Mayor announces additional £3 million for tackling violence against women and girls in London

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a new £3 million funding boost to support projects delivering vital services for women and girls experiencing domestic abuse and sexual violence.

At a visit to Kiran Support Services in Waltham Forest, a small grassroots charity supported by City Hall funding, Sadiq marked the second stage of the Mayor’s Violence Against Women and Girls Grassroots Fund, which is working to support organisations focused on ending violence against women and girls in minoritised and marginalised communities.

The investment is part of the Mayor’s dedicated and targeted action to support local community organisations who are working with women and girls from Black, Asian and minority-ethnic communities and other minoritised groups, including the LGBTQ+ community.

The action comes amid concerns from charities that the cost-of-living crisis is making it difficult for women to escape from their abusers, with women forced to choose between staying in an abusive situation or facing financial hardship.

The latest round of grants to help those most in need is open, bringing the Mayor’s total support for these grassroots groups to £6million. It will help up to 45 projects across London to provide thousands of more women, girls and families with a wide range of vital support, including counselling, safe accommodation and legal advice. This is part of the Mayor’s ongoing public health approach to tackling violence against women and girls.

Applications for a two-year grant of up to £100,000 for individual organisations are open until the end of this month and the Mayor is calling on grassroots projects across London to apply via the London Community Foundation website.

The Mayor’s grassroots fund has already supported more than 40 projects since 2020, benefitting over 30,000 Londoners in need.

The funding is part of the Mayor’s record £117m investment to tackle violence against women and girls, which is working to save lives, address waiting lists and keep doors open for vital specialist support services for victims during the cost-of-living crisis.

Today the Mayor visited Kiran Support in Waltham Forest to see how the grants from City Hall are helping small grassroots projects across London to continue delivering vital services for vulnerable women, girls and families.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The rising cost of living is having an unprecedented impact on women and children experiencing domestic abuse and on the life-saving services they need. Local grassroots services know their communities and are best placed to help, but they need support to survive these challenging times.

“That’s why today I’ve announced a further £3m in new funding to help small, grassroots organisations to provide vital services for victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence, including safe accommodation, counselling and legal advice.

“As we continue to work together to build a safer London for everyone, I’m determined to do everything I can to help these organisations support more women and girls. But we also need the Government to follow City Hall’s lead and provide more funding for the groups best placed to help those most in need.”

Kate Markey, Chief Executive, London Community Foundation, said: “Dynamics related to poverty, race, culture, community, religion, and language mean women’s experiences and the challenges they face in our city are layered, with many being marginalised, unable to access the same opportunities as others. The Violence Against Women and Girls Grassroots Fund was ground-breaking because it recognised, valued and supported grassroots organisations working with survivors from minoritised communities. It has been an honour to work in partnership with the Mayor and the Mayors Office for Police and Crime and the 41 specialist grassroots organisations to deliver this vital fund.”