Violence Against Women: The Safeguarding Failures and Economic Cost Society Cannot Ignore Part II | By Joy Wisdom, Founder, Joy Wisdom Trust
Continuing on from article one and the conviction of Russell Brand the problem extends far beyond any individual case. The ONS estimates 2.2 million women experienced domestic abuse in England and Wales in the year ending March 2025. Office for National Statistics Figures grow every year, my question is why ?
Why are we still failing to recognise the scale of abuse, the long-term consequences and the safeguards needed to protect women and children?
Misogyny is systemic within UK and does not exist only behind closed doors. It can be found in workplaces, institutions, online environments and everyday interactions where women are intimidated, undermined, objectified or silenced. Sexual harassment, coercive control and violence can flourish when harmful attitudes are normalised and those reporting are subjected to further abuse, fear, disbelief, humiliation or retaliation.
The Government's violence against women and girls strategy explicitly identifies misogynistic attitudes across families, workplaces, communities and institutions. GOV.UK
The Economic Cost of Violence
When a woman's life is disrupted by violence, society carries a cost, but the individual continues to carry the experience.
The economic costs include lost productivity, healthcare, safeguarding services, policing and criminal justice expenditure.
A 2026 Home Office memorandum estimated annual socioeconomic costs, in 2025–26 approximately £89.6 billion for domestic abuse, £6.6 billion for rape and £10.2 billion for other sexual offences. These are category estimates, not a single independently verified total. Source: committees.parliament.uk
The consequences extend far beyond the individual. Women may experience prolonged psychological distress, physical health difficulties, disrupted education, damaged careers, reduced earnings and financial dependence. Some require years of medical, psychological, legal and practical support. Children and families can also experience lasting consequences. The long arm of violence lives on within body-mind-emotion.
The ACE 1998 study (Adverse Childhood Trauma) showed the association of abuse, trauma and health conditions in later life. Suggesting trauma events compound health issues in adulthood. The long arm of abuse continues.
Trauma-informed women's healthcare should recognise the possible connections between past abuse, present symptoms and longer-term health risks, without assuming that trauma explains every condition.
Safeguarding Must Become Meaningful Action
We investigate the crime, but who investigates the lifelong health consequences for individuals who survive it?
We need more than policies sitting in workplace folders.
Society has heard the discussion and debate. Society needs action to feel safe.
Safeguarding requires trained professionals who recognise warning signs, respond appropriately to disclosures, understand coercive control and know how to protect confidentiality and refer individuals to specialist services. A central reporting programme. Childline is not enough, and women’s charities are at the forefront instead of government.
Education is essential, the new government safeguarding approach introduced in summer of 2026, is a step forward. With schools teaching morals, respect, consent, healthy relationships and the dangers of harmful online influences.
Employers also have a role to stamp out harassment, intimidation and abuses of power rather than protecting reputations at the expense of individuals.
Challenge misogynistic attitudes wherever they are found, including harmful cultural expectations, or religious beliefs that excuse domination, control or violence. Report and stamp out instead of keeping silent.
Abuse is not simply an incident to investigate.
It can become a lifetime of consequences requiring sustained understanding and support. The question is no longer whether we understand the problem.
It is whether institutions, workplaces and society are prepared to act before more lives are harmed.
Joy Wisdom Trust: Education, Support and Change
Violence may end. Its consequences can last for decades. Safeguarding and healthcare must recognise both.” Integrated approaches are the way forward.
At Joy Wisdom Trust, we believe the future requires a more integrated understanding of abuse and its consequences. Our specialist programmes combine Body-Mind-Emotion awareness, person-centred support and professional education.
Dissolve and Resolve Emotions (D.A.R.E integrated therapy) out of the box specialist approach aims to help individuals process difficult emotional experiences, alongside appropriate medical, psychological and safeguarding services.
JWT provides educational programmes for professionals and organisations seeking to improve their understanding of women's health, trauma and safeguarding responsibilities.
Through Menoproof Your Life Through the Decades book, I encourage greater awareness of the connections between women's experiences, hormonal health and wellbeing throughout life.
Protect. Educate. Support. Empower.
Joy WisdomFounder, Joy Wisdom Trust & D.A.R.E Therapy Author, Menoproof Your Life Through the Decades. www.joywisdomtrust.org
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