Domestic abuse has soared in pandemic

THREE-QUARTERS of women’s organisations have reported an increase in demand for services since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, new research has found.

Agenda, a charity that campaigns for women and girls at risk, said increased poverty, rising unemployment, soaring rates of domestic abuse and challenges accessing support have led to a growing crisis in women and girls’ mental health.

In a report published today, it found all of the organisations it surveyed said the complexity of women and girls’ needs had increased over the past year.

It said young women were particularly hard-hit, with those aged under 25 at the highest risk of unemployment of all people or all ages during the Covid-19 crisis.

Refugee, asylum-seeking and migrant women are reported by services to be those hardest hit by increased poverty, it added.

As part of its survey, Agenda interviewed 150 services that support the most disadvantaged women and girls, including those that support victims of violence and abuse and specialist services for ethnic minorities.

It found 95% agreed that the pandemic has made existing mental health problems worse, while 76% reported demand for their services had increased since the first lockdown in March 2020.

Jessica Southgate, chief executive of Agenda, said: “Our research shows anxiety, depression and PTSD recorded at alarming rates, with existing mental health conditions further exacerbated by the economic and social impact of the pandemic.

“Girls and young women, and black and minoritised women and girls, have been particularly hard-hit. Hidden demand for services, increasing complexity of need and unsustainable funding for specialist women and girls’ services will have profound consequences for society for years to come.”