About the Call

Introduction

AVA (Against Violence and Abuse) and Agenda, the alliance for women and girls at risk, have established a new National Commission to take evidence on the issues experienced by women who have faced domestic and/or sexual violence and who have also faced multiple disadvantage (particularly problematic substance use and mental ill health).

For the purposes of the Commission, domestic and sexual violence are understood to encompass wider forms of violence against women, including: harms related to all forms of sexual violence, intimate partner violence (IPV), so called ‘honour based’ violence, forced marriage, trafficking and female genital mutilation.

About the Commission

A panel of experts, Chaired by Baroness Hilary Armstrong, will report in autumn 2018. Information on the Commission can be found here.  The Commission is working alongside peer researchers who are taking evidence from women with direct personal experience and a group of practitioner experts.

 Why do we want you to respond to the call?

We are seeking evidence from organisations who support women facing domestic and/or sexual violence and multiple disadvantage. We are also interested in hearing from other stakeholders, for example service commissioners, academics, think tanks and government departments.

We are interested in how domestic and sexual violence interconnects with the following issues:

- Substance use and dependence
- Mental ill health
- Poverty
- Homelessness
- Involvement in prostitution
- Involvement in the criminal justice system
- Removal of children
- Disability

Timescale

The closing date for the call is Friday 9th February 2018

Consent

By completing this call for evidence you are confirming that you consent to the information being used for the purposes of the commission and its outputs.  We will contact you before naming you explicitly in any outputs.

If you have any questions about how evidence will be used or the role of the commission please contact the secretariat to the commission on 020 3752 5535 or email commission@avaproject.org.uk

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