The publication of the Women’s Justice Board report to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Justice, David Lammy, alongside the Government’s announcement of almost £32 million in funding for women’s services, represents a long‑awaited and hugely welcome step forward.
Liz Mack, Director at Advance, said:
“For almost 30 years, Advance has worked at the intersection of domestic abuse and the criminal justice system. Our mission has always been to ensure that women and girls receive specialist, trauma‑informed support in their communities, in our Women’s Centres and today’s announcements give us hope that real, systemic change is within reach.
“We are strongly supportive of the recommendations set out in the Women’s Justice Board report and the inclusion of insights provided by specialist women’s service providers. As a member of the Partnership Delivery Group—representing community services and whole systems approaches for women —I stand ready, along with our partners, to work with government to build on these recommendations and the momentum created by both this report and the VAWG Strategy. The Strategy rightly highlights the clear link between domestic abuse and the criminalisation of women.
“Women in contact with the justice system already face significant barriers, and these are further compounded for Black, migrant, and minoritised women. The report rightly highlights the disproportionate systemic impact they face, underlining the urgent need for a truly intersectional response from the outset—one that includes specialist, by and for, community‑based services supported by sustainable funding.”
“For decades, there has been consensus around the profound harm that imprisonment causes to women and their families—and the reality that it simply does not work. Despite this, women, particularly young women, continue to be disproportionately held on remand, and numbers sent to custody have risen sharply over the past 30 years. As Lord Timpson has pointed out, more than ‘half of female prisoners are victims of domestic abuse (68%), and more than half have suffered a brain injury’. These are not statistics that should be ignored—they are a call to action.
“As one of the largest specialist providers of community rehabilitative services for women, Advance see – every single day – the impact of poverty, inequality, intersectionality, housing instability, lack of continuity of care, and trauma on the women we support. This is why bold, decisive action is essential. We need a whole‑society, wraparound approach that meets women and girls where they are, supports them early, and recognises the complexity of their lives, including the impact of gender-based harm.
“A genuine shift towards prevention and early intervention must include specialist provision for young women and girls, for example a commitment to rolling out a gender informed Young Futures programme. We are extremely supportive of the rollout and expansion of Diversion services. Since 2019, Advance, alongside partners, Women in Prison, Hibiscus and the Metropolitan police, have delivered the London Diversion Service, achieving hugely positive outcomes. In our 2021 report, we recorded a 7% rearrest rate among women in our Diversion service, compared with a national average of over 20%. This is clear evidence that community‑based, trauma‑informed intervention works.
“The criminal justice system is at breaking point. It is time to ask who it is truly serving. Far too many women, many of them victims themselves, are being unnecessarily criminalised – and this has been acknowledged across political parties. To fail to act now, when the evidence and consensus are stronger than ever, would be to choose to let women and girls down.
“Advance is ready to partner with government and sector colleagues to deliver the radical, transformative change that women and girls have been waiting for and deserve. Today’s announcements must mark the beginning of that shift.
ENDS
Media enquiries
For more information, please contact Tracie Couper, Press Officer at Advance, at tracie.c@advancecharity.org.uk or on 0743 2700 287.
Notes
- Advance’s specialist advocates work in partnership with 11 local and national women’s service providers, alongside statutory services to provide services within women’s communities across the 6 regions of Hampshire, Kent, Thames Valley, Essex, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire.
- Through our woman-centred approach, we aim to prevent the cycle of re-offending, tackling issues such as lack of consistent housing and homelessness, domestic abuse and sexual violence, mental health, emotional well-being, parenting and family relationships, education training and employment, finance, benefits, and debt.
About Advance
-
- Advance’s vision is a world in which women and children lead safe, just and equal lives so that they can flourish and actively contribute to society. The charity works with women who experience domestic abuse to be safe and take control of their lives, and women who have committed crime or are at risk of offending to break the cycle.
- As well as providing direct support, Advance works with statutory services, government agencies and other women’s charities to ensure a holistic approach to the issues these women face.
- Women must be referred to Advance, via statutory services or the charity’s self-referral scheme. For more information about who Advance is able to support, please visit Get help
- For facts and statistics about domestic abuse and women in the criminal justice system, as well as Advance’s work, please visit Our impact
