Violence Against Women

Background: Violence and or abuse against women is a widespread, but often hidden abuse of women’s human rights:

• 30,397 women in Coventry are likely to have been raped or sexually abused at some point in their lifetime[i].
• 38,575 women in Coventry are likely to experience domestic violence in their lifetime.[ii]

The Cuts: Women experiencing violence and abuse in Coventry will be affected by a number of cuts to funding and changes to welfare benefits. These include:

• Services for women experiencing violence in Coventry are under threat. Some agencies have already lost significant funding. Funding for other services is currently under review.
• The police and Crown Prosecution Service are both facing budget cuts which voluntary organisations fear may reduce the support available to victims and survivors of violence.
• The National Health Service is facing a budget cut which may reduce the level of support available to victims of violence.
• Cuts to legal aid will reduce the ability of women suffering violence to get the legal help and support they need.
• Cuts and other changes to welfare benefits risk increasing women’s financial dependency on men, making it harder for women to leave violent relationships.
• Cuts to housing benefit may make it harder for women to move area to get away from their attacker.

The Impact: As a result of the cuts there is a high likelihood of significantly worse outcomes for women in terms of the violence they suffer and its impact upon them. The most obvious impacts include:

• Less successful investigation and prosecution of offenders
• More ongoing mental, physical and sexual health problems for women
• More women trapped in violent relationships

Read full report on Violence Against Women in Unravelling Equality here

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[i] British Crime Survey shows a lifetime rate of sexual abuse or rape of 19.7%: Home Office., 2010.

Crime in England and Wales 2009/10 findings from the British crime survey and police recorded crime

(Third Edition) at p.72 [online] Available at:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/crime-research/hosb1210/hosb1210?view=Binary

[ii] 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence over a lifetime: Women’s Aid, 2006. Statistics: how common is domestic violence? [online] Available at: http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-articles.asp?section=00010001002200410001&itemid=1280&itemTitle=Statistics%3A+how+common+is+domestic+violence

[Accessed 7 April, 2011]