Funding for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) support
services is fragmented, complex and difficult to understand, leading to some
victims and survivors falling through the gaps, a new report commissioned by
London Councils reveals.
The report by AVA (Action Against Violence and Abuse), due to be launched at a parliamentary event later today,
shines a light on the funding landscape of support services
for victims and survivors of VAWG by mapping current available funding and its
impact on people’s lives.
It reveals a number of significant challenges support
services are facing in accessing funding which undermine their ability to
provide a sustainable high quality service. These include the fact that the majority of funding available for VAWG
support services is short term, which can mean that key staff are often on
notice to be made redundant as the next tranche of funding is sought.
London Councils Executive Member for Community Safety and
Violence Against Women and Girls, Cllr
Jas Athwal, said: “The short-term nature of funding to provide support
services means vulnerable Londoners are being exposed to unnecessary risk
whilst facing barriers in accessing the vital support they need. We need long
term and sustainable funding to ensure that Londoners can access the right
support for them and at the right time.
“VAWG is endemic in our society, and it has to stop. London
boroughs are working together to highlight it and to do everything we can to
tackle it in all its forms, working in conjunction with our partners. London Councils'
report sets out just how vital support services for survivors of VAWG are, and
why it’s so important that we secure long-term funding guarantees to be able to
deliver it.”
You can read the report on London Councils' website here.