The number of women and children being driven out of their homes across Britain owing to vicious relationships has been revealed for the first time ever.
The number of women and children being driven out of their homes across Britain owing to vicious relationships has been revealed for the first time ever. The details have raised new concerns pertaining to the impact of council funding cuts on local refuges. Around 19,000 women aged between 15 and 88 required state help to find emergency housing in 2008-09, which shows the earlier hidden scale of domestic-violence 'migrants' forced out of their homes.
Sixty per cent of them, which is around 11,300 victims, found shelter at a women's refuge, out of which many were overstretched and faced unprecedented cuts.
Another similar study has revealed for the first time ever the true level of cuts to frontline services for domestic-violence victims.
Two-fifths of organizations, which are working with victims of sexual and domestic abuse, have reduced their staff in the last 12 months, while 28 per cent have slashed essential services such as outreach, and children's workers to keep refuge beds open.
"The Government's approach to domestic-violence services is irresponsible and ultimately dangerous," The Independent quoted Yvette Cooper, the Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, as saying.
"Ministers need to commission an urgent audit to assess the impact on women's safety. And they need to explain urgently how they will ensure that women whose safety is at risk will still get the help they need," she added.
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