London Mayor allocates £6 million for domestic abuse support

London's Mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, has announced a £6 million funding increase to support domestic abuse survivors. This money will go to grassroots organizations that help victims with important services like housing, legal advice, counseling, and therapy for children. Recent data shows that about 2.3 million people faced domestic abuse across the UK in the year up to March 2024. This includes approximately 1.6 million women and 712,000 men. The mayor emphasizes the need for prevention to ensure individuals do not become victims in the first place. He believes education in schools is critical to teaching children about healthy relationships and respect. Khan also highlighted the importance of having confidence in the justice system. He noted that victims often seek help from doctors before contacting the police. He criticized the police’s past responses, especially regarding complaints of rape, which usually result in few convictions. The mayor identified significant improvements are needed in the criminal justice system. This new funding is part of Khan's Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation program, which has invested £54 million over four years. Since its launch in 2021, it has helped over 23,500 survivors. Khan expressed the need to eliminate the stigma surrounding domestic abuse and voiced support for the government's goal of halving violence against women and girls by 2034. Martina Palmer, head of services at Refuge, welcomed the funding and the new strategy for safe accommodation. She noted that violence against women and girls in London remains at crisis levels, and such funding is essential to meet government goals in the next decade.