“The Domestic Abuse Act requires local authorities to fund support in safe accommodation for victims of domestic abuse. The guidance supporting these duties is clear that local authorities should fund support in a range of types of accommodation – including refuges – and encourages councils to consider a range of accommodation types to meet victims’ needs. It also specifically recognises the critical role of refuges in providing support and safety for victims at the highest risk of serious harm.
“We are contacting Bournemouth Council to urge them to retract this worrying and incorrect justification for the refuge’s closure."
Part of a longer statement at https://www.womensaid.org.uk/womens-aid-responds-to-bournemouth-city-council-announcing-the-closure-of-its-only-womens-refuge/
This is just one of many closures of women's services in the past few months. Too many rely on short terms funding and different pots of money. eg at one time local Police were keen to fund VAW services but this year women are not flavour of the month eg https://srchelp.org.uk/
So there is a horrible reality that whilst we are focusing on the TRA attack on the concept of women's services, we may well find that the entrenched MRAs (in all parties) now feel that the concept of women's services is now outdated. Not for TRA reasons, but that women's issues are just not top of the agenda, and certainly not top of the agenda when prioritising funding.
Its like that sad but true statement that more money is donated to donkey sancturies than women's refuges.
Wouldn't it be great if Starmer was to promise as much money for women's services as for repairing pot holes - £320m over five years.