A cross party group of over 60 MP’s has urged Priti Patel to utilise the numerous empty hotel rooms across the country as temporary accommodation for those who need to flee their homes as a consequence of domestic violence during the lockdown period.

As of 2019 Liverpool city centre itself had over 7,000 hotel rooms, the vast majority of which will currently be empty.

The MP’s are calling for emergency measures to be put in place which include:

• Acquiring the empty hotel rooms as emergency refuges
• Providing ring-fenced funding for existing refuges and support services
• A legal amendment that would allow those fleeing their homes due to domestic violence to be given priority in respect of re-housing
• A media campaign to illustrate to the public that the “stay at home” rules do not apply in cases of domestic abuse.

The above measures are essential so that the victims of abuse, who are so vulnerable, do not feel like they have been forgotten during this time. The Government’s message to stay at home to be safe does not apply to these victims, for them their homes are where they are most at risk.

Since the lockdown was introduced, the charity Refuge has reported a 25% increase in calls from victims who are seeking advice and support.  At MSB we have continued to support our clients who are experiencing difficulties at home, including obtaining non-molestation and occupation orders to protect our clients, despite the Courts insisting that hearings are dealt with remotely.

We have also assembled a comprehensive list of services and organisations that can offer support to our community during these unprecedented times. This can be found here.

If you need support or advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.