One in three women find refuge from abuse

Only one in three women escaping domestic abuse can find refuge, according to Women’s Aid. The chief executive, Farah Nazeer, reported a 65% refusal rate for refuges and a 50% refusal rate for community services, highlighting a crisis in support. Nazeer noted that demand for services has increased and become more complex since COVID-19, while funding has become unstable, leading to staff losses. Two new safe houses are being built, funded by a successful campaign, but the overall situation remains dire. Lib Dem spokesman Josh Babarinde is advocating for a new law to specifically address domestic abuse, as current laws only cover related crimes. He criticized the government's lack of data on domestic abusers in prison, questioning the effectiveness of current measures.