MPs demand urgent action over domestic violence surge in lockdown

Trapped in lockdown with your abuser the reality of life for victims of domestic violence. (Subscribe)

Now a cross-party group of MPs is calling for urgent action from the Government to tackle the growing number of domestic abuse cases since coronavirus restrictions in movement began.

In a report published today the Home Affairs Select Committee warns that, like other countries across the world, the UK is seeing a rise in domestic violence with calls to the abuse charity helpline run by Refuge, up by 49 per cent.

Last year the Committee highlighted a shortage in beds at refuges, with 64 per cent of referrals turned away between 2018 - 2019 - now they say the pressure is even greater.

The campaign Counting Dead Women says that 14 women and two children were killed in the first 3 weeks of lockdown - double that of an average 21 day period in the last decade.

Earlier we spoke to Rachel Williams - who was almost killed when her estranged husband shot her with a sawn off shotgun after years of abuse. She now campaigns on behalf of victims of domestic violence

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