The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire is facing calls to deliver a stalled women's refuge in Scarborough, which currently has the highest rate of reported domestic abuse in the county.
The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire has been strongly urged to deliver a dedicated women's refuge in an area that currently suffers from the highest rate of reported domestic abuse in the county.
Scarborough has the highest rate of reported domestic abuse in North Yorkshire and urgently requires a women's refuge, the town's Member of Parliament, Alison Hume, has stated.
The representative is officially calling on David Skaith, the elected Labour Mayor for York and North Yorkshire, to step in and deliver a women's refuge on the coast. The move is designed to allow her constituents to escape dangerous situations and move on from their isolating and traumatic experiences of domestic abuse.
Addressing the House of Commons during a speech in Parliament this week, Alison Hume said:
"In coastal communities such as mine in Scarborough and Whitby, we see persistently high levels of domestic abuse where victims and survivors are hidden and isolated. Scarborough has the highest rate of reported domestic abuse in North Yorkshire.
A landmark report found that, on average, victims in rural areas, including North Yorkshire, were subject to abuse for 25 per cent longer and were half as likely to report it compared with victims in urban areas."
The construction of a much-needed refuge for victims of domestic violence in Scarborough was initially given the official go-ahead in June 2022. However, more than four years later, the development plan remains completely stalled.
In 2023, North Yorkshire Council provided an update on the situation, stating that inflationary costs have impacted the scheme. The crucial project was being developed by Beyond Housing, a provider which also bought the designated site from the council.
During the 2024 general election campaign, Alison Hume made a commitment to voters. She stated that she would ensure the women's refuge in Scarborough is built and champion the delivery of preventative work in schools across the region.
The delays come at a time when referrals for domestic violence support are increasing rapidly. Referrals to the Independent Domestic Abuse Services in North Yorkshire have continued to rise over recent years.
The organisation serves as the largest charity supporting victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence in the county. In 2025, the charity received more than 20,000 referrals for assistance, a sharp rise compared to the 18,000 referrals it handled in 2022.
Alison Hume recounted her experiences of working on countless heartbreaking cases on behalf of her constituents. She highlighted instances where women experiencing domestic abuse have been denied the support that they so desperately need.
One constituent recently told the Member of Parliament that she had contacted multiple different organisations to try to get help so that she and her child could safely move away from her abuser. However, the resident was told by the organisations that there is not much help they can give.
In another distressing case, a survivor wrote to the Labour Member of Parliament to say she was currently homeless and paying to live with her three children in hotels.
Speaking further on the issue in Parliament, Alison Hume said:
"My constituents desperately want to move on from their isolating and traumatic experiences of domestic abuse.
Sometimes, dispersed accommodation is the answer, and other times the answer is a refuge, but there is no refuge in the North Yorkshire council area, the largest county by area in England.
I urge the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to deliver a women’s refuge on the coast."
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