Refuge’s letter to Andy Burnham

Refuge urges Andy Burnham to tackle violence against women and girls

Dear Editor,

At Refuge, the UK’s largest specialist domestic abuse charity, we continually witness the shocking scale of gender-based violence. On any given day, we support thousands of survivors to escape abuse and rebuild their lives – free from fear.

When Labour came into power in 2024, Keir Starmer made an ambitious yet crucial pledge: to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) by 2034.

Ending domestic abuse and VAWG requires strong leadership from a Prime Minister that prioritises this mission.

Starmer kickstarted the journey to meeting this target by publishing the Freedom from Violence and Abuse strategy to tackle VAWG. It includes welcome measures to prevent VAWG through improving education for children and young people, expanding access to support for survivors, and strengthening requirements on police forces to root out abusers from their ranks.

We’re seven months on from that strategy being published, and Starmer’s premiership is coming to an end. As Andy Burnham takes the reigns, the Government’s commitment to halving VAWG must remain unchanged. Women and girls’ lives depend on it.

If the Government has any hope of meeting its target, Burnham has to increase momentum and ensure that efforts to tackle VAWG remain high on the Government’s agenda. We urge him to not only publicly commit to the target of halving VAWG, but to engage with survivors and the specialist services which support them.

Crucially, Burnham must increase investment in lifesaving specialist domestic abuse services – such as community support services and refuges – many of which are at breaking point after years of chronic underfunding.

As the Government navigates this period of change, it cannot afford to forget the women and girls’ at risk of harm every day. Refuge will continue to campaign for a world where domestic abuse is no longer tolerated, but we need everyone to stand with survivors – including our new prime minister.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, know that you are not alone.

Refuge’s free, 24/7 National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk for support and information.

Yours sincerely,

Gemma Sherrington, CEO of Refuge