right in their own right; and laws relating to coercive control were extended – for example to recognise that a victim did not necessarily need to live with a perpetrator to experience this kind of abuse. 

Women’s Aid was immensely proud to campaign alongside sister organisations, activists, member services, dedicated parliamentarians, and most importantly, women and children with lived experience, to strengthen and support the passing of the legislation.  

Five years on, we are reflecting on the success of the Domestic Abuse Act, the gaps still left to fill and what needs to happen next to protect all women and children and to end domestic abuse for good. 

We have worked with survivors, supporters, ambassadors and policymakers on a film where we hear their vision for building a future free from abuse, and what the next steps are five years on from the Domestic Abuse Act to make this a reality: 

Whilst we celebrate the progress made over the last five years, we must also focus on what comes next to make change happen. 

The Domestic Abuse Act left out some vital provisions that we are still waiting to see: 

• We need to see further protections for migrant survivors facing obstacles when accessing support; 
• Education must do more to prevent abuse in future generations; 
• More funding is vital to support the specialist services across the country protecting women and children. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this video and to the individuals and services working every day to protect survivors. 

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Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, comments:

“CNN’s exposure of a global ‘online rape academy’ has made for extremely uncomfortable and sad reading. The scale of the problem revealed by the investigation is staggering and it is terrifying to see just how many women are being exploited and assaulted by their partners, without their knowledge. Having worked with the extraordinary Gisèle Pelicot, as well as countless survivors of domestic abuse across the country, we know firsthand just how insidious and isolating intimate partner abuse is. The courage of these women to speak up and show survivors they are not alone is extraordinary and has shown clearly the scale of this horrific crime, made more so as it is perpetrated by the person who is supposed to love and care for you the most. Shame must change sides and perpetrators of these crimes must be held to account.  

“Governments must keep up and regulate, while technology companies must do more – they have a responsibility for the content that they host. They must play a key role in preventing and tackling VAWG in the online space, so that the men committing these crimes face justice and the women are kept safe from further harm.”

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Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, comments:  

“Having been witness to the recent evidence session given in Parliament with the aim of informing and shaping the Courts and Tribunals Bill, I was left feeling disappointed on behalf of survivors. Of course, parliamentary debate, robust questioning and evidence gathering is absolutely essential when it comes to informing legislation, yet receiving testimony and evidence on this subject, with survivors present in the room, requires a different and trauma-informed approach.  

“Survivor voices and experiences are absolutely essential if we are to create a criminal justice system that is survivor-centred and delivers the justice it promises. However, when survivor evidence is given it must be received with care, compassion and above all, respect. I felt that the evidence sessions I attended did not consistently achieve these standards of care, leaving survivors feeling disheartened and in some cases, retraumatised.  

I urge the parliamentarians to ensure that all those who work with, and engage with survivors, receive specialist training, to understand the impact that crimes like domestic abuse have on women and children, and how discussing these experiences can make them feel. Survivor voices are invaluable and must be treated with the care and respect that their bravery deserves.” 

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Nikki Bradley, Director of Delivery at Women’s Aid said: 

“The sad reality is that many migrant survivors who are experiencing abuse are too scared about deportation to seek help or to call the police. Too often, perpetrators of domestic abuse weaponise their partners’ insecure immigration status to frighten them away from trying to get the help they need. This can have fatal consequences. The Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession (MVDAC) and Domestic Violence Indefinite Leave to Remain (DVILR) route provides vital support to survivors of domestic abuse, who are too often excluded from support. Women’s Aid’s Annual Audit highlights that just 11.5% of refuge vacancies could consider accommodating a woman with no recourse to public funds. Provisions to ensure women have their migration status considered within the context of domestic abuse they are experiencing are therefore essential and life-saving. We are disgusted to hear that corrupt advisers are attempting to abuse such provisions and stand with every migrant victim who needs help to escape abuse.”

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Responding to the article by Geraldine Scott on April 15th in the Times, Nikki Bradley said:

“We are confident in our adherence to the law and in our delivery of our charitable objectives. We are proud of our work to support women and children and end domestic abuse for good in England.”

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Nikki Bradley, Director of Delivery at Women’s Aid, comments:

“Following the Supreme Court ruling around the definition of ‘sex’ in the Equality Act, Women’s Aid issued initial guidance to all members to support them with their understanding of the decision and its implications for the vital work that they do. Since then, we have been working extensively with our legal team and experts within the sector to continue supporting member services and to develop robust guidance in this area which is legally compliant and responds to questions our members have posed.

We welcome the news that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is soon to publish its amended Code of Practice following the complex judgements made in courts and a period of discussion, leading to consequent changes and amendments. This should help organisations who are busy on the frontline saving lives, and who often do not have their own legal teams, stay within the law whilst continuing their important work to support survivors of domestic abuse. We will also share updated guidance with our network, to ensure that our members feel confident about their legal obligations. As with the initial guidelines we issued to members following the Supreme Court ruling, the updated documents will be sent directly to them and not shared publicly.

As independent organisations, our members are responsible for setting their own charitable objectives and fundraising to ensure their vital services are sustainable.  As a membership organisation, we strive to support our members with guidance on key issues and work with the government on national policy issues, including availability of funding for the violence against women and girls (VAWG) sector. We recognise the diversity and autonomy of our membership and their expertise and extensive knowledge of the needs of survivors in their locality.”

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Almost two-thirds of domestic abuse referrals rejected due to a shortage of spaces, Women’s Aid report shows 

National domestic abuse charity Women’s Aid has published its annual Domestic Abuse Report, providing a definitive, national picture of the needs and work of domestic abuse services. This year’s report is especially poignant, coming on the heels of the publication of the cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls, following Labour’s commitment to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the next decade. 

Despite the promises made in the government strategy, the report shows that for the sector to continue delivering lifesaving support, urgent, systemic change is needed immediately. The report shows that demand for specialist domestic abuse services far outstrips the provision that is currently available to survivors. Despite a year-on-year increase in bed spaces, of the 10,665 women and 11,732 children who were supported by refuge services last year, almost two thirds (65.2%) of refuge referrals were rejected. This marked the highest proportion of referrals rejected in five years, primarily due to a lack of space and capacity.  

While domestic abuse remains the most common form of VAWG and the need for spaces is always high, this unprecedented rate of refusals is a direct result of systemic pressures in the housing system.  A combination of poor commissioning practices, inadequate funding and a lack of move-on accommodation is having a dramatic impact on the availability of lifesaving refuge spaces, forcing refuges to turn women and children away at their point of need.  

This year, the Domestic Abuse Report also found that:  

• Survivors with additional support needs, or those from migrant or minoritised backgrounds felt additional challenges when looking for a refuge space. Only 1.1% of refuge vacancies were suitable for wheelchair users, while just 11.5% of vacancies could consider accommodating a woman with no recourse to public funds. 

• Bedspaces remained nearly a fifth below the Council of Europe’s recommendation. 

• Despite the fact that the impact of domestic abuse on child survivors is significant and that they are now recognised as victims in their own right by law, the proportion of refuge services that have dedicated children and young people support decreased by 11.6% across the country. 

• At least one in eight (13.3%) refuge services received no local authority commissioned funding at all. 

• Shockingly, refuges run by and for Black and minoritised women were less likely to be commissioned by the local authority, with 42.9% of Imkaan-member refuges being fully commissioned compared to the national proportion of 72.4% of all refuges being fully commissioned. 

Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, comments:  

“As a direct result of consistently poor commissioning decisions, the domestic abuse sector has faced a decades long funding crisis, yet despite this, it continued to deliver lifesaving care to women and children escaping abuse. It is clear that if we are to tackle the epidemic of violence faced by women and girls, we need the government to urgently address all parts of the system. It is unacceptable that, due to poor decision-making at local level, and the resulting lack of housing and move-on accommodation, women and children are forced to remain in refuges for far longer, leaving countless others unable to receive the support they so desperately need.   

“We also need to see dedicated, ringfenced funding for victims, survivors and those who support them. An unacceptable number of services are operating on partial or unstable funding, with many relying on reserves and volunteers to sustain essential support — with direct consequences for survivors, particularly those with more complex needs and those in by and for Black and minoritised services.   

“The reality is that domestic abuse cannot be eradicated without the support and knowledge that specialist domestic abuse services bring. These services understand survivors and the help they need to rebuild their lives. Their value must be recognised for the lifesaving work they do, and that they are fundamentally the backbone of our country’s response to ending violence against women and girls. The work of these services must be protected, if we are to finally live in a world where domestic abuse is no longer tolerated.” 

In addition to adapting to a very demanding landscape, the report shows that services have also continued to evolve in order to provide support to survivors who experienced new forms of technology-facilitated abuse, as well as those impacted by the wider social and political developments, including the far-right riots and the impact of international humanitarian crises.  

Among the most prevalent in technology-facilitated abuse disclosed to services were online stalking (78.1%) and non-consensual intimate image sharing (or threats of sharing) (66.4%). The most common form of technology-facilitated abuse identified as new to services’ experience in the past year was coerced participation in OnlyFans or other online activity. 

Women’s Aid urges the government to recognise the value of specialist services and put in place long-term, sustainable investment. The government must expedite the welcome plans to review current commissioning standards and set out a new National Commissioning Statement, overseeing supported housing and ensuring there is oversight of poor commissioning decisions, prioritising survivor needs over cost-cutting measures. Especially when it is clear that investing in non-specialist services leads to survivors flocking to other public services, creating more pressure on those systems. Without investing in specialist services and breaking down the wider systemic issues, the government will not deliver on its promise of halving VAWG in the next decade and survivors will be left with no safe exit route. 

You can read more and download the report and recommendations here.   

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Ellie Daniel, Head of Policy and Survivor Services at Women’s Aid, comments:  

“Today, for the 11th year, the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, read out the names of the 107 women who were murdered by men over the last year. It is a devastating reality that, in all this time, the number of women killed has not significantly reduced. We know that on average at least one woman a week is killed by a male partner, and each of the lives lost is a mother, a friend, a sister, a colleague, or a daughter – we mourn each of these women and our thoughts are with their families.  

“Change is desperately needed. While some significant steps have been taken – including the publication of the government’s Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, – more must be done. We know from our work with survivors that the most dangerous time for a woman is when she leaves her abuser, yet women are turned away when trying to seek refuge due to a lack of bedspace. If we are to prevent more deaths from happening, then women must have somewhere safe to turn. Investment in specialist services is desperately needed, alongside radical reform of commissioning systems to ensure that vital services can continue to provide life-saving support. 

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