Greens call for Government to ring fence funding for women’s refuges

Green Party accuses Government of “placing women’s lives in danger” with its plans to change funding for refuges.

Amelia Womack, deputy leader of the Green Party, calls on the Government to ring-fence funding for refuges and other forms of short-term supported housing in the welfare system.

She was speaking at the Green Party Spring Conference in Bournemouth today, after first speaking out about her own experiences of domestic abuse in June last year.

In little-publicised proposals, the Conservative government plans to remove refuges and other forms of short-term supported housing from the welfare system meaning the most vulnerable women fleeing abusive partners will not be able to pay for their accommodation using housing benefit, the last guaranteed source of income available to refuges. On average, housing benefit makes up 53% of refuge funding.

Amelia Womack, told conference: “This Government claims to care about women – yet it’s placing their lives in danger with plans to remove refuges from the welfare system. Removing women’s final safety net when they are in their hour of greatest need.

“This is a matter of life and death. The Government must prove it is serious about women’s safety and ring-fence funding for refuges.”

At Autumn Conference in October last year Womack launched the Green Party’s campaign to make misogyny a hate crime, which has since gathered cross-party support.

She said: “When I shared my experience of domestic violence for the first time last year, I never imagined I’d be part of starting what quickly became such a defining and extraordinary moment in the story of women.

“From MeToo to TimesUp, it feels like we’re hitting a tipping point that none of us saw coming this time last year. I’m so proud to have played a small part in giving other women the confidence to come forward and speak out about their experiences of misogyny.

“From the sweeping red walkways of Hollywood premieres to the corridors of the House of Commons, the carpets things have been swept under are now well and truly being shaken out.”