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13 Aug 2020

Vital organisations supporting some of the most disadvantaged women and girls face a perfect storm as lockdown eases, leaving thousands at risk and without support, according to new research.

Agenda, the alliance for women and girls at risk, warns that as emergency funding ends but with demand expected to surge, many organisations supporting women and girls are worried about the future.

It comes as evidence shows that women and girls have been particularly badly affected during lockdown, with reports of domestic violence soaring and higher rates of mental health issues.

The report Voices from Lockdown: A Chance for Change involved a survey of organisations supporting the most disadvantaged women and girls, and in-depth interviews with professionals and women. It found:

  • The vast majority of services (nearly 9 in 10) say the needs of women and girls have increased during lockdown, with referrals dominated by those with the most complex and urgent needs.
  • Despite women and girls’ circumstances deteriorating during lockdown, many services trying to help them (44 per cent) have had to close, reduce or suspend the support they provide.
  • Nearly half (46 per cent) of organisations said their financial position had worsened during lockdown.
  • A quarter of services supporting women and girls said they were not confident they would be able to meet future demand.
  • The organisations that had seen the greatest increase in demand were the smallest organisations and those that provide support to victims of domestic abuse.

Jessica Southgate, CEO of Agenda, says:

“Lockdown has been hard on everyone, but for women and girls already living with abuse and trauma, facing hardship and poor mental health, those problems have been magnified.

“Restrictions have made it even more difficult for them to get help, meaning the scale of the problem is likely to be hugely underestimated.

“This hidden and increasing demand, unsustainable funding and the stress this places on staff means we are at a tipping point.

“We have a chance to help this group of women and girls at the sharpest end of inequality turn their lives around – but the vital services helping them do that must not be ignored as we rebuild.”

Rebecca*, a young woman, says:

“I’m a survivor of rape and I was in the healing process of that when I got my flat, and then when lockdown struck, it meant I was on my own with my own thoughts, which drove me a bit insane.

“I used to go to support groups regularly and see friends and lockdown totally stopped that for me, I instantly fell into a black hole and felt alone and I lost my coping mechanism.

“Lockdown has stopped me from using a lot of services. It’s hard to get seen with victim support and my employment coach because there’s so much demand and they can’t provide one-to-one support at the moment.”

John Trolan, Chief Executive of The Nelson Trust, which runs three women’s centres in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset, says:

“Without support, the future could hold a further squeeze on the voluntary sector with more and more organisations spending more time and energy on surviving rather than delivering support and services with purpose.

“When organisations are solely focused on their own survival it means less time for partnership work, less time for reflection on impact, less knowledge to inform innovation and ultimately less support for those who need it.”

However, the report also highlighted how many women and girls’ services have adapted to the new circumstances, despite extremely challenging conditions; with nearly half of organisations (44 per cent) moving some services online and almost a third (29 per cent) increasing the range of support programmes they offered.

For example, one service supporting girls and young women reported:

“The fact that our services have pivoted to be online or over the phone means that it doesn’t matter where a young woman lives. Previously, we were only able to offer longer term support to young women who lived in a geographical area. Working in a virtual way means that this is not the case.”

Agenda is calling on both local and national government to ensure these vital services for women and girls have a sustainable future.

Ms Southgate added:

“Covid-19 has highlighted and exacerbated existing inequalities and the gap is widening on a daily basis. But there is still time to act.

“The women’s voluntary and community sector, which has so much knowledge and expertise, has stepped up to the challenge and has a vital role to play in the wake of lockdown.

“But it must be valued, invested in and listened to by decision-makers on both a local and national level so that the women and girls they support are able to move on with their lives and fulfil their potential.”

The research studied the impact of the lockdown on the most disadvantaged women and girls who often have long histories of violence and abuse, and face poverty, poor mental health, addiction, homelessness and involvement in the criminal justice system.

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