We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to urge the Department for Communities and Local Government to clarify it\'s position on \'community cohesion\' and Supporting People (now within Local Area Agreements) which is leading to the funding of generic violence against women services and the loss of targeted culturally specific support services that provide crucial pathways of support to vulnerable women from BAMER communities experiencing violence. BAMER women and children facing violence are finding themselves without routes to, and places of safety because of a series of contradictory Government policies - which ultimately expose BAMER women and children to further violence and abuse. The situation has reached a crisis point - there are now only 50% of specialist independent BAMER women\'s led organisations across the UK that existed 5 years ago. Policies such as Community Cohesion and Supporting People are being used to cut specialist services for BAMER women despite evidence that supports the need for culturally specific services and the inability of mainstream services to offer the level of support needed. Independent BAMER womens\' groups are crucial in helping women to access appropriate support, exit violence as well as having a significant impact on their health, well-being and life opportunities.

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