The perpetration of domestic abuse is a key driver of women’s mental ill health. 45.6% of women in refuge services in 2020-21 reported feeling depressed or having suicidal thoughts as a direct result of the domestic abuse they had experienced (Women’s Aid, 2022).

Yet two literature reviews on mental health and domestic abuse published by Women’s Aid in late 2021 highlighted the many barriers that survivors face in accessing effective mental health support, and the heightened barriers for survivors from Black and minoritised or marginalised groups who face intersecting forms of structural oppression. Women's Aid conducted research to better understand what domestic abuse survivors want and value when it comes to mental health support, and what an effective response looks like. This report outlines the seven key findings, and the priority recommendations for change.