Domestic abuse is a deep-rooted problem that attracted greater recognition during the first national lockdown than perhaps ever before. Globally, one in three women have experienced domestic abuse in their lifetime, and more than a third of femicides are committed by an intimate partner. In the UK, over the last decade, a woman has been killed by a man approximately every three days. The global coronavirus pandemic, sweeping across the UK in March 2020, led the Government to issue orders for people to stay safe by staying at home. Sadly, for many women, those subjected to domestic abuse, home had never been safe. In response, Solace Women’s Aid (Solace), in partnership with Southall Black Sisters and other specialist services that support survivors of violence against women and girls (VAWG), set up emergency crisis refuge provision with funding provided by London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust. To further understand the impact of the pandemic on those escaping domestic abuse, Justice Studio, and Solace decided to partner on a piece of pioneering research. The University of Greenwich provided additional support to the research. The research took place from April to November 2020 in London. In total, 23 in-depth qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted; 13 with female survivors in emergency refuge accommodation and 10 with Solace staff and management. An extensive literature review supplemented the primary data collection
