The Wales Green Party is urging the Welsh Government to ensure that the third sector organisations are provided sufficient funding to continue their work to end violence against women in Wales. Charities such as Welsh Women’s Aid have highlighted that a cap to housing benefit could have a devastating impact on domestic abuse services in Wales. These specialist services that provide life saving support to women rely on housing benefit to cover the cost of providing accommodation to a person going through a crisis.
Furthermore, the UN has highlighted that local impacts of climate change will multiply the threats faced by women in developing countries. Women face greater risks of domestic and sexual violence during and after natural disasters. The Wales Green Party also urges the Welsh Government to take into account the wider context of climate change, refugees and asylum seekers when tackling violence against women.
Wales Green Party leader, Alice Hooker-Stroud said:
“Plans must be made to ensure that Wales plays a part in solving the problem of violence against women globally. A number of women seeking refuge and asylum in the European Union are fleeing gender-based violence. It is equally important to work to end violence against women globally as it is to work to end all forms of abuse here in Wales.
And there is still a lot to do here in Wales. Whilst we support the Welsh Government's 'Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015' which pledges to promote awareness of domestic violence and other abuse, this is not enough. Sufficient funding must be given for organisations to be effective, and there are new threats to deal with like changes to housing benefit. As a direct result, support centres and refuges are facing wide-scale closure in Wales. This is unacceptable."