Nottingham North MP, Alex Norris, has again called for more funding for domestic violence refuge, Women’s Aid.
Back in December 2017, Norris had his first opportunity to directly question Theresa May, drawing attention to the issues faced by Women’s Aid shelters across the country, due to lack of funding.
Norris spoke to Sun on Sunday on February 11, raising the same issues as he stated in parliament, saying: “Our refuges are full. We can’t afford to pull even one out of the equation. We need to know when the funding is coming.”
People took to Twitter to voice their concerns over the current funding, adult and community services manager, Lorna Preece, tweeted: “Working in a refuge we currently turn away more women and children than we accommodate. By closing refuges it will result in more people losing their lives at the hands of perpetrators as they have no way out.”
Cheryl Barnard, ward councillor for Bulwell, said: “Women’s Aid is a vital service. I lived in a women’s refuge in 1982 for six months and then I went on to work in one. Some women’s refuges receive help through housing benefits but the refuges are still stretched.”
Currently, some Women’s Aid use fundraisers and donations in order to continue offering their services.
Barnard added: “There are a couple that have closed already, and if this number keeps rising, women are being kept in danger, it takes women who are victims of domestic violence, on average seven or eight incident of abuse before they leave their partners and if they keep closing refuges, the options for these women are being cut.”