The Home Office has awarded £17 million to help tackle violence against women and girls.
Home Secretary, Amber Rudd announced that more than 40 projects will share the money from the VAWG Service Transformation Fund to help protect women and girls from violence.
The 41 projects across England and Wales will carry out a range of activities including providing support to victims, working with perpetrators of abuse to change their behaviour and helping to support children affected by what they have witnessed.
Specialist help will also be made available for the most vulnerable victims, including providing support for those with complex needs such as substance misuse problems or poor mental health.
Speaking to the Women’s Aid conference in Coventry, Rudd said, “Tackling violence against women and girls is everyone’s business.”
“It needs a joined-up, collaborative response locally, providing support to victims through health, education and social care, as well as the police.”
“These projects will help ensure that victims and survivors get the right support at the right time, as well as intervening early to prevent these crimes from happening in the first place.”
“Violence Against Women and Girls devastates the lives of victims and families and this Government will continue to do all it can to protect people from these horrendous crimes.”
The announcement further demonstrates the government’s commitment to tackling violence against women and girls and follows confirmation in the recent Queen’s Speech of the forthcoming Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill.
The bill will include a new consolidated domestic abuse prevention and protection order, and enshrine a definition of domestic abuse in law. It will also establish a Domestic Violence and Abuse Commissioner to stand up for victims and survivors.
