Victims of domestic abuse in the United Kingdom have long faced daunting obstacles in seeking justice and support, but a wave of new initiatives and calls for reform are casting a spotlight on both the challenges and the promising solutions emerging across the country. As of November 2025, the issue has reached what experts are calling a “public emergency,” with staggering numbers and deeply personal stories driving urgent action from legal, healthcare, and advocacy communities alike.
According to a report published in October 2025 by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, domestic abuse features in almost 90% of family court cases. The gravity of the crisis is underscored by recent statistics: in the year ending March 2024, more than 1.2 million women and over 550,000 men aged 16 to 59 were estimated to have been victims of domestic abuse in England and Wales. In Northern Ireland, police recorded nearly 30,000 domestic abuse incidents between June 2024 and June 2025, accounting for about 20% of all reported crime, as reported by BBC News NI and corroborated by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Yet, for many survivors, the journey through the justice system is fraught with additional trauma. The Bar Council, representing 18,000 barristers in England and Wales, has raised alarm over the state of family court facilities, describing them as “dilapidated” and sometimes unsafe. Barbara Mills KC, chair of the Bar Council, painted a stark picture: “At some courts, victims and alleged perpetrators are forced to sit in the same waiting room; meetings are held in rooms where you can hear what is being discussed next door; there’s no drinking water or places to wash your hands; a lack of security means lawyers and our clients are in danger.”
Mills emphasized that “violence against women and girls is not a private issue, it is now a public emergency. We know that women and girls are hurt by men who profess to love them, in the place they call home.” She stressed the need for investment in survivor-centred justice focused on early intervention and prevention, arguing that “every pound spent on preventing and responding to gender-based violence saves many more in healthcare, law enforcement, education and productivity.”
Legal aid, meant to provide financial support for those navigating the courts, remains out of reach for most. Only 15% of families are currently eligible, a situation that has turned vast swathes of the country into so-called “legal advice deserts.” Many people, unable to afford counsel, are forced to represent themselves as “litigants in person,” often facing their abusers in court—a retraumatizing ordeal. The Qualified Legal Representative scheme, introduced in 2022 to protect victims from cross-examination by their abusers, has been deemed insufficient due to chronic underfunding.
The Bar Council is now calling for sweeping changes: increased legal aid funding, removal of means-testing for alleged victims, and bringing all domestic abuse cases within the scope of legal aid for both parties. Mills put it bluntly: “A society cannot call itself prosperous when women and girls continue to live in fear.”
Amid these systemic challenges, a beacon of hope has emerged from the healthcare sector. On November 12, 2025, Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) officially launched the Unlock Safety Initiative, a groundbreaking program that will see over 600 nursing students each year trained to spot the signs of domestic abuse. This is the first initiative of its kind in the UK and aims to equip future nurses with the skills to recognize abuse, respond effectively to disclosures, and connect patients with appropriate support services.
The program is the result of a collaboration between QUB’s School of Nursing & Midwifery, Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), and the Executive Office’s Change Fund. The training is integrated throughout the three-year nursing degree, ensuring that new nurses enter the workforce ready to play a frontline role in tackling violence against women and girls.
Johanna McMullan, Director of Education at QUB’s School of Nursing & Midwifery, explained the profound responsibility nurses carry: “Nurses and midwives have a unique relationship with those in their care, as well as their families. We are often right beside them, supporting them when they are at their most vulnerable, and it is a role that we take very seriously.” She added, “The sad reality is that most of our students who receive this fundamental training will inevitably have to utilise these skills in some capacity throughout their career. I have no doubt that this incredible initiative will have a profound and lasting impact on our students.”
To signal their training and trustworthiness, nurses who complete the program will receive a “Feeling Safe is Key” badge, letting patients know they are a safe professional to confide in. Sarah Mason MBE, CEO of Women’s Aid Federation NI, called the initiative “a good day on the road to prevention.” She noted that in the last year alone, Women’s Aid supported 7,637 women and 5,293 children, including 266 pregnant women and 10 babies born while their mothers were in refuge. Mason emphasized the importance of recognizing that “pregnancy can be a trigger for domestic abuse.”
Professor Rita Devlin, Executive Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland, highlighted the broader impact: “Domestic abuse remains one of society’s most pervasive yet hidden issues. While some healthcare professionals recognise the signs, many still lack the training and confidence to act effectively. All healthcare workers should be equipped to identify abuse, including knowing who may be at risk, how abuse presents in different settings and how to start difficult but vital conversations.”
Student nurses have also expressed strong support for the initiative. Kellie-Ann Winchester, a second-year adult nursing student at QUB, said the training will “give student nurses the awareness of domestic abuse, in particular the signs that aren’t always visible to the eye.” She added, “I think it’s going to be great for early intervention. You know, getting in early, breaking the cycle and then we can better inform our care as well. We could intentionally change lives from the very start which is incredible.”
Louise Bradford, a third-year learning disability nurse, echoed these sentiments, telling BBC News NI, “If we are being supported to see the signs and be informed of domestic abuse and violence that can happen to the individuals that we care for, it supports us to support them, make a change and maybe even save a life.”
The Unlock Safety Initiative is seen as a model for other universities and healthcare institutions across the UK, with the potential to transform how professionals respond to domestic abuse. It is part of a broader strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, as the government prepares to unveil its ten-year plan to halve such violence.
For those affected by domestic abuse, support is available. In the UK, women can call the national domestic abuse helpline at 0808 2000 247 or visit the Refuge website. Men can reach out to the dedicated advice line at 0808 8010 327. In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), and international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
While challenges remain, the combination of legal reform and innovative training programs like Unlock Safety signals a shift toward a more survivor-centred, proactive approach—one that could change countless lives for the better in the years ahead.
