Merseyside abuse services overstretched, study finds

Demand for domestic abuse services on Merseyside has outstripped supply, with more than 117,000 people in the region affected, a report has found.

The study, commissioned by Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell, highlighted an "urgent" need for more stable, long-term funding in the region to support survivors.

About 10,000 people have received support each year from more than 20 different organisations, many of which are "operating beyond safe capacity", the report found.

Spurrell said these services were "being held together by the dedication of overstretched professionals", adding there was "no quick fix" to the problem.

The report produced by national charity Women's Aid and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) found 117,000 people, predominantly women and children , experienced domestic abuse in Merseyside each year.

The study was "a sobering but vital insight into the pressures facing our domestic abuse services", Spurrell said.

The study found funding problems leading to high staff turnover at organisations which help victims, which resulted in many missing out on having a single caseworker with whom they could build trust.

There were also long waiting lists, particularly for therapeutic services and gaps in provision for children and young people, and for marginalised groups and disabled people were also identified.

Women's Aid's CEO, Farah Nazeer, said there was "an urgent need for a systematic, coordinated response that addresses key gaps in provision for children and young people as victim-survivors, Black and minoritised women and other marginalised groups".

Senior Researcher for the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Violence Prevention Nadia Butler said the review was a "foundation for enhancing and sustaining adequate commissioning of domestic abuse services across Merseyside".

Among the 20 recommendations were improved oversight and coordination of domestic abuse funding, strengthened multi-agency working, and better use of resources.

Spurrell said: "While there are no quick fixes or easy solutions, this report gives us a strong foundation to work from."

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