Solace’s CEO, Nahar Choudhury, said “The new violence against women and girls’ strategy’s recognition that we need a whole-society and whole-government approach is welcomed. Every day lives are changed by violence and abuse, and the strategy sets out some positive steps, including focusing on prevention and supporting migrant survivors and survivors experiencing multiple disadvantage.
“We have concerns that the steps laid out in the strategy will not be enough to ensure all survivors get the support they deserve – more is needed to achieve the Government’s aim to halve violence against women and girls, and we remain ready to work alongside them to achieve this mission.”
Access to specialist support services
Chronic underfunding of violence against women and girls services has significant implications for survivors, impacting their mental and physical health. Whilst the strategy’s commitment to provide £550m for victim support services over the next three years is necessary, and investment in support within healthcare and review of current commissioning models are positive, it falls short of what is needed for every survivor to get the help they need.
Women’s Aid research has demonstrated the minimum funding needed is £500 million each year to deliver these vital services, including £280 million for community-based services alone.
Protect migrant survivors
Women with insecure migration status are some of the most vulnerable women affected by VAWG. We welcome the new requirement for police to have a victims’ consent before sharing information with immigration enforcement. This will remove barriers for those with insecure migrant status to come forward and get the support they need.
Prioritise efforts on prevention
We welcome the focus on prevention and intervention work to tackle harmful behaviours and signs of misogyny in schools, and the steps to ensure that young women and girls are better protected by the Domestic Abus Act.
Improving training for teachers is a positive step but specialist violence against women and girls’ services must be involved in the delivery of whole school approach to prevention. Schools also need these specialist services to be sufficiently funded, so that they can refer young women and girls to receive the support they need.
Ensure the criminal justice system is fit for purpose
Day in day our we see survivors being let down by a criminal justice system that isn’t working. Today’s strategy takes note of this, and we were pleased to see the call for trauma-informed training, steps to tackle rape myths, and further use of special domestic abuse courts. Yet most victims will not get to court and face barriers to reporting to the police – and so more detail is needed on the work of the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection, and how police standards will be raised by the upcoming Police White Paper.
Access to safe and affordable housing
A lack of safe housing and a fear of homelessness are among the biggest barriers to survivors escaping domestic abuse. And whilst the strategy recognises the need for improved pathways into safe accommodation, it does not tackle the barriers that many survivors trying to access housing face highlighted just last week in our housing report.