(Title Image: Wales Audit Office, Crown Copyright)
The Wales Audit Office has published a report saying that progress in delivering some key aspects of the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Act 2015 has been poor (pdf).
The report criticised what it describes as overlapping and inconsistent approaches which have resulted in duplication of services and short-termism. Guidance from the Welsh Government was also described as limited and produced up to two years late in some cases. New duties placed in different pieces of legislation were said to be “stretching capacity” to deal with domestic abuse within public bodies.
The system was, however, praised for the importance placed on preventative work, work to raise awareness and improvements in regional working.
Auditor General, Adrian Crompton, said: “It’s concerning to find that, four years after the introduction of this ground-breaking legislation, victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence are still being let down by an inconsistent and complex system.”
