Pregnant women, survivors of domestic abuse and children forced to sleep rough to escape violence, Women's Aid warns

Some women who could not find a safe place to live returned to their abusive partner, a survey finds
Shocking statistics: Victims of domestic violence have been forced to sleep rough
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Olivia Tobin26 June 2018

Pregnant women, survivors of domestic abuse and children are being forced to sleep rough while they struggle to find safe places to live, a survey has found.

Women’s Aid, the leading charity for domestic abuse, has carried a survey out with some of the most vulnerable women they support and found 12 per cent were forced to sleep rough before making contact.

The survey also found that survivors of domestic abuse, who were unable to gain access immediately, had given up their search for refuge and stayed with their abuser.

Of the women surveyed, 46 per cent were forced to sofa-surf while they waited for safe housing and 65 of the 246 women asked did so with their children.

Nearly one in ten, 8 per cent, gave up and were forced to stay with their abusive partner.

Katie Ghose, chief executive of Women’s Aid, told the Guardian: “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.”

She added: “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.”

The survey showed that nearly 100- women approached their local housing team for support, but 54 per cent were prevented from making a homeless application – which stops them from getting emergency accommodation.

15 per cent of those surveyed said they also had to provide proof they had experienced domestic abuse in their lifetime.

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