Domestic abuse is getting worse. Education isn’t enough alone

Here’s something too many policymakers overlook: economic abuse is not peripheral. It actively drives poverty and homelessness. Research estimates that over one million UK women are trapped with dangerous partners due to economic abuse, with 36% experiencing mental health problems such as depression or suicidal thoughts, and 11% becoming homeless as a result.

Read more:

These statistics are not abstract. They form part of a bigger picture in which abuse, untreated trauma, poverty and housing insecurity are deeply intertwined. Trauma symptoms such as panic attacks and insomnia make it harder to sustain employment, manage finances or navigate housing systems. Without specialist mental health support, many women lose jobs and fall into rent arrears, pushing them further to the margins.

Nearly one woman in four will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime. Yet there is still no dedicated, nationwide mental health response tailored for survivors. Mental health support is not a luxury add-on; it is the foundation that enables women to rebuild their lives, stay in work and secure stable housing. The cost of this neglect is both human and economic.

One in five women takes time off work because of domestic abuse, and nine in 10 say it affects their performance. The NHS estimates that every £1 invested in community-based mental health support for women could save up to £11 in wider costs – a rare example of sound economics and sound public health going hand in hand.

Yet, even after emotional and psychological abuse was recognised in law, access to trauma-informed therapy remains out of reach for many.

The government’s new focus on schools must be viewed honestly. Teaching young people about consent and challenging toxic myths is vital. But education alone cannot address the trauma already inflicted, nor can it prevent survivors from falling into poverty or homelessness once abuse has already taken hold. And if the government is serious about halving violence against women and girls, it must recognise a simple truth: prevention without recovery is not justice. 

Domestic abuse is evolving. It is more psychological, more sexualised and more destructive. The government’s response must evolve too. Training teachers to challenge misogyny is a start. But until women’s mental health – and the role untreated trauma plays in driving poverty and hidden homelessness – are made core pillars of the VAWG strategy, backed by sustained funding for specialist trauma services, we will continue to fail survivors long after the classroom lesson ends.

Laura McCarthy is a psychotherapist and trustee at Woman’s Trust

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

Change a vendor’s life this winter.

Buy from your local Big Issue vendor every week – and always take the magazine. It’s how vendors earn with dignity and how we fund our work to end poverty.

You can also support online with a vendor support kit or a magazine subscription. Thank you for standing with Big Issue vendors.