Women’s Aid, a charity supporting survivors of domestic abuse, published its Annual Domestic Abuse Report on 30 March 2026, revealing deeply concerning statistics regarding the accessibility and adequacy of refuge services across England. The report found that 10,665 women and 11,732 children sought support from refuge services last year, yet 65.2% of referrals were rejected due to insufficient space and capacity.

This marks the highest rate of referral rejections in the last five years and raises serious concerns not only from a social welfare perspective, but also from a legal and safeguarding standpoint. The findings place renewed scrutiny on the Government’s obligations under domestic abuse legislation, equality law, housing duties, and human rights protections.

The report highlights that the increasing prevalence of domestic abuse is placing overwhelming pressure on already underfunded services. Where refuges are unable to accommodate survivors fleeing violence, victims may remain exposed to ongoing harm, coercive control, and life- threatening situations. This raises important questions regarding whether current systems are adequately fulfilling statutory duties owed to vulnerable individuals.

Key findings from the report include:

• Only 1.1% of refuges were suitable for wheelchair users.
• Bed spaces remained one-fifth below the recommendations set by the Council of Europe.
• There was an 11.6% decrease in refuge services providing specialist support for children and young people.
• 13.3% of refuge services received no local authority commissioned funding at all.
• Refuges run “by and for” Black and minoritised women were significantly less likely to receive local authority commissioning, despite 42.9% of Imkaan-member refuges being fully commissioned.

From a legal perspective, these findings may engage obligations under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, which introduced a statutory definition of domestic abuse and imposed duties on local authorities to provide support within safe accommodation. Part 4 of the Act specifically places responsibilities on tier one local authorities to assess need and commission sufficient support services for victims and their children. Persistent shortfalls in refuge availability may therefore give rise to questions as to whether authorities are adequately complying with these statutory duties.

The accessibility concerns identified in the report also raise potential implications under the Equality Act 2010. The extremely limited availability of wheelchair-accessible refuges may amount to indirect discrimination against disabled survivors of abuse if reasonable steps are not being taken to ensure equal access to protection and support services. Public authorities and commissioned services are subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty, requiring them to actively consider and reduce disadvantages faced by protected groups.

Equally concerning is the disproportionate impact on Black and minoritised women. The reduced commissioning of specialist “by and for” services may attract scrutiny regarding equality obligations and systemic barriers to accessing culturally competent support. Solicitors acting in public law or discrimination matters may identify potential grounds for judicial review where commissioning decisions fail to properly consider equality impacts or disproportionately disadvantage protected groups.

The report also identifies the growing prevalence of technology-facilitated abuse, including stalking, image-based abuse, and coercion into online sexual activity through platforms such as OnlyFans. Such behaviour may engage several criminal offences under existing legislation, including the Serious Crime Act 2015 relating to coercive and controlling behaviour, the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, and provisions under the Online Safety Act 2023 concerning intimate image abuse and online harm.

The increasing use of digital methods to perpetrate abuse demonstrates the evolving nature of domestic violence and highlights the need for legal professionals, law enforcement, and support
services to adapt safeguarding responses accordingly. Family solicitors and practitioners may increasingly encounter cases involving digital surveillance, cyberstalking, coercive image-sharing, and financial exploitation through online platforms.

The impact of abuse on survivors’ physical and mental health is equally alarming. The report found:

• 19.4% of survivors reported depression or suicidal thoughts as a result of abuse, rising to 22.6% among those in refuge accommodation.
• 3.2% reported self-harming as a coping mechanism.
• 1.5% experienced loss of consciousness due to head injury, suffocation, or
  strangulation.
• 4.0% required treatment at A&E or hospital, while 2.2% required GP treatment.

Non-fatal strangulation in particular has become an increasing area of legal concern following its criminalisation under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. Legal practitioners are becoming more aware of the significant evidential and safeguarding implications associated with strangulation offences, particularly given their recognised correlation with future homicide risk.

As accurately stated by Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid:
“It is clear that if we are to tackle the epidemic of violence faced by women and girls, we need the government to urgently address all parts of the system.”

From a solicitor’s perspective, the findings of the Annual Audit 2026 reinforce the urgent need for greater investment, stronger inter-agency safeguarding mechanisms, and more robust compliance with statutory obligations. The continued shortage of refuge spaces may expose local authorities and public bodies to increasing legal scrutiny, particularly where failures in commissioning, accessibility, or safeguarding place survivors at ongoing risk of harm.

Ultimately, the report highlights that domestic abuse is not solely a social issue, but a significant legal and human rights concern. Ensuring adequate refuge provision, equal access to support
services, and effective protection from emerging forms of abuse will remain essential to meeting both statutory duties and the wider obligation to safeguard some of the most vulnerable members of society.

Reference
The Annual Audit 2026 – Women’s Aid
Prepared by Capri Lindo