This is what domestic abuse campaigners think it will take to help keep women safe

Dozens of people joined Refuge’s demonstration outside Parliament today (Picture: James Manning/PA Wire)

Celebrities,activists and survivors gathered outside Parliament this morning with an urgent message for the government: you must go further to end domestic abuse.

Organised by charity Refuge,the demonstration centred on a single bright pink front door,chillingly coffin-shaped and emblazoned with a metallic ’75’.

That is the number of women who were killed inside their homes last year.

Placards in the form of estate agent signs and held by attendees said it would cost just £55.5 million to ensure women at risk of domestic abuse are kept safe.

The figure represents the funding gap for providers of safe places where those women can escape.

Refuge CEO Gemma Sherrington told Metro: ‘Having safe spaces to flee to is really important,but there is a shortfall in funding for those frontline emergency services like emergency refuge accommodation.’

At the beginning of February,the government published its landmark strategy for tackling violence against women and girls by working across departments to halve incidents by 2034.

The effort will be backed with £1 billion in funding,split between victims services and providing safe housing for survivors who escape their abusers.

Refuge CEO Gemma Sherrington drew attention to the need for more funding (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams)

Ms Sherrington welcomed the strategy,which she called ‘unprecedented’ and ‘massive progress for women’,but added: ‘The big bit that is missing is that funding in frontline support services.’

The CEO was joined at today’s demonstration by celebrity supporters including Love Island star and documentary-maker Zara McDermott,TV personality Georgia Harrison,and actor David Morrissey.

Ms McDermott said: ‘As women,we’re often taught that the most dangerous place for a woman is on the street – but actually,for a lot of women,it’s inside their home.’

Refuge is one of the official charity partners for Metro‘s This Is Not Right campaign confronting violence against women and girls,which launched in November 2024.

Metro Assistant Editor Claie Wilson said it was a ‘huge privilege’ to be invited along by the charity,as the campaign is ‘all about putting victims and survivors of domestic abuse first’.

Zara McDermott spoke to Metro outside Parliament (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams)

She added: ‘The consequences of underinvestment in domestic abuse support,services and accommodation can be truly devastating.

‘If the government really want to try and halve VAWG by 2034,they have to put their money where their mouth is.’

Today’s event comes after the domestic abuse charity launched its short film Home Is Where The Hurt Is,which raises awareness of the horrifying situations many women face behind closed doors.

Among the other attendees was Melony Slack,whose sister-in-law Rachael Slack was murdered along with her 23-month-old son by her ex-partner 16 years ago.

She said: ‘Rachael didn’t know how to get to a refuge,she wasn’t aware that she was at risk of being killed.

Melony Slack has campaigned on behalf of her sister-in-law for 16 years (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams)

‘We’ve gone through such a lot of trauma and pain since losing them that we really want to make sure that we can minimise,or eradicate,that chance for others.’

Rachael’s life is now celebrated by her friends and family every October 13 with ‘Red Lippy Day’,where they apply her signature bright red lipstick as a tribute to her ‘vibrant,intelligent,beautiful’ personality.

Refuge Chair Hetti Bankworth-Nanton said we should ‘absolutely embrace and welcome’ the new strategy,but added: ‘It’s not enough.’

Refuge: Home is Where The Hurt is

In England and Wales,one in four women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime,and 75 women were killed by a current or former partner or family member in the year ending March 2025.Refuge’s International Women’s Day campaign, Home is Where the Hurt Is,exposes a devastating truth: the most dangerous place for a woman is her own home.Watch the charity's film here to learn more.As part of the campaign,Refuge is also calling on the government to close the £55.5 million refuge funding gap.Read their open letter to the Prime Minister here.Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available on 0808 2000 247 for free,confidential support 24 hours a day,seven days a week.If you or someone close to you has felt unsafe at home because of a current or former partner or family member,you can also contact Refuge here.She said: ‘If you increase the amount of pathways for victims to reach out for help and get help,it doesn’t work and in fact it creates false and dangerous hope if,when they then reach out for help,the service isn’t there at the end to be able to give them the support that they need.‘There is a huge gap in frontline services today. That means that when those women take those pathways,they may well end up with a brick wall,and that’s what needs to be fixed.‘Give us that and we will all be working together to create an absolutely incredible future and ultimately to eliminate this vile crime.’A government spokesperson said: ‘We’re treating violence against women and girls as a national emergency,with a clear commitment to halve it in the next decade.‘That’s why we’ve announced almost £500 million to help councils provide support in safe accommodation for survivors,including refuges and Sanctuary Schemes,so they can get the safety and stability they deserve.’Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at .