Vital support for victims in £20 million funding boost

Thousands more victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, ‘honour'-based abuse and stalking will have access to specialist support services thanks to a boost of nearly £20 million announced by the Safeguarding Minister today.

Part of this funding will go towards backing helplines which can offer potentially life-saving support for survivors of abuse. Victims can find these experiences incredibly hard to talk about and contacting helplines for advice is often the first critical step in their journey to escape abuse, access vital support and eventually seek justice.

To help more victims access support at the most vulnerable moments in their lives, a range of helplines supporting victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, ‘honour'-based abuse and stalking will benefit from £6 million in investment this year – an increase of around a fifth compared to the previous year.

This investment is designed to reach as many different communities as possible and will bolster a range of vital specialist services in England and Wales supporting victims and survivors who face unique and challenging circumstances.

Nine helplines across 8 charities, including: Refuge who run the National Domestic Abuse helpline; Hourglass, a charity supporting older victims; SignHealth who support victims who are Deaf; Galop; The Suzy Lamplugh Trust; Karma Nirvana; and Respect will receive funding to continue providing vital helpline services to victims, recruit more staff and support more victims escaping abuse.

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips said:

No victim should ever feel abandoned when trying to escape abuse. But the harsh reality is that too many do – especially those from marginalised communities who face significant additional hurdles.

Last week, I met survivors who felt the system wasn't built for people like them. I hope this funding will change that. It's about smashing down barriers and making sure every single person facing abuse has somewhere to turn when they make the brave decision to seek help.

The funding package announced today also includes £5.3 million for services supporting children affected by domestic abuse, who are often the hidden victims of this devastating crime, to support them through one-to-one and group counselling, classroom-based assistance and help for their non-abusive parents across 8 specialist services nationwide.

Charity Southall Black Sisters will receive £2.4 million to support migrant victims of abuse who are not able to access public funds.

And to give victims direct access to financial support to escape abusive relationships, a wide range of specialist domestic abuse services will receive around £2 million through the Women's Aid Flexible Fund. Through the fund, organisations across England and Wales, including Welsh Women's Aid, will give payments of up to £500 to help victims secure safety and one-off payments of up to £2,500 for deposits for rental accommodation to help secure sustainable and independent futures.

This is underscored by £2.5 million for projects to help prevent and improve the response to violence and abuse against women and girls, raise awareness of these issues and protect victims who are at risk.

The government was elected on a mission to make our streets safer for everyone as part of the Prime Minister's Plan for Change.

Today's announcement marks a vital step in our pledge to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, ensuring victims of these appalling crimes have somewhere to turn and the support they need to recover from abuse.  

Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Dame Nicole Jacobs, said:

Whether fearing for their lives or growing up in a home filled with stress and anxiety, victims should feel confident that support will be there to help them recover, but sadly too often this isn't the case. 

This funding for struggling specialist domestic abuse services, especially those supporting children, will bring much needed relief to survivors and services, who have been doing all they can to ensure help is there for people during one of their most vulnerable moments in life.

Tackling domestic abuse requires drive, ambition and political will. I look forward to seeing how the government's forthcoming violence against women and girls' strategy builds on this investment by ensuring every victim and survivor gets what they need – exactly when they need it – so they can recover from abuse.

Last week, the Minister for Safeguarding visited Refuge's headquarters to meet with charity leaders and victims and discuss the unique challenges facing vulnerable individuals and harder to reach communities when they seek help. She also saw the National Domestic Abuse helpline in action and spoke to call handlers about the vital work they do.

CEO of Refuge, Gemma Sherrington said:  

The National Domestic Abuse Helpline, operated by Refuge, offers a lifeline for thousands of survivors every year. Open 7 days a week and 365 days a year, the support given by the helpline often represents the first step towards a life free from abuse and fear.  

We are incredibly grateful for this much-needed funding boost, which will sustain this vital service for the coming year. Rather than covering the running costs of the helpline, our fundraised resources can now be directed towards supporting survivors, while bringing us one step closer to a world where domestic abuse is not tolerated.  

The funding will also allow us to extend our live chat hours and make accessibility improvements to the helpline website, meaning we can reach more survivors than ever before.

Esther*, a survivor of domestic abuse supported by Refuge, said:

Funding for domestic abuse services is not only vital but absolutely necessary. Domestic abuse, in all its shapes, is still very much a problem and I'm hearing more and more tragic stories than ever before. Funding is needed for not only the aftercare for victims/survivors but also for the services that provide advice and support for people that are fleeing abuse.

The transition from deciding to leave and actually leaving is one of the scariest experiences and it's important that support and guidance is on hand. I know for certain that without help from these services, my story would have ended very differently, and I would not be here to talk at all. They gave me the courage and opportunity to live and smile again. I will always be forever grateful.

Alongside Raneem's Law, with domestic abuse specialists embedded in the first 999 control rooms across the country, this £19.9 million investment will help ensure that wherever victims of these crimes reach out for help – whether to police or charities – they will receive a specialist response tailored to their needs.

This announcement follows a £13.1 million investment in a new policing centre to tackle violence against women and girls and enable police to better target these crimes, an uplift of nearly £2 million.

Nikita Kanda, broadcaster and Refuge ambassador, said:

I welcome today's announcement of almost £20 million in funding for a range of vital and specialist services including Refuge's National Domestic Abuse helpline. With this investment we will be able to strengthen our commitment to support all communities and empower those enduring domestic violence.