A domestic abuse charity has launched an anonymous voting guide for survivors alongside their manifesto ahead of the UK general election. The guide will allow women and girls to exercise their right to vote in a safe manner as survivors have come forward to reveal that ‘voting wasn’t safe’ whilst in an abusive relationship.
Refuge, the country’s largest domestic abuse organisation, have called for the next Government to take a ‘whole system approach’ to supporting survivors of violence against women and girls(VAWG) in their 2024 Manifesto as figures have revealed that one in four women will experience domestic abuse during their lifetime. Meanwhile, reports have shown a ‘rise in misogyny online, in schools and violence perpetrated by the police force’ in the wake of the Sarah Everard tragedy in 2021.
Survivors have come forward anonymously through Refuge’s platform to speak out on how their right to vote was affected directly by their situation, highlighting a demographic in need of the organisation’s new voting guide.
Penelope*, a survivor of domestic abuse, said:
“As a victim of domestic abuse, so many of my rights have been forcibly taken away by my perpetrator. Neither myself, nor the many other survivors who are just like me, should lose the right to vote because it’s not safe to do so. The government has an obligation to protect us. We have a right to choose who will represent us and will deliver change to minimise the risks of domestic abuse for the next generation.”
Another survivor explained how her perpetrator ‘took her choices and that voting shouldn’t be one of them’ Amara*, a survivor of domestic abuse, said:
“Through experiencing domestic abuse so many of my choices were taken from me. Where I could go, what I could do and who I could talk to weren’t things I was allowed to decide for myself. I’ve had to give up so much because of abuse but this shouldn’t include my right to vote. Now, more than ever, I need to be able to choose the world I’d like to live in.
The right for victims/survivors of domestic abuse to vote safely honours those that fought for us to have that right in the first place.”
VAWG has been called an ‘endemic’ issue in the UK by Refuge who claim that ‘despite its prevalence, approaches to tackling VAWG has been disjointed and inadequate’. They also suggest that the legal system needs an overhaul as abuse survivors ‘have limited access to legal, civil and economic support they need to enable them to recover and rebuild their lives’.
Adoption of a three point action plan has been suggested by Refuge, including an improvement of the current legal system, housing and welfare reforms alongside boosted support for migrant survivors.
Domestic abuse services are designed to provide holistic and specialist support but are suffering under the strain of ‘insufficient funding, short-term staff contacts and the ongoing cost of living crisis which has left them at breaking point’.
Organisations have issued a plea to the government for sustainable funding to aid specialist domestic abuse services, including £238 million per year for essential community-based services and £189 million per year for refuge services, as outlined by charity Women’s Aid in their Investing to Save report.
To ensure that survivors of domestic abuse can feel empowered to vote safely, Refuge has developed a guide to voting anonymously, which highlights survivors’ rights and instructions on how to protect their identity while registering to vote.
Abigail Ampofo, Interim CEO of Refuge, said:
“While Refuge welcomes the fact that all the major political parties have outlined their commitments to eradicating violence against women and girls (VAWG), it is imperative that they also recognise the urgent work that need to be done to ensure that women and girls can live a life free from abuse and fear. Promises and policies need to be translated into meaningful action that supports and empowers all survivors of domestic abuse and wider VAWG.
Domestic abuse remains a widespread issue, affecting one in four women in the UK. As a society we must recognise the gravity of this crime and the devastating harm it causes to individuals, families, communities and even our economy, at large. A collective social response, in which policymakers, the criminal justice system, and government departments working with specialist organisations like Refuge and the wider public is essential to tackling domestic abuse.
More must be done to protect women and girls. Now is the time for change.”
