Charities warn domestic abuse victims ‘will pay the price of funding cuts’
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Victims of domestic and sexual violence could be denied vital support because of funding cuts and the hike in employers’ national insurance contributions, charities have warned. The leaders of five leading victims’ and women’s charities wrote to the Prime Minister warning the moves will put his mission to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) ‘in jeopardy’.
In the joint letter, Rape Crisis England and Wales, Victim Support, Welsh Women’s Aid, Imkaan and Women’s Aid Federation of England, said support for survivors is needed ‘now more than ever’. The open letter states: ‘The criminal justice system is in chaos. Faith in the police is at rock bottom and court delays have reached record levels. VAWG-related offences now account for twenty per cent of all police recorded crime.
‘Our vital support services are needed now more than ever, so by cutting funding and raising National Insurance, this government is putting their future in danger and potentially denying a lifeline to hundreds of thousands of women and girls who have experienced gender-based violence. If these moves go ahead, we believe your mission to halve VAWG is in jeopardy.’.
The open letter states that, according to the Rape Crisis England and Wales survey report, a third of Rape Crisis centres are expecting to issue redundancy notices before the end of the financial year, with 30% of directors concerned they will have to close their centre down.
