'Sometimes I think he will kill me' – domestic abuse victims come forward across region
“I cannot leave my abuser I am stuck. No money, no place to go. Sometimes I think he will kill me.”
Those are the words of one of the many victims of domestic abuse who have responded to a survey launched to help find out more across the region.
The two surveys launched include one for women who are victims of domestic abuse and another for providers who offer support to victims.
They were launched by West Midlands Victims’ Commissioner Nicky Brennan to gauge how dire the situation is across the region and to help West Midlands Police to monitor how hard rising bills are impacting both victims and support services.
West Midlands Victims’ Commissioner Nicky Brennan said: “We have already heard from many women who are in a desperate situation and the cost of living crisis is making everything worse.
“More and more women are not able to raise the funds to escape their abusers and I want to use the findings of these surveys to lobby government for more support, be it direct, through support services or through more refuge space.”
One woman who completed the survey wrote: "I have no idea what is really going on inside this prison…no one comes, no one helps. I don’t even know if anyone knows I’m alive here.”
Those are the words of one woman who is being abused by her partner as the cost of living crisis deepens.
Other feedback from victims include: “All I want is for me and my children to be safe and not feel like I am begging for support.”
Another said: “I cannot leave my abuser I am stuck. No money, no place to go. Sometimes I think he will kill me.”
One provider said: “We have found more women to be left in debt, especially utility bills.
"They are in constant use of food banks and cannot afford to travel.
"There is a real increase in having to source basic but essential items like a kettle, bedding, tv, phone etc.”
West Midlands Police is urging more victims and support services to take part in the survey before it closes on August 25.
Victims can take part by going to westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/for-victims-cost-of-living-on-victims-of-domestic-abuse-survey/
Providers can take part by going to shorturl.at/bevz8
