Bo Bottomley, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Refuge, said:
“Refuge welcomes the Health Secretary’s announcements which are an important step towards recognising and responding to violence against women and girls (VAWG) as a public health issue. No single part of the system can tackle VAWG alone and Refuge has long been calling for a joined-up approach to tackling domestic abuse, including healthcare professionals.
Demand for specialist support remains high, and sustainable funding is essential to ensure local services can respond to increased referrals effectively. We welcome the newly announced funding and await further details on how it will be used to strengthen the services that provide lifesaving support to survivors every day.”