Following the jailing of misogynist triple-killer Kyle Clifford, interim CEO of domestic abuse charity Refuge, Abigail Ampofo, reflects on the shocking scale of violence against women and girls and what we can do to tackle it

Louise Hunt ended her relationship with Kyle Clifford just a few weeks before he murdered her

Male violence against women and girls (VAWG) has reached epidemic levels.

As the interim chief executive of Refuge, the country’s largest specialist domestic abuse organisation, I have witnessed this first-hand. Yet, many are still unaware of just how common VAWG is.

Kyle Clifford’s horrific triple murder of Carol, Louise and Hannah Hunt serves as a stark reminder of the atrocities being committed against women on a regular basis. The fact that this was a targeted attack by someone known to the victims – Louise’s ex-partner – highlights the very real danger posed by those who use violence to exert control over their intimate partners.

Every five days, a woman is killed by an abusive partner or ex-partner in England and Wales, most often in her own home.

So while it is shocking to many that dangerous weapons, like crossbows, can be accessed without proper registration or licensing, we must be clear: the real danger comes from the perpetrator, not just the tools they use.

Domestic violence continues to be misunderstood and, worse, ignored. It can happen to anyone, but there is no denying that women are disproportionately impacted by this devastating crime. Refuge’s mission to eliminate domestic abuse will not cease until all women and girls are safe. Unfortunately, as a society, we still have a long way to go in undoing the misogynistic culture that enables such violence.

We are highly aware that misogyny is becoming increasingly commonplace in our society. Much of this is playing out in the digital space, and we must acknowledge that online misogyny has real consequences for the safety of women and girls.

However, even when these consequences are brought into the public eye, it is often forgotten that domestic abuse is not just about physical violence. Lesser-known forms of abuse, such as coercive control, do not receive the same degree of recognition, which means interventions are often slow to happen.

Abigail Ampofo, interim Refuge CEO — Abigail Ampofo

For International Women’s Day in March, Refuge commissioned a survey of the UK public which revealed the scale of domestic abuse is significantly underestimated, with only a quarter of UK adults (26%) aware that one in four women will experience it in their lifetime.

While the vast majority of people (80%) said they would report physical abuse, far fewer people (39%) said they would report the less obvious signs of domestic abuse, such as coercive control, tech-facilitated abuse and economic abuse.

From working with women impacted by domestic abuse, we know that many forms of abuse go unrecognised, unseen, unreported and untold.

Tackling this will be no small feat, but we can all play our part by learning to recognise the signs of abuse and by listening to survivor voices. While no sentence can take away the pain inflicted upon the family and friends of Carol, Louise and Hannah Hunt, we must take action against VAWG before more lives are lost.

I urge everyone to educate themselves about the many ways domestic abuse can present itself, for example, by using the resources available on Refuge’s website, while actively challenging the seemingly small acts of misogyny that shape our society’s attitude towards women and girls.

For anyone experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Refuge will leave no woman behind, and we will not give up until VAWG is eradicated.

Refuge operates the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, a gateway to accessing specialist support across the country. Refuge also offers a live chat service, which is available 10am-10pm, Monday to Friday. Find out more and get in touch:
Call 0808 2000 247
Visit nationaldahelpline.org.uk

To access educational resources on VAWG and for support with tech-facilitated abuse:
Visit refugetechsafety.org

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