£19m funding for women’s refuges

Women and children fleeing violent and abusive relationships
will be helped by nearly £19 million government funding that
will develop new refuges in England over the next 12 months,
writes Clare Jerrom.

Local authorities, registered social landlords and local refuge
groups will use the money in partnership to ensure better
availability of safe accommodation for women and children fleeing
domestic violence.

Minister for Social Exclusion and Equality, Barbara Roche said:
“Domestic violence accounted for 15 per cent of all local
authority homelessness acceptances in 2002.”

It resulted in over 130,000 households having to be re-housed
over the last seven years and for 35 per cent of all murders in the
last five years, she added.

The Housing Corporation is contributing £9.9 million to the
total investment and will assess the bids, ensuring the funding is
allocated to projects around the country.

For further information on domestic violence go to:-

https://www.communitycare.co.uk/articles/article.asp?liarticleid=39622&liSectionID=3&liParentID=2