Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Accepted
Paragraph: 64
By-and-for services for honour-based abuse victims are underfunded with complex commissioning
Conclusion
By-and-for services, which are organisations designed and run by and for people who are minoritised, are vital to ensuring victims of honour- based abuse receive the support they need. However, the sector is underfunded, and complex commissioning processes often prevent smaller specialist organisations from competing against generic and larger providers for the funding available. Such funding is also too often available only on a short term basis.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the vital work of HBA charities and states it has implemented measures like promoting consortium bidding, extended application times, and launched a £8.3m fund for 'by and for' services, alongside a commissioning toolkit.
Paragraph Reference:
64
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government is grateful to HBA charities for the vital work they do. We understand the particular difficulties faced by HBA charities in bidding for funding, so we have sought to make it easier for them, for example, by promoting consortium bidding arrangements and providing more time than is standard for applications. In November 2022, we commenced an open commercial competition – the VAWG Specialist and Support Services Fund - which included £8.3m of funding for ‘by and for’ and specialist services, across financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25. These services cover many HBA organisations: for example, we are funding the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire who are working with Savera UK to increase reporting of FGM and forced marriage. In addition, Refuge are being funded to work collaboratively with specialist by- and-for organisations to support them in responding effectively to the risks of facilitated abuse through training, which will also include support for victims of HBA. This will enable vital services, which are based in the communities they serve, to support victims often facing the greatest barriers to getting the help they need. The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) National Statement of Expectations and Commissioning Toolkit8, which we published in March 2022, provides support to those commissioning services at a local level, this includes guidance to help them understand the importance of and considerations which apply in relation to the provision of ‘by and for’ and specialist services.