Violence against women and girls sector highlights concerns about Safer Streets Funding in joint letter to the Home Secretary

In March 2021 the government announced a further £25 million would be invested into the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund during the 2021/22 financial year, following the tragic killing of Sarah Everard. At the time, Women’s Aid and over 100 specialist VAWG organisations raised significant concerns that such approaches fail to tackle the root causes of men’s violence, and called for systemic reforms in the government’s response to VAWG.

Round Three of the Safer Streets Fund was launched on 3rd June 2021. The objective of this third round of funding will be to improve the safety of public places, with a particular focus on reducing VAWG crimes. Police and Crime Commissioners, Local Authorities and the British Transport Police are invited to bid for funding to: reduce VAWG and increase women and girls’ feelings of safety in public spaces; build the evidence base for ‘what works’ on reducing VAWG crimes; and improve national and local data on VAWG crimes.

In a joint letter to the Home Secretary sent on 18th June 2021, specialist VAWG sector organisations are raising concerns about the scope of the funding, which does not include many forms of violence and abuse that women and girls experience and will not cover important public spaces such as workplaces, schools, bars, cafes, shops and online. Organisations are urging the government to expand the definitions and scope of the funding to ensure that it adequately tackles male violence.

The organisations have also set out key principles, and potential areas of concern, for Police and Crime Commissioner, local authorities and the British Transport Police when bidding for the funding which you can download here.