Government earmarks nearly £500k for LGBTQ+ domestic violence support
The government has announced nearly £500,000 of specialist funding for lifesaving LGBTQ+ focused domestic violence services as part of a wider boost to help support victims.
Announced by the safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, on Monday (12 May) a total £20 million funding pot will be used to ensure thousands more victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, ‘honour’-based abuse and stalking will have access to specialist support services.
Nine specialist helplines across eight charities supporting victims in unique and challenging circumstances, including LGBTQ+ charity Galop, older victims charity Hourglass and SignHealth who support victims who are deaf, will benefit from £6 million in investment this year – which marks an increase of around a fifth compared to the previous year.
Within this, services supporting LGBTQ+ victims will receive £478,000 of government funding.
In a clip shared exclusively with PinkNews, Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said: “Domestic abuse has a horrendous effect on people’s lives and that is as true for the LGBT community as much as it is for anyone else, but sometimes that is forgotten.
“The government is really pleased to be announcing today, £20 million of funding to support victims, and that includes £478,000 for the helpline specifically for LGBT communities.
“I know that domestic abuse services and the way people feel about accessing them can be based on ideas about heterosexual relationships. But we know that we have to be there to support people and make sure that the government is providing support for all victims and so I’m very pleased to announce extra funding to make sure that when people need somewhere to go, no matter who they are, they have somewhere do.”
Research published in the Journal of Lesbian and Gay Social Services in 2023 found almost one in five LGBTQ+ people reported intimate-partner violence in their current relationship and those who had experience domestic violence in their relationship before the Covid-19 pandemic suffered an increase in the frequency of abuse after its onset.
As well as the support for specialist helplines, the funding package also includes £5.3 million for services supporting children impacted by domestic abuse, and includes support such as one-to-one and group counselling, classroom-based assistance and help for their non-abusive parents across eight specialist services nationwide.
£2.4 million will be give provided to the charity Southall Black Sisters to support migrant victims of abuse who are not able to access public funds.
In order to give victims direct access to financial support so they can escape abusive relationships, a wide range of specialist domestic abuse services will receive also around £2 million through the Women’s Aid Flexible Fund.
The fund enables organisations across England and Wales to give payments of up to £500 to help victims secure immediate safety from the domestic abuse situations and one-off payments of up to £2,500 for rent deposits to help secure sustainable and safe futures.
Funding will bring ‘relief’
Domestic abuse commissioner Dame Nicole Jacobs said she welcomed the funding package, stating it would bring “much need” relief to victims, survivors and service providers.
“Whether fearing for their lives or growing up in a home filled with stress and anxiety, victims should feel confident that support will be there to help them recover, but sadly too often this isn’t the case,” said Jacobs.
“This funding for struggling specialist domestic abuse services, especially those supporting children, will bring much needed relief to survivors and services, who have been doing all they can to ensure help is there for people during one of their most vulnerable moments in life.
“Tackling domestic abuse requires drive, ambition and political will. I look forward to seeing how the government’s forthcoming violence against women and girls’ strategy builds on this investment by ensuring every victim and survivor gets what they need – exactly when they need it – so they can recover from abuse.”
Commenting on the funding, Esther, a survivor of domestic abuse supported and who was supported by charity Refuge, said such funds are not just vital but “absolutely necessary”.
“Domestic abuse, in all its shapes, is still very much a problem and I’m hearing more and more tragic stories than ever before. Funding is needed for not only the aftercare for victims/survivors but also for the services that provide advice and support for people that are fleeing abuse,” they said.
“The transition from deciding to leave and actually leaving is one of the scariest experiences and it’s important that support and guidance is on hand.
“I know for certain that without help from these services, my story would have ended very differently, and I would not be here to talk at all. They gave me the courage and opportunity to live and smile again. I will always be forever grateful.”
