Refuge said: 'Andy Burnham has inherited an ambitious Labour target to halve VAWG by 2034, a goal which we cannot afford to lose sight of'.

Composite image showing the logo of the Home Office and of Refuge. Refuge responds to Home Office VAWG announcement

Responding to the latest Home Office measures to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG), Ellie Butt, head of policy and public affairs at Refuge, said:

Andy Burnham has inherited an ambitious Labour target to halve VAWG by 2034, a goal which we cannot afford to lose sight of.

Refuge welcomes the measures announced today, including the earlier implementation of specialist rape and sexual offences teams in police forces and the investment in VAWG protection order teams, but these represent only a small portion of what is needed to ensure all survivors can access timely and effective support.

We hope today’s announcement is the first step of many in the new prime minister’s plans to tackle VAWG and provide women and girls with the protections they deserve.

Protection orders are highly underutilised, and for survivors able to access an order, enforcement is often inadequate. Increased investment in specialist protection order teams is essential, but these professionals must also encourage a shift in internal policing culture.

Survivors often avoid reporting the abuse they’ve experienced to the police for fear of being disbelieved or undermined, so for protection order teams to increase uptake of these tools, genuine efforts are needed to build women’s and girls’ confidence in policing and ensure abuse does not go unreported.

The government’s VAWG strategy was published eight months ago, but we are concerned that momentum is slowing. As Andy Burnham returns to parliament, now is the time to take urgent action and recommit to halving VAWG.

Crucially, as his government prepares for its first Budget, there must be increased, long-term investment in specialist domestic abuse services. Many of these vital services are at breaking point after years of chronic underfunding, but for survivors, they are a lifeline.

Women and girls must be able to access the support they need, when they need it. Without investment in specialist services, survivors will continue to pay the price.

Featured image via the Canary

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