Stephen Morgan, Labour’s MP for Portsmouth, has welcomed new government plans to give victims of domestic abuse and child sexual abuse faster, more reliable access to NHS support.
This Labour government is introducing dedicated referral services through GPs, connecting victims with specialist local support, alongside up to £50 million in trauma-informed care for child abuse survivors.
The Steps to Safety programme will ensure victims can access local domestic abuse and sexual violence services without delay, while the Child House model will give children the care they need in one place – ending the need for children to relive their trauma through repeated interviews.
For years, the Tories let victims down, leaving support patchy and creating a postcode lottery where access to care depended on where you live.
The changes announced today will end the lottery in care, ensuring there are dedicated referral services for women and girls affected by violence and abuse in every area of England by 2029.
Stephen has previously met with British organisation Stop Domestic Abuse to discuss their work in Portsmouth, visit their Dispersed Accommodation Service and meet with the service’s residents.
Commenting, Stephen Morgan MP for Portsmouth South said:
“I welcome Ministers taking action to prioritise victims and in doing so, delivering on a manifesto commitment made to the British people.
“The announcement on additional funding will help ensure support to those who have suffered through domestic abuse.
“At the heart of that support, is a commitment to safety and stability. Survivors and their children will be able to access support in safe accommodation, such as domestic abuse refuges, in confidential locations, far from the reach of perpetrators.
This includes tailored move-on support to help women secure long-term housing and rebuild their lives. This is very welcome news for survivors and their families in Portsmouth”.
Labour’s Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:
“Victims and survivors of abuse need more than promises – they need change.
“No child should also face their darkest moment alone or be forced to relive their trauma repeatedly to multiple professionals.
“As a service that often has first eyes on abuse victims, the NHS plays a vital role in supporting and treating victims. These changes will put victims first, making sure they have specialist care and reliable support when they need it most.”
These initiatives build on Labour’s commitment to supporting victims and form part of its wider strategy to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade.
The government has invested £550 million in the Victims Support Fund and introduced Raneem’s Law, placing domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms across the first five police forces. Labour is also providing £20 million this year to specialist organisations delivering vital front-line support – investment the Tories failed to prioritise.
Further measures will be set out later today with the launch of the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, marking the largest crackdown on violence against women and girls in British history. The strategy includes over £1 billion to support victims and tougher action against perpetrators.
By 2029, all police forces will have dedicated rape and sexual offence investigation teams, and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders will be rolled out across England and Wales, with curfews, electronic tagging and exclusion zones for abusers. Since their rollout last year, these orders have already protected more than 1,000 victims, with breaches punishable by up to five years in prison.
