‘Hidden crisis’ of 40,000 women and girls going missing every year due to violence
More than 40,000 women and girls go missing due to violence every year, a “hidden crisis” that must now be addressed, a leading charity has warned.
Missing Persons said women and girls were at extremely high risk of harm if they went missing, with an estimated 27,000 people being victims of sexual assault, harassment or exploitation.
Campaigners are also warning that the government’s strategy to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) within a decade does not go far enough after a plan to deal with this “national emergency” was finally unveiled this week. Charities wrote to Conservation Minister Jess Phillips earlier this year demanding the “strong links” between VAWG be recognized in the strategy as “a way to prevent further harm”.
Missing People issued an urgent warning as the women revealed they were facing abuse that led to their disappearance, saying they had been pushed to a point where their only options seemed to be “either attack the abuser and go to jail, stay there and be a victim and possibly die, or they could disappear”.
One woman, who cannot be named for security reasons, said her ex-husband was so oppressively controlling that he dictated what she would eat, drink and wear, how she would style her hair and make a cup of tea, and even once denied her medical treatment when she was unwell.
“I was so destroyed by who I was that I no longer existed as a person, I had no control over any aspect of my life,” she said. Independent. “I convinced myself that my children would be better off if I died, because what did I bring them? I didn’t see it getting any better… it was getting worse. And I didn’t know how to get out. I was so overwhelmed that I thought I had to get out.”
The woman said that not only did she disappear several times during this marriage, but she was also subjected to “extreme violence”, including sexual violence, in her youth. “I couldn’t figure out how to get out of this situation, so to me it was the most logical thing to do,” he said.
The woman said she received little support, especially when she was a girl. Decades later, many young people at risk of disappearing still say there are no services to meet their needs.
Besides the Lost People, Independent is raising money to launch a new national lifeline for missing youth. A free 24-hour-a-day service, SafeCall aims to reach the more than 72,000 children who go missing in the UK each year, offering them support, safety and connection when they need it most.
donate Here or text SAFE to 70577 to donate £10 to Missing People, enough for one child to get help.
The woman who supported the campaign described SafeCall as “very important, life-changing and life-saving”.
Reflecting on what the service could offer girls who were in a similar situation to hers in their youth, she said: “[It will] give them hope, give them hope, let there be a future, let there be a way out, you will be relieved and there are people to support you; Everything I don’t have.”
Missing People estimates that at least a third (34 percent) of missing women and girls each year are linked to violence; research shows that domestic abuse and other personal safety concerns, such as sexual violence and honour-related abuse, led to the disappearance of an estimated 22,000 women and 19,000 girls. The charity said the most common reason women and girls went missing was fears for their safety, with women aged 18-64 being the group most at risk of harm during disappearance.
Police have now pledged to the charity that it will update national policing guidance and officer training to highlight the links between disappearance and VAWG, and that disappearance is an important point of contact to identify, protect and support survivors. However, Missing People argues that opportunities to protect victims are currently being potentially missed.
“I really think this is a hidden crisis,” said Susannah Drury, Missing People’s director of policy and development. Independent. Reasons for the lack of awareness include inadequate investigations into what happens to people who go missing after they are found, and the difficulties women and girls face in disclosing these experiences, including distrust of the police and fear of repercussions from abusers.
Another woman told Independent was in an abusive relationship in his youth; all the while she was being stalked, faced death threats, and was subjected to emotional, physical, sexual, financial, and digital abuse. She said she wanted to disappear countless times “to escape my reality” and felt helplessly lost in options, but the control she faced from her abuser was so compelling that she was unable to do so.
“They’ll push you to get lost and disappear; it’s happened so many times,” he said.
“But it was like I couldn’t physically do that because of my control, and if you tried to get lost, he’d probably think you were lost with someone else, and then those fears and threats would probably cause you to not be able to go anywhere.
“But I wanted to get lost in my own mind. When you get lost, people see the physical action, but it’s actually been in their own minds all along; not wanting to be seen or not wanting to be a part of this world… It was really hard.”
Ms Drury called for links between the disappearance and the VAWG to be “recognized and responded to”. He said: “This is a problem on such a massive scale that women and girls are being harmed, and in some cases tragically, losing their lives due to this type of violence. And we know that the casualties are so significant as a sign of crisis that something is seriously wrong and the police and other agencies need to intervene.”
Damien Miller, national police chief for missing persons, said: “It is vital that investigators are professionally curious, do not make assumptions and are aware of potential hidden harm. To protect people at risk or suffering, we are committed to continually improving and renewing guidance and training to ensure investigators are well equipped to deal with the complex situations they may encounter.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Every case of disappearance deserves a rapid and comprehensive response from all security agencies. We also recognize the link between disappearance and exposure to violence against women and girls, which is why tackling VAWG is central to our approach.”
Please donate now To the Independent and Missing Persons’ Safe Call campaign, which aims to raise £165,000 to create a free, nationwide service to help vulnerable children find safety and support.
If you or a loved one is lost, text or call the charity Missing People on 116 000 for advice, support and options. It’s free, confidential and non-judgmental. Or visit www.missingpeople.org.uk/get-help
If you are experiencing feelings of distress or finding it difficult to cope, you can speak to Samaritans confidentially on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org or visit . Samaritans Website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are a US resident and you or someone you know needs mental health help right now, call or text 988 or visit: 988lifeline.org To access online chat on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis helpline available to anyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country you can go www.befrienders.org To find a helpline near you.
