Quarter of women fleeing abuse unable to secure suitable refuge vacancy, new report finds

Independent

5 hours ago

Almost one in four women fleeing abuse are unable to find refuge in safe accommodation, a new report has found.
Domestic abuse survivors and their children are continuing to face significant — and often life-threatening — obstacles to find safety, a new report from Women's Aid has found.
Its annual No Woman Turned Away (NWTA) report found that 23.7 per cent of women supported by the project were unable to secure a place in a refuge in 2024, despite repeated searches by specialist practitioners.
Alarmingly, the report found 24 per cent of women were subjected to further abuse while waiting for temporary refuge accommodation, and 8.8 per cent were forced to sleep rough in order to escape abuse — an increase on the previous year.
Farah Nazeer, chief executive of Women's Aid, said: 'Survivors of domestic abuse must not be left without safety or support simply because of their immigration status or a lack of available refuge spaces. The findings of this report show the devastating impact of systemic failures.
'Urgent action is needed to ensure every woman and child fleeing abuse can access the protection and support they need to rebuild their lives in safety.'
NWTA provides support to women experiencing domestic abuse who face barriers in accessing a refuge space or safe accommodation.
The report highlights the continued devastating consequences of a national shortage of refuge spaces, with many forced to choose between homelessness or remaining trapped with their abuser.
Thousands of women across the UK face danger in their own homes, but a woman is turned away from a refuge every two hours due to a lack of space.
This is why The Independent launched its Brick by Brick campaign last September to raise £300,000 to build a haven for women escaping their abusive partners.
The hugely successful campaign, launched in partnership with leading domestic abuse charity Refuge, was backed by readers, politicians, royalty and celebrities when it launched in September last year.
When the initial target of £300,000 was reached after just a month of fundraising, The Independent decided to build a second house and more than £585,000 was raised in total by our generous readers.
The new semi-detached houses, built by Persimmon Homes, are in a secret location to protect survivors.
They have two double-sized bedrooms, open-plan kitchens and built-in cupboard storage space, as well as solar panels on the roof and a private drive with off-road parking.
The homes also include a number of safety features, including CCTV, a fireproof letterbox, and enhanced locking on windows and doors.
After the 10,946 bricks were laid, an all-female team of decorators added the finishing touches to the property to make it a true home for those seeking refuge.
Construction on the first purpose-built safe house was completed earlier this year, and a family has already moved in.