Domestic violence victims and their children at risk as support services are cut

The call comes from charity Coordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse (CAADA), which conducted a poll of eight Independent Domestic Violence Adviser (IDVA) services, which collectively support 13,180 victims of domestic abuse.

The survey found that reductions in council grants mean three of the services are facing cuts of 50 per cent or more with two at risk of losing all funding. A further three are facing cuts of around 40 per cent and two look set to lose 25 per cent.

IDVA services are primarily funded by local authorities but CAADA is warning that domestic abuse services are falling down the list of prioritise leaving many support services reduced or at risk of closure.

Coupled with cuts to police, health and legal aid, victims could be left without the support they need CAADA warned.

Rosie Jacklin, IDVA manager at North Nottinghamshire Independent Domestic Abuse Services, said: "I feel our services are being compromised as a result of the cuts we are facing. There was another serious incident in Mansfield last week and I have major concerns that there will now be an increase in women suffering serious or fatal injuries. The current economic situation is increasing the pressure on already fragile relationships and requests to our services are higher than ever at a time when funding is being reduced."

According to CAADA, before the intervention of a specialist IDVA service, it costs an estimated £20,000 per year to support each victim of high risk violence. This figure consists of direct costs to health, social services and criminal justice agencies. Without specialist support, CAADA has calculated it will cost the public purse £60m per year to support the high risk victims helped by the eight IDVA services polled.

The charity is now urging local authorities and health commissioners to think creatively about pooling health and criminal justice budgets, to ensure that the most vulnerable victims continue to get help.

Diana Barran, CAADA chief executive, said: "Domestic abuse victims are facing a perfect storm. Not only are they losing the specialist domestic abuse services they so desperately need, but cuts to many universal services and the proposed changes to legal aid will leave many victims and children without a safety net. This situation will endanger lives, and the cost to the public purse is also certain to increase.

"IDVA services are experts at working in partnership to deliver cost effective services. The current climate, and in particular the government’s focus on public health issues, gives us a real opportunity to pool health and criminal justice budgets, to create a better response to victims and their children."