Schools: It’s About Time things changed
We're facing a national crisis of sexual violence and harassment at school. The government and schools must take action now
Protecting women’s services
2 women are killed every week in England and Wales by a current or former partner (Office of National Statistics, 2015)
1 in 4 women in England and Wales will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes (Crime Survey of England and Wales, 2013/14)
63% of female partner abuse victims have experienced non-physical abuse (emotional or financial) in the last year (Crime Survey for England and Wales, 2014/15)
Specialist support services are essential for helping women and girls flee violence and rebuild their lives. Access to such services is a right for women and girls in the UK when suffering domestic violence or rape, when at risk of forced marriage or FGM, when trafficked or subject to abuse related to prostitution, and all other forms of gender based violence.
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EMERGENCY COVID-19 FUNDING UPDATE: In light of the £76 million announced for domestic abuse, sexual violence, vulnerable children and modern slavery we have released this statement. This statement has been sent to policy makers and is endorsed by wide range of VAWG organisations including those who supported previous statements including this one on funding and this one on emergency action.
Statement circulated 6th May 2020: VAWG Sector Statement on Emergency Funding May 20
While increasing numbers of survivors across the UK are seeking support, women and girls still face a ‘postcode lottery’ when trying to access specialist services due to funding cuts and competitive tendering. As women have said:
“There should be guaranteed local funding for women’s support services, they are all fighting for funding when they are providing so many good services, not just for women but for the family and the community.”
“More BME refuges need to be available for women; some women will stay in violent situations rather than go to a generic service. BME women’s services are really important; you need someone who understands your culture who is female.”
“If I didn’t have here [rape crisis] to come to, I don’t think I would have been strong enough to go to court, and I don’t think I’d be sitting here today because I used to be very suicidal. Organisations like this that provide counselling and support are saving lives, they rehabilitated me.”
The EVAW Coalition has published a Briefing Paper on the rights of women and girls to access specialist support when they have suffered or are at risk of abuse, which cites two imminent and very significant new legal obligations on the UK: the EU Victims Directive (Directive 2012/29/EU) which will come into force in the UK in November 2015 and the Istanbul Convention (the ‘European Convention on Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence’) which the UK has signed and is committed to ratifying soon. The briefing provides recommendations for the Westminster and devolved Governments across the UK to make these rights clear and easy to access by (1) legislating to make the requirement to provide specialist support services statutory and (2) urgently re-examining competitive tendering processes and addressing poor understanding of equality obligations among those who commission local services.
EVAW has also written to written to Communities Secretary Greg Clark MP calling on the UK Government to act to make women and girls’ rights a reality.
Previous EVAW campaigning on women’s services
General Election 2015 – asking Party Leaders to commit to Women’s Safety
Local elections 2013 & 2014 – asking candidates to take the #WomensSafetyPledge
Police and Crime Commissioners 2012 – asking candidates to make violence against women and girls a priority
Resources on women’s services
Survivors’ Rights: The UK’s new legal responsibilities to provide specialist support for women and girls who have experienced violence, EVAW, 2015
UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women’s UK Country report, UN 2015
A Growing Crisis of Unmet Need: What the figures alone don’t show you, Women’s Aid 2013
Imkaan Accredited Quality Standards for working with black and minority ethnic women and girls and harmful practices: Forced marriage, FGM and ‘Honour-based’ violence, Imkaan
Measuring the impact of cuts in public expenditure on the provision of services to prevent violence against women and girls, Professor Sylvia Walby and Jude Towers, 2012
The impact of changes in commissioning and funding of women-only services Equality and Human Rights Commission 2012
Scottish Women’s Aid Report on funding of services
Vital Statistics 2 R K Thiara & S Roy, Imkaan 2012
Women’s Aid Survey 2011 Women’s Aid England, March 2011
TUC Women and the Cuts Toolkit TUC and Coventry Women’s Voices 2011
‘Journey Towards Safety’, Ashiana, November 2011
Map of Gaps II: The postcode lottery of Violence Against Women support services in Britain, EVAW, 2009
Still We Rise: Report from WNC Focus Groups to inform the Cross-Government Consultation “Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls” Women’s National Commission, 2009
Map of Gaps: The Postcode Lottery of Violence Against Women Support Services, EVAW, 2007
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