Why women-only? The value and benefits of 'by women, for women' services
Date: October 2007
97% of women want the right to choose a women-only service following sexual assault but their access to women-only services is being threatened.
A poll undertaken by the Women's Resource Centre shows that women overwhelmingly want women-only services in areas as diverse as health, counselling, when reporting crimes of
domestic and sexual violence, gyms, employment and leadership training. But the misconception that women are now equal means that women-only services are seen as outdated and unnecessary. This is resulting in the closure of many women’s organisations that have historically provided safe and empowering women-only spaces and women-led services.
WRC’s research has shown that women-only organisations are unable to meet the high demand for their services. This is resulting in long waiting lists and vulnerable women having to be turned away. Many service-users stated that women-only services were a vital lifeline for them and that they would not have engaged with statutory or mixed gender services.
- "I most certainly would not have gone if there were male participants there, 'cause it’s actually a vulnerable position, particularly if you’ve had an experience of being attacked or assaulted…mixed normally means male-dominated in many cases…” (London Centre for Personal Safety, focus group participant)
Women-only organisations are coming under increasing pressure to justify their women-only status, and many are angry at the possibility of their demise in the future.
Vivienne Hayes, Director of WRC says: “Our research highlights the life changing impact that ‘by-women, for-women’ organisations have with their ethos of empowering women and meeting their needs holistically. If the Government fails to address closures and continues to under resource the sector, the social and economic repercussions will be catastrophic.”
This research forms part of the second phase of WRC’s why women? campaign, which is calling on the government to recognise the value of the women’s voluntary and community sector, an immediate halt to further closures, and for sustainable funding.