Over 10 per cent of domestic abuse victims FORCED to sleep on the streets after being refused emergency accommodation, damning report reveals
Campaigners claim that some victims were told they had made themselves intentionally homeless and advised to return to their abusive partners by local housing providers
MORE than one in ten domestic abuse victims – some pregnant and with children - were forced to sleep on the streets in desperation in the last year, a damning charity report shows today.
Women’s Aid found more than half of women approaching local housing providers for support were stopped from making homeless applications and refused emergency accommodation.
And almost a quarter of the same women were told they didn’t have priority.
The No Woman Turned Away project supported 264 women between January 12 2017 and January 11 2018 who were left with nowhere to turn at a time when they were at their most vulnerable.
Campaigners said one in ten were told they had made themselves intentionally homeless and more than half of this group were told to return to their partner.
Women’s Aid said local housing officers were failing to follow their statutory duty to assist vulnerable women fleeing violent partners.
They are calling for domestic abuse victims to always get priority need for housing in the Government’s new Domestic Abuse Bill.
They also want training for staff and a sustainable model of funding for all domestic abuse services.
Katie Ghose, chief executive of Women’s Aid, said: “Statutory agencies need to stop putting obstacles in the way of women fleeing domestic abuse and start supporting them to safety.
“It is no wonder that women and their children who are literally fleeing for their lives end up sleeping rough or returning to an abusive partner if they are turned away from services who should be helping them.
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“We’re calling on the government to give survivors a cast-iron guarantee that their dangerous planned changes to how refuges will be funded are firmly off the table and that refuges will be protected.
“We want to work with the government to develop a sustainable funding model for all domestic abuse support services so that every woman and child can receive the support they need to help build a life free from abuse.”
An MHCLG spokesman said: “Refuges are more than just a bed for the night, they support women when they are at their most vulnerable and fleeing desperate and often dangerous situations.
“We are committed to developing a sustainable model for refuges and are currently reviewing the way in which they are delivered.
“We have been clear no options are off the table.”