Rise in domestic abuse forced families to flee

NEARLY 200 Cornwall families had to flee their homes because of domestic abusers in the last year, according to new figures.

A total of 190 households with children approached Cornwall Council after being at risk of homelessness due to domestic abuse in 2020-21.

The numbers, from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, show that the figure more than doubled compared to the previous year – rising by 126.

Some 697 households with children applied for help to stay in, or find, a home for any reason in 202021, compared to 761 the previous year.

The figures provide further evidence of a significant rise in domestic violence during the pandemic.

Data released last year showed police forces across England and Wales recorded a spike in the number of domestic abuse-related offences during the first lockdown.

Across England, 15,370 households with children were homeless or threatened with homelessness due to domestic abuse in 2020-21, an annual increase of 14%.

That was despite the overall number of households with children threatened with homelessness falling by 29%, while the number of those already homeless fell by 12%.

The latter is likely to be due at least in part to Covid-related measures such as the eviction ban, and the temporary extension of the notice periods landlords had to give tenants.

The domestic violence charity Women’s Aid said it was shocking that women and children fleeing domestic abuse still face the terrifying prospect of either returning to their perpetrator or facing homelessness.

Sophie Francis-Cansfield, policy manager at Women’s Aid, said: “There is still a vast shortage of bed spaces in specialist refuge services, and this has a hugely traumatic impact on women and their children at a time when they are most in need of support.”

The charity’s research shows black and minoritised women are also far more likely to face homelessness as a result of domestic abuse, said Ms Francis-Cansfield.

She added: “At Women’s Aid we firmly believe that every survivor should receive the right support, the first time they ask for it.

“To deliver this, we need sustainable funding for life-saving services in every community, including the very specialist services led ‘by and for’ black and minoritised women which have been hit hardest by budget cuts and poor commissioning decisions.”

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of the homelessness charity Crisis, said the overall drop in the number of households with children made homeless in the pandemic was thanks to measures like the pause on evictions and the £20 increase to Universal Credit. He added: “But with that last lifeline set to be cut, we are at severe risk of more families being forced from their homes and urge the UK Government to think again.”

A Government spokesperson said: “We have taken comprehensive action, backed by £125 million, to ensure councils provide support for domestic abuse victims so those who leave their home to escape have somewhere safe to go.”