What still needs to change four years on from the Domestic Abuse Act?
Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, said:
“Four years ago this week, the Domestic Abuse Act received Royal Assent, becoming law. This landmark legislation has helped steer the national response to domestic abuse, introducing provisions in a wide range of areas, from housing to health and the family courts, reflecting the diversity of needs that survivors have when fleeing abuse, as well as the insidious nature of domestic abuse.
While there has been a lot of positive change over the last four years, since the introduction of the Domestic Abuse Act, it is important that we recognise some of the limitations which continue to prevail, hindering survivors access to the support they so desperately need to heal from abuse.
Underfunding has been an issue within the domestic abuse sector for decades, with subsequent government’s making insufficient investment that do not reflect the demand on specialist support services. This has resulted in a £321 million funding gap, which is putting the future of life-saving domestic abuse services at risk, and too many women and children at risk of harm.
Alarmingly, 15% of respondents to our most recent Annual Audit, which analyses service provision for domestic abuse across the country, said they either had to close or reduce an area of work because of limited funds, impacting the support options available for survivors. Given that there is already a known national shortage of support services, and that 1.6 million women experienced abuse last year alone, this is deeply concerning.
Despite having been recognised as survivors in their own rights legally since the introduction of the Domestic Abuse Act, funding issues have created significant barriers for children accessing support. Our Annual Audit 2025 found that 31.4% of organisations providing services for child survivors are operating without dedicated funding. Given that 1.8 million children experience domestic abuse last year alone, there is an urgent risk that without adequate investment in these services, the Government’s laudable commitment to halve violence against women and girls in a decade could see child survivors being left behind.
Domestic abuse has a profound impact on the mental wellbeing and physical safety of children, which can have long-lasting effects if they are not given the proper support they need to heal and move forward. As the recent report from the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s Office found, specialist support, which is centred around children and their needs, plays an essential role in reducing the impact of domestic abuse on children, making it essential for them to be properly supported as they move on and heal from abuse. Children’s experiences of support must reflect the recognition they legally have as survivors.
Women’s Aid is calling on the government to commit to a minimum funding settlement of £516m per annum in England for specialist domestic abuse services, including a ring-fenced fund for ‘by and for’ services, in the upcoming multi-year spending review. As part of this we are urging the government to introduce a Children and Young People Support Fund of £46 million to ensure that all specialist domestic abuse services, as a minimum, have a dedicated Child Support Worker.
Prior to the Domestic Abuse Act passing, the Ministry of Justice commissioned the Harm Panel Review, investigating issues within the family courts when it came to cases with domestic abuse. The Act was the first opportunity the previous government had to implement the recommendations of the Panel, and it is unacceptable that years on so many of the identified problems have been left unaddressed. These systemic issues, including the archaic presumption of parental contact, which is allowing dangerous perpetrators access to children, are continuing to put lives at risk.
The current government have made a commitment to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade, but without the implementation of all the Harm Panel’s recommendations and proper funding, this target will be unreachable. Changes needed as a matter of urgency so that women and children can provide the support they need to not only heal, but to also seek the justice they so desperately deserve.”