Peterborough charity makes better funding pledge to tackle female violence
A debate on violence against women and girls is due to take place today
A domestic abuse service in Peterborough believes more long-term funding can help better tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG).
It comes as a debate on the topic - led by Independent MP Apsana Begum - is due to take place in Westminster today.
Two days ago, the Government announced its aim to make spiking a criminal offence in its aim to halve VAWG in the next 10 years.
Mandy Geraghty's the CEO of Peterborough Women's Aid, which provides refuge accommodation for women and children fleeing domestic abuse.
She said the charity has received Government funding to provide help to victims, but this has only lasted for "one to two years.
"This means there's an inability to provide consistent services, and the victims we're working with, there's no reassurance for them that specialist services like ours are going to be around to offer support.
"We need to be going into schools, colleges, spreading awareness of domestic abuse and asking young people to call each other out if inappropriate relationships are going on."
'Lack of emphasis'
Ms Geraghty said there's a "lack of emphasis" from the Government on what it's doing to help prevent VAWG.
Figures from the National Police Chiefs' Council and the College of Policing found between 2022-23, more than one million VAWG related crimes were recorded, making up 20% of all recorded crime by police.
The data also showed at least 1 in 12 women will be a victim of VAWG each year.
Sir Keir said that "we must do more to bring the vile perpetrators who carry out this cowardly act, usually against young women and often to commit a sexual offence, to justice."
The Government also looks to introduce domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms as part of a pilot scheme from early 2025 to increase support for victims.
Ms Geraghty thinks tackling VAWG needs to be done "at the root cause.
"I think working with children and young people is a long-term fix because there are still perpetrators out there now we're trying to get through to.
"If we're not tackling the new perpetrators, we're not doing our job so I think the target of halving VAWG within a decade is unrealistic if we don't look at the root cause."