ABUSE VICTIMS TO GET SPECIALIST NHS SUPPORT
-
Government announces a raft of changes to NHS services to support victims and survivors of abuse
-
A new referral service to connect victims with specialist help through their GP, and up to £50 million of therapeutic support for child victims of sexual abuse
-
The full power of the state will be deployed in the largest crackdown on violence perpetrated against women and girls in British history
Victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence across England will get better support through the NHS, the Government have today announced. They have also stated that child sexual abuse victims/survivors will have access to specialist, trauma-informed care, which will be funded up to £50 million.
This announcement is stated as aiming to transform how the NHS responds to violence against women and girls and child sexual abuse.
As part of the Violence Against Women and Girls strategy that the Government will finally launch later this week, they state the full power of the state will be deployed in the largest crackdown on violence perpetrated against women and girls in British history – a clear indication of the change in language that is different to “tackling violence against women and girls”, as the latter also includes boys and men as victims.
Using the ONS data set released recently, the Governments position states that devastatingly, in the last year alone, one in every eight women was a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking. However, whilst it is not acknowledged in any Government statement, the same data set shows that one in every twelve males was a victim of the same crime category.
The Government states “the NHS often has first eyes on victims of domestic and child sexual abuse, but not enough routes to directly support them”. Whilst it is correct to be concerned about the lack of routes to directly support victims/survivors; it is the specialist survivor charities, rape crisis centres, and grassroots groups that often are the front door for hundreds of thousands of survivors.
A new national NHS initiative will ensure there are dedicated referral services for women and girls affected by violence and abuse in every area of England by 2029, ending the postcode lottery where support depends on where you live.
Duncan Craig OBE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of We Are Survivors said:
”Investing in the response to tackling violence perpetrated against girls and women is rightly a priority and I will always be supportive of that. However, as a male survivor myself and the CEO of the now largest male survivor organisation in the UK, I am left wondering what happens to male survivors?”
”As we are only 3 weeks away to the 6th anniversary of the final trial of Reynhard Sinaga – whose actions of committing rape of over 200 mainly heterosexual young adult males, created the largest rape case in British legal history; I wonder what would have happened to these men under these specific plans”
“this is not and never should be a race to the bottom, but as male victims/survivors are included in the VAWG Strategy yet Government and MPs continue to use language pertaining specifically to females, victims, and violence against women and girls interchangeably, it becomes near impossible to understand who it is that is being discussed and which victims of sexual harms Government deem are important enough to talk about”
This new ‘Steps to Safety Initiative’ states it will connect patients to specialist domestic abuse and sexual violence services within their local area through their GP. Training will be offered to GP practice staff in all regions so they can better identify and respond to domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:
“Victims and survivors of abuse need more than promises – they need change.
“No child should also face their darkest moment alone or be forced to relive their trauma repeatedly to multiple professionals.
“As a service that often has first eyes on abuse victims, the NHS plays a vital role in supporting and treating victims. These changes will put victims first, making sure they have specialist care and reliable support when they need it most.”
Healthcare professionals already encounter many survivors through routine appointments. As part of the Steps to Safety service, a specialist support worker will be made available across groups of general practices to support GP staff and ensure victims and survivors are connected with local specialist services.
The Government’s plans also sets out key measures to tackle child sexual abuse. Under a separate measure being brought in, child sexual abuse survivors will also have access to specialist, trauma-informed care in one place as the multi-agency Child House model expands to all NHS regions in England, backed by up to £50 million.
Unlike Steps to Safety, the Child House model focuses mainly on supporting child victims of sexual abuse specifically, regardless of gender. Each Child House model will be designed around the child’s needs, with specially trained staff who understand trauma. Services include therapeutic support, advocacy and ongoing care that continues long after initial intervention. Children only need to share their experiences once, rather than reliving difficult moments through repeated interviews with different agencies.
Currently, there is just one Child House in England – the Lighthouse, serving North London. This expansion tackles this inequality, ensuring children and young people nationwide can access a high standard of care and support.
The up to £50 million funding to expand Child House models marks a significant step in delivering against recommendation 16 from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which called for better support for victims of child sexual abuse.
Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls said:
“This government has declared violence against women and girls a national emergency.
“For too long, these crimes have been considered a fact of life. That’s not good enough. We will halve it in a decade.
“This government is ensuring victims and survivors are better supported and given a chance to heal.”
The investment reflects the government’s determination to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls through the health system. In the year to March 2025, around 3.8 million people aged 16 and over experienced domestic abuse in England and Wales.
The initiatives follow the appointment of Jess Asato MP as the government’s VAWG Adviser on health, although it remains unclear if her role is about focusing on female victims or VAWG as this includes male survivors too.
An investment of £550 million for the Victims Support Fund was also recently announced, and are providing £20 million in funding this financial year for a range of specialist VCFSE organisations and rape crisis centres who provide vital support to victims.
What isnt clear yet is what this means for SARCs (Sexual Assault Referral Centres) and how the commissioning of SARCS will happen now Police and Crime Commissioners are being abolished; how the Home Secretary’s newly announced Specialist Rape Teams in every Police Force will engage with the local specialist support for victims; and how the specialist VCFSE victim and survivor support landscape will survive.
