Safeguarding Women’s Services

>> Violence against women is on the increase in the UK but funding for services is being severely hit by the recession. To ensure councils do not cut funding to violence against women services which are already struggling in this economic climate.

>> Every year 3 million women in Britain face violence and this is on the rise. Reports of domestic violence have increased 17% over the recession. Despite this, funding for services where women can take refuge and which prevent violence has been drastically cut over the past few years. Funding to services that prevent and protect women from violence was cut by 31% between 2010/ 2011 and 2011/ 2012. 95% of women’s groups face funding cuts this year. On a typical day in 2011, Women’s Aid alone turned away 320 women and their children from refuges they had turned to for support because there was no space for them. Without adequate funding for these services, many women have no alternative
but to continue to experience violence – call on local councils not to cut services.

>> A key source of funding for refuges, rape crisis centres, domestic violence outreach and services for trafficked women is local councils. However, a freedom of information request earlier this month found councils had cut budgets by an average of £44,914 each over the past three years. Over the next few months, councils have to decide on another round of spending cuts for the 2013/2014 budget. Violence against women services is not an area that should be cut further.

>> These refuges, shelters, immigration and asylum advice centres have been built on and by the needs, fears, sweat and dreams of many thousands of unsung heroes of our movement. These services are literally life saving and work with some of the most vulnerable women and children who on a daily basis experience domestic and sexual violence, rape, forced marriage, female genital mutilation and dowry related abuse. We have to take action to protect them.

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