Women’s Lives Matter National Meeting

Enough is enough! Join us on the 8th of December in Leeds for a national meeting to discuss and plan how we save our domestic violence services and how we fight back against all austerity.
86% of the burden of austerity has fallen firmly on the shoulders of women.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/09/women-bearing-86-of-austerity-burden-labour-research-reveals

The introduction of universal credit and the loss of local government grants from central government threaten women’s lives further.

The Women’s Lives Matter campaign started by defending the last Women’s Aid in South Yorkshire. Across the UK we are seeing Domestic Violence services be stripped back, genericised and in many cases, lost altogether. Broken rainbows, the only LGBTQ* specialist service, has also been lost. Women’s aid reports that there are only a handful of BME specialised services and refuge spaces outside of London.

Where do women go when there is no-where to go to?

Women’s Aid states that: ‘On just one day in 2017, 94 women and 90 children were turned away from refuge and that 60% of all referrals to refuges were declined in 2016-17, normally due to a lack of available space.’

There is no statutory obligation for local authorities to fund Domestic Violence services. With continued cuts, despite Phillip Hammond’s ‘end of austerity’, we will see more of these services close.

In reality, many women are either forced to stay in abuse, many are forced into homelessness (The charity Shelter states domestic violence as the single biggest factor of homelessness), and many die.

2 women a week are murdered by a partner or ex-partner.

3 women a week kill themselves to escape abuse.

But what for the women who can escape to refuges?

There’s massive ‘bed blocking’ because women are unable to move onto affordable housing because of the crisis in social housing.

Universal credit means many women are without a sufficient or independent income.

Women’s Lives Matter has been defending women’s domestic violence services but ultimately to do that there needs to be an end to austerity, not waiting for a general election but taking the steps to organise and campaign now. Women’s lives depend on a fight back. Join us on the 8th to discus and plan the way forward.

Registration: 10am – 10.30am
1st session – ‘state of domestic violence services – open floor discussion and reports from different areas of UK’ 10am – 12 – introduced by worker in the sector.
Lunch – 12 – 1pm
2nd session – ‘How do we fight the cuts and the way forward’ – open floor discussion about national demands and strategy 1pm – 3.50pm (with short break in the middle) – introduced by Amy Cousens, Womens Lives Matter Leeds campaigner.

We will release our proposed national demands ahead of the meeting for people to consider for the final discussion. Please also be prepared to make a contribution from the floor about the situation of cuts to services in your area. We want all attendees to walk away with a plan and demands for fighting the cuts now. To grow a national network of campaigners fighting cuts to domestic violence services and fighting all austerity.

Facilities:
– some reserved disabled parking, please email: womenslivesmatteryorkshire@gmail.com to reserve.
– wheelchair access – no steps.
– there is a free car park 1minute walk from the venue – map to follow soon.
– creche – we are providing a creche for children of all ages in the room opposite the meeting room, all volunteers are fully DBS checked and are teachers or work in the care sector. An event brite booking system to book kids into the creche will be available shortly.
– station pick up service running from 9.15 to 10.15 will be available, to book a lift please email: womenslivesmatteryorkshire@gmail.com
– lunch – a free buffet will be provided
– the room comes with audio loops to support those hard of hearing.
– full use of kitchen for all guests + free tea and coffee.

If you have any access requests that are not mentioned here please message our page or email us and we will get back to you asap.

All welcome.