Domestic violence victims 'sleeping rough' after refuges closed

Despite domestic abuse being of "personal importance" to Theresa May, women fleeing violence are struggling to find a space in a refuge and can end up sleeping rough.

The charity Women's Aid says almost a fifth of specialist refuges have closed since 2010, meaning victims of domestic abuse in England can be denied a safe space to escape to.

Sky News gained exclusive access to Reigate and Banstead women's refuge in Surrey.

The refuge's manager Charlotte Kneer said: "There are women calling every day needing a space and not being able to find one, and that is as a result of so many refuges closing."

The current levels of refuge provision in England fall nearly 2,000 beds short of the minimum standards stipulated by the Council of Europe.

Some victims may have been suffering for a long time.

Ms Kneer added: "They've got the courage to pick the phone up and that could have taken them 10 years or 20 years.

"And the first call that they make, to get a space... and we have to say no, I'm sorry, we're full.

"What really scares me is when we put the phone down to them, are they ever going to pick it up again?"

If suitable accommodation cannot be found, the alternative may be much worse.

Women's Aid CEO Katie Ghose told us what happens to women who are turned away.

"Some sleep rough - even pregnant women will sleep rough. Some will be able to stay with friends or family for a short while, but will then find themselves homeless again.

"In the very worst of circumstances, women will actually return to an abusive relationship."

A woman who needed emergency accommodation with her young children told Sky News they were put up in a hostel with male ex-prisoners.

"We didn't have a lock on the front door. The locks on the rooms were very flimsy," she said.

"We had shared bathrooms that didn't have locks on. There were male occupants in there who were wearing tags."

In a report it produced this year, Women's Aid spoke to 404 women who were all refused space in a refuge on at least one occasion.

For 45% of the women, there had been three or more occasions when there had been no space.

Only a quarter were eventually found suitable accommodation.

New legislation announced by the Government in June, defining domestic abuse in law, establish a domestic violence commissioner as well as harsher punishment for perpetrators.

But while this announcement was welcomed, campaigners say it does little to address historic cuts to services, and that funding for refuges should be ring-fenced to provide a long-term solution.

The Department for Communities and Local Government told Sky News: "We expect local authorities to provide specialist accommodation and services that are appropriate, and reflect the needs of victims and their families.

"We're investing £100m in programmes to tackle violence against women and girls.

"This includes £20m to create more refuge spaces and provide specialist support within safe accommodation for more than 19,000 victims to rebuild their lives."