Women’s Aid responds to government’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy

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

We welcome the government’s ambitious commitment to halving violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the next decade, as outlined in their strategy published today.  

We are pleased to see the emphasis the strategy places on long-term prevention, particularly new investment in programmes that aim to shift attitudes of children and young people, ensuring that they understand what healthy relationships must look like. Our own research tells us that children who were exposed to content like that from Andrew Tate, were five times more likely to view hurting someone physically as acceptable, if they apologised afterwards, so this intervention is absolutely vital. We also welcome much-needed plans to improve local commissioning standards which, for too long, have resulted in a postcode lottery of support for victims and survivors. Looking ahead, it is fundamental that there is a focus not just on setting national expectations – but on ensuring robust implementation and accountability on the ground, so that all women and children experiencing abuse are able to access lifesaving support when they need it most. 

This strategy is a commendable effort by government to deliver a whole system response to VAWG, including through long-awaited interventions in healthcare, which should provide additional resource to complement the vital work being delivered already by specialist services. However, we are mindful that frontline services will experience additional strain following a planned increase in referrals through the NHS, as well as via education and criminal justice systems. It is important that these services are well-equipped to respond, given that over 60% of referrals into refuge are already declined, primarily due to a lack of bedspaces. Additional funding by government into safe accommodation and other specialist services is welcome, but this needs to go much further, including through ring-fenced investment in services run by and for Black and minoritised women and dedicated support for child victims  

While we also acknowledge the government’s efforts to encourage reporting of abuse by migrant victims and survivors, significantly more remains to be done to ensure these most vulnerable victim-survivors are protected and supported, as well as specific funding commitments towards migrant survivors of domestic abuse. The Home Office Flexible Fund, administered by Women’s Aid via our network of specialist services and delivery partners, remains crucial for supporting women, such as those with no recourse to public funds, in times of crisis, and we advocate for sustainable funding for this lifeline. 

Finally, it is critical that through the delivery of this VAWG strategy, the wider expertise and fullest potential of the specialist domestic abuse sector, including the by and for sector, is recognised. Our specialist members already deliver educational work in schools, provide therapeutic services and train of professionals, amongst a myriad of expertise which compliments their role in delivering safe accommodation, as well as frontline and community-based services. We strongly urge that the sector is heavily involved in the funded delivery of these new and vital aspects of the strategy. 

We will now take time to familiarise ourselves with the strategy and consider its impact on our diverse group of member services across England. We will respond more fully in due course.