COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the disease itself has been huge, but largely invisible. Nowhere more is this true than behind closed doors, where people are supposed to be safe.

The impact of lockdown during the pandemic on domestic abuse victims has been immense. Our priority throughout the pandemic has

been to ensure that our clients and staff are safe and supported.

The figures are astounding:

In the first three weeks of lockdown there were 16 suspected domestic homicides in the UK, more than double the average of 2 per week. • Since 23rd March the number of referrals we received each week were on average 17.5% more than in February 2020. • A Women’s Aid survey in April 2020 with victims and survivors found that 67.4% said the abuse had got worse since COVID-19 and 71.7% said that their abuser had more control over their lives. • In June 2020 there were half the number of daily refuge vacancies in the UK than in June 2019. • On one day, 30th June, Hampshire Police attended 165 domestic abuse incidents.

Five new beds in just five weeks

We secured funding from many sources. This enabled us to employ additional staff, provide practical assistance to clients such as paying for travel costs and home/personal security equipment, and buy additional IT equipment, phones and PPE.

With emergency funding, in partnership with Portsmouth City Council housing department, we opened an additional five-bed refuge in the city in just five weeks. This COVID-19 refuge will be available to women and their children until the end of March 2021. This brings our refuge network to 15 (one is managed by our partner Andover Crisis and Support Centre).

Post-COViD World

We don’t know what the future will hold. Victims and their children were confined in abusive homes with little or no respite for months and we expect the impact of COVID-19 and the lockdown to last for a significant time. Stop Domestic Abuse will continue to improve, adapt and develop services to meet the changing needs of our clients.