Stop the cuts to specialist ‘Violence Against Women’ services Demonstration

10 December marks Human Rights Day. It is also the end of the 16 days of action associated with UN International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women. As Manchester City Council announces a further round of cuts to the tune of £60 million, Safety4Sisters calls all women and men to join their demonstration and send out a united message to the Coalition Government: ‘Women’s right to safety is a human right. Protect our services – provide secure and adequate funding’.

The Coalition Government has slashed funding to vital frontline services for women and children escaping gender based violence and Manchester City Council has just announced that it has to find a further £60 million in saving. This is devastating.

Some of the most vulnerable women and children are facing an uncertain future as specialist services, such as Women’s Aid refuges and Rape Crisis centres, struggle to survive. These, and many other specialist Violence Against Women services in Greater Manchester and around the UK, literally save women and children’s lives and provide excellent value for money. Services such as refuge accommodation, advocacy, advice, outreach work and emotional and group support to those experiencing domestic violence, rape and sexual assault, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, honour based violence and other forms of gender based violence.
Further cuts to this sector will mean that women will have to rely on higher cost services such as A&E, critical homelessness and emergency services. This will end up costing the government more.

These cuts are located within the wider politically driven ‘austerity measures’ which have resulted in extensive reductions in funding to legal aid, NHS, education, welfare services and other vital public sector services. Women’s rights and safety are at risk.

This demonstration is organised by Safety4Sisters - a campaigning group which aims to highlight issues affecting undocumented women experiencing gender based violence, challenge the injustices they experience and work towards improving services

For further information email Sandhya Sharma or Vicky Marsh, at: [email protected]