In First Minister’s Questions today (February 11), Paul Davies AM/AC – the Leader of the Opposition in the Welsh Parliament – pressed Mark Drakeford on just what his party’s government is doing to support survivors, some 12,000 in Wales, of domestic abuse.

Mr Davies, describing domestic abuse as an “…horrific aspect of life for many people in Wales”, said that crucial to providing correct levels of support is mapping an accurate picture of service provision and ensuring a joint pathway of support so that survivors don’t have to navigate a complex and fragmented system. 

He said:

“The Auditor General reported that there was a postcode lottery of provision with some survivors stating that they were overwhelmed by the number of agencies, whilst some fell through the gaps, and some have reported inconsistencies with information from different agencies.”

Mr Davies said that of major concern were the 431 survivors who were not able to access a refuge. He added that shortly after the report was published, the Welsh Labour Government stated that it welcomed the report and its recommendations, but that it “needed time” to reflect on those recommendations.

Mr Davies said he was concerned about the continuing delays associated with the 2015 act, adding that the Welsh Labour Government has taken more than four years to lay national indicators following that act.

Addressing the First Minister, he continued:

“We on this side of the chamber want to work with you to ensure that the national indicators and the objectives of the National Advisors on domestic abuse are appropriate. 

“However, I am concerned that the objectives do not appear to focus on a major area of helping to increase victim confidence and access to justice, especially as four out of five women do not report abuse to the police.”

Speaking later, Mr Davies said:

“Let’s be clear; the responsibility for preventing domestic abuse against women, men, and children lies with the perpetrator. However, the responsibility for how survivors in Wales are supported and helped lies squarely with the government, in this case the Welsh Labour administration, and it could and should be doing more.

"A Welsh Conservative Government would support all survivors of domestic abuse by increasing assistance for the vital refuges and essential community support services survivors may require, because anything less would be abandoning people at what is often their time of greatest need and vulnerability.”