THE mental health of women and girls affected by domestic abuse should be a “key priority” in upcoming government strategies, a charity said today.

An open letter from Woman’s Trust to Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said there had been “no response” from government over the the impact of trauma on the mental health of survivors.

It urges the government to stop prioritising “the agenda set by the perpetrator, by focusing only on survivors’ physical safety,” stressing they must respond to mental health needs too. 

A recent report by Woman’s Trust found one in two women experiencing domestic violence seek mental health support.

It claims that there are more domestic abuse deaths by suicide than murder, with at least two women taking their own life each week, while half of all suicide attempts by women are linked to domestic abuse.

The charity also warned that domestic abuse is costing Britain’s economy billions every year.

The government said it had prioritised funding to deliver an additional 345,000 NHS talking therapies interventions to ensure survivors get the support they need.