Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, comments:   
 
“Today marks the fifth anniversary since the horrific rape and murder of Sarah Everard. Her murder, by a serving police officer, exposed the entrenched misogyny within the police force, leaving countless women fearful of those who are meant to protect them. Since that day, whilst some action has been taken to improve the police response to violence against women and girls (VAWG), significantly more must be done, as the misogyny remains rooted and systemic.   
 
“If we are to see true change, we need a radical cultural shift where police proactivity in engaging with specialists and survivors is the norm, as opposed to the exception or the pilot. For us this will be the litmus test of a changed culture which will deliver for survivors of VAWG.   
 
“We continue to hear that survivors are experiencing poor and unsupportive responses from the police and the broader criminal justice system, with many choosing not to report the crimes against them for fear of not being believed. This is even more acute for Black, minoritised and migrant women whose collective experiences of interacting with the police compound this fear.  
 
“If this is to ever change, the government must work with specialist organisations, like Women’s Aid and the survivors that inform us, to develop training that addresses sexism, misogyny and VAWG, which then must be delivered to the width and breadth of the criminal justice system. A complete, system-wide holistic reform of the police, and across all sectors of the justice system is needed to ensure that women are protected from predatory men.    
 
“Despite the government accepting recommendations made by investigations such as the Angiolini inquiry, progress to implement them has been far too slow. In September 2025 more than a quarter of police forces in England and Wales had still not implemented basic policies for investigating sexual offences and we are yet to see active engagement with domestic abuse organisations across the country. Until we see this cultural shift in approach by police forces, we will not see meaningful change.  
 
“The government has made the deeply welcome pledge to halve VAWG in the next decade – for this goal to become a reality, there must be a whole-system response, going beyond the reforms to the criminal justice system alone. Since Sarah’s murder, we have heard countless announcements, reports, reviews and commitments being made, but what we truly need now is action. Sarah, as well as countless women who lost their lives to violent, predatory men, deserve more.” 

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Isabelle Younane, head of external affairs at Women’s Aid, comments:  
“The new Femicide Census report makes for incredibly disturbing and sombre reading. Most tragically, it demonstrates that we continue to live in a world where violence against women and girls (VAWG) is prevalent, and where the system continuously fails to keep women and children safe from harm, leading to deadly consequences. The new data shows that a staggering 122 women were killed by men in the UK in 2022 – figures that remain shockingly consistent year on year. 

“The data reinforces that which we know to be true – women are most likely to be killed by a current or former partner, with the murder most often taking place in the home. The report also highlights that the end of a relationship is often the most dangerous time for a woman, working instead as a trigger for violent and controlling men. The ongoing, high demand for refuge spaces and other frontline services should be seen as a dire call to action for our government to invest more and save lives.  

“More must be done to ensure that women and children are safe. We need to take a whole society approach to tackle the misogyny and sexism that underpin VAWG, from our schools, through to fixing our broken justice system. We must come together to make sure that women are believed when reporting abuse, but also, that they are kept safe from those seeking to cause them harm.”

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Sophie Francis-Cansfield, Head of Policy at Women’s Aid, said:  

“It is a sad reality that survivors of domestic abuse often feel extremely let down by the justice system, and with only 5.3% of domestic abuse cases reported to the police resulting in a charge, and even less leading to a conviction, it isn’t surprising that they feel this way. Women’s Aid welcomes the much-needed Domestic Abuse Joint Justice Plan (DA JJP), launched in an attempt to transform the handling of domestic abuse cases, but worries that the plan focuses too heavily on the wrong things. 

The DA JJP talks about transforming the culture between Police and the CPS, and while this is important, it overlooks the deep-rooted and problematic cultural issues that these institutions have within themselves. Urgent action needs to be taken to end the culture of sexism and misogyny, that has been proven to exist in policing time and time again, as this is acting as a blockade to women and girls seeking justice. We know that only 1 in 5 women reporting abuse to the police. The lack of confidence in reporting, means that perpetrators are able to continue abuse with impunity. Women needs to know that when they take reports to the police, they are going to be treated appropriately and with the seriousness they deserve.  

For Black and minoritised women, racism creates an additional barrier when it comes to reporting crimes, which is ultimately limiting their access to justice. Police forces must immediately accept Lady Angiolini’s recommendation to commit to being anti-sexist, anti-misogynist and anti-racist. The criminal justice system must work with organisations that centre the experiences of survivors and have sector-specific knowledge to help ensure that prosecution rates increase and that women’s faith in the system grows.   

The joint plan has an overt focus on ‘high risk’ victims and cases – a focus we have also seen from other statutory agencies. We know that professionals can misinterpret the risk indicators or not recognise their severity, which can result in a proportion of ‘high risk cases’ staying under the radar or being assessed as medium or standard risk. Women’s Aid has long recommended a needs-led approach that fully acknowledges the fluidity of risk and the impacts of coercive control. 

Women’s Aid are pleased to see that the commitments to work with specialist services and organisation have been made throughout the plan and look forward to working with both the Police and CPS to improve the justice outcomes for all survivors of domestic abuse.” 

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Sophie Francis-Cansfield, Head of Policy at Women’s Aid, said:

“Women’s Aid is alarmed by new research findings from the Centre for Women’s Justice, which shows shocking levels of police perpetrated domestic abuse. Officers accused of domestic abuse are all too often facing promotion, not prosecution. Research like this highlights the urgent need for institutional reforms to policing, so that abusers are removed from their ranks and survivors are prioritised.

We know that there is an issue of deep-rooted misogyny and sexism within our police forces, which has resulted in women and girls being failed. Over the last few years, we’ve seen various policy commitments which aim to eradicate these toxic cultures, but in reality, there has been very little meaningful change. Reports from women continue to be ignored, while perpetrators are promoted into more powerful positions.

It is no surprise that women’s confidence in the police remains so low, with only 1 in 5 survivors reporting their experiences of abuse to the police. To strengthen women’s trust, they must feel safe enough to report abuse, but this will only be done if senior police leaders acknowledge a need for change, with a robust response to police perpetrators and improved responses to survivors and violence against women and girls more widely.

We echo calls from the Centre for Women’s Justice for more research into police perpetrated domestic abuse, in order to establish what actions need to be taken and how effective policies are at eradicating this heinous form of violence against women and girls.”

Notes:

• You can read the full report – Police Perpetrated Domestic Abuse: Has anything really changed since the 2020 super-complaint by the Centre for Women’s Justice here.

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“Women’s Aid is horrified by the murder of Kristina Joksimovic, a model and former Miss Switzerland finalist, who was brutally killed by her husband earlier this year. The details that have emerged from court documents are shocking and upsetting. Our thoughts are with her two young children, and the rest of her family, who will be grieving this tragic loss.

When it comes to media coverage on cases of violence against women and girls, there is sadly an expected risk of sensationalism, or categorisation as a ‘true crime’ story for entertainment. We are deeply concerned about the reporting of this very real and disturbing case in recent days, which has seen ‘shock-factor’ headlines and articles with unnecessary and sensationalist details. It is important that we remember that a woman was killed in the most brutal of ways, and that because of her perpetrator’s actions, two children have lost their mother. Kristina’s grieving family does not need to see these brash and insensitive articles, which serve to dehumanise an incredible woman. As a society we must stop treating abhorrent cases like this a form of entertainment.

These headlines perpetuate myths about domestic abuse and violence against women and girls, as well as those who experience it, while failing to hold perpetrators to account of challenge the systems that enabled these forms of male-violence, such a sexism, misogyny, and gender inequality.”

Notes:

• Media guidelines on how to share information sensitively, safely and respectfully when reporting on domestic abuse can be found here.

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Last night, Women’s Aid celebrated 50 years of supporting survivors and pioneering change at a special celebration event. This exciting event, which brought together famous faces, political figures, supporters, and survivors, presented an opportunity to reflect on the incredible achievements of the organisation over the last 50 years, whilst also looking forward at what still needs to be done to create a future where women and children can live free from abuse.

This year marks 50 years since the Women’s Aid federation in England was first founded, making this their golden anniversary. While there has been a lot of positive change since 1974, including the introduction of the landmark Domestic Abuse Act in 2021 and the criminalisation of coercive and controlling behaviours in 2015, the reality for countless woman today is still far from golden.

This special event asked guests to ‘Come together to End Domestic Abuse’. It is time to call “cut” on misogyny and sexism, and for everyone to take “action” to end this insidious form gender-based abuse.

The evening at the London offices of Netflix kicked off with speeches from Ben King, Head of Policy at Netflix, and Nikki Bradley, Director of Services at Women’s Aid, with some powerful video messages from survivors of domestic abuse.

Ivy Irons gave a special live performance at the event, and Women’s Aid Ambassador Michelle Griffith Robinson gave a speech about the achievements of the organisation and her involvement with the charity. The fun filled night ended with DJ sets from Simone Butler from Primal Scream and Ashley James.

The event was attended by a whole host of guests, including Women’s Aid Ambassador Lucy Gaskell, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls Jess Phillips MP, representatives from corporate partners, and media.

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

“It’s never been more important to come together as a society to safeguard the future of women and children. With domestic abuse and male violence reaching epidemic levels, now is the time to put a spotlight on what we can all do to call ‘Cut’ on ending abuse for good.”

Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women & Girls, said:

“It was an honour to be part of Women’s Aid’s golden anniversary and reflect on 50 pioneering years of crucial protection for women and girls against dangerous, vile perpetrators.

But this hard work cannot end here. I believe passionately that change is needed and that until it is achieved, we cannot rest. Violence against women and girls is very much a national emergency. I will do everything in my power to halve it, address its deep-rooted causes and continue fantastic work with Women’s Aid to make women safer.”

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Sophie Francis-Cansfield, Head of External Affairs at Women’s Aid, comments:

The latest Femicide Census report shows that at least 147 women were killed by 144 men in 2021. This is a staggering number, but sadly not unexpected within our current society, where women’s inequality, sexism and misogyny prevails – all of which devastatingly underpin violence against women and girls. 

We know that over 50% of women killed by men in this period were killed by a current or former intimate partner, demonstrating the sobering consequences of not giving domestic abuse the national prioritisation and funding it deserves and so desperately needs. Ensuring adequate funds go to the specialist services that provide quality care and support, quite literally provides a lifeline for women and child survivors of domestic abuse. 

The report also highlights severe inequalities in data collection, with police forces only responding with information relating to ethnicity for around 40% of victims.  

New data shows that since the Conservative government came to power in May 2010, the lives of almost 2,000 women have been taken by men. In the wake of a new government, we must take this opportunity to stand together in rejecting this heinous epidemic and take urgent action to ensure women and girls are safe. 

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Women’s Aid turns 50

No Woman Turned Away

Supporting women and their children fleeing domestic abuse, who face barriers when trying to access a safe refuge. 

Find out more

Shop the archive collection

In honour of Women’s Aid turning 50, we’ve delved deep into our vaults to transform art and posters from the beginning of the federation into an iconic range of merchandise.  

Shop our merchandise

Celebrate with us!

Download our free resources and celebrate Women’s aid turning 50!

• Download our 50th Birthday bunting
• Download our 50th Birthday poster (for members)
• Download our 50th Birthday fundraising poster

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This year is an incredibly special one for us as an organisation – 50 years since we were founded. Born out of the women’s movement of the 70s and 80s, we have become a force to be reckoned with – over 170 member organisations comprising countless dedicated and inspiring women helping thousands of survivors and their children break free from abuse and live happy and safe lives.  

Being our organisation’s CEO during this poignant time is something I feel incredibly privileged to be doing. Progressing women’s rights and freedoms, as well as fighting for their safety, is something I have always felt passionate about. Every March, as we celebrate Women’s History Month, International Women’s Day, another year of our federation, and on a personal note, another year for me at Women’s Aid – I take the time to reflect on all the incredible things we have achieved, but also, the difficult road that lies ahead.  

It is now three years since I joined Women’s Aid, and it is a sad reality that domestic abuse remains devastatingly common, with many suffering in silence. Domestic abuse frankly hides in plain sight – you are highly likely to know someone who is a survivor. We are also continuing to grapple with the rising cost of living, which affects both survivors and services, especially the ‘by and for’ services which already face additional challenges when it comes to securing funding. Services are also still facing unprecedented challenges when it comes to securing sufficient funding. Only last month, our annual audit found that 49% of those surveyed were running part of their service without dedicated funding. This must change if we want women and children living under abhorrent tyranny to escape abuse, once and for all.  

Furthermore, it is the reality we live with that women are still mistrustful of police and men continue to commit crimes against women with impunity. I believe that grappling with these issues will be an ongoing challenge for us as we look into the future. So what next? 

In line with the Women’s Aid theme for International Women’s Day, I would like to be #BrutallyHonest – in an ideal world, in the next 50 years we would no longer exist as a domestic abuse charity. There would simply be no need for us, as the world would be free of domestic abuse and women and children would be safe. While this is my overall aspiration, the immediate reality for us is different. So, this year, we will be lobbying all parties to implement the principles outlined in our Come Together campaign and our General Election manifesto – to come together and make domestic abuse and violence against women and girls a priority. We will also continue calling for better funding for specialist services, as by investing £427 million annually, the domestic abuse sector could save the public purse as much as £23 billion a year. Lastly, we will continue fighting for, with, and on the behalf of, survivors. We want to ensure that they are heard and believed, that their trust in the justice system improves and of course, that the perpetrators are held to account for the heinous crimes that they commit.  

We cannot achieve change on our own, it has to be done by everyone from the width and breadth of our society. There is already so much that we have achieved – the Domestic Abuse Act, the criminalisation of coercive control, the voices of brave women sounding loud and clear when it comes to informing policy, and the ongoing research into what influences our, and our children’s, attitudes to domestic abuse. Yet the road ahead is long and winding. Survivors are still being silenced and women are still being killed. 

I would like to call on all of you reading to join us in these goals – call out misogyny and sexism when you see it if it is safe to do, extend your support if you are worried about someone, join us in our fundraising efforts, support calls to educate children and young people on what constitutes a healthy relationship. We will not stop until women and children are safe from domestic abuse. 

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