Act for Better  & Punishment of Aggravated Assaults (1853)
Allowed imprisonment for men who beat their wives for up to 6 months.

 

Offences Against the Person Act (1861)
Made common assault an offence and criminalised inflicting bodily injury, with or without a weapon.

 

Matrimonial Causes Act (1878)
Allowed women survivors of violence in marriage to obtain separation orders.

 

Married Women’s Property Act (1882)
Gave married women the right of absolute control over their own money and property.

 

The Right to Vote (Equal Franchise Act) (1928)
All women over 21 were granted the same voting rights as men.

 

Rape Legally Defined (1956)
Rape was legally defined for the first time.

 

Equal Pay Act (1970)
This landmark legislation made it illegal to have different pay scales for men and women for the same work or work of equal value.

 

Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Bill Act (1970)
Required local authorities to provide welfare services to disabled people.

 

First Women's Refuge (1971)
The world's first safe house for women and children escaping domestic abuse was opened by Refuge in Chiswick, London.

 

Sex Discrimination Act (1975)
Made it illegal to discriminate against women in employment, education, and training, and gave women the right to maternity pay.

 

Race Relations Act (1976)
Significantly extended rights to prevent discrimination on the grounds of race.

 

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Criminalised (1985)
The act of FGM became a criminal offence.

 

First Domestic Abuse Helpline (1987)
Established by Women’s Aid, providing a critical support line.

 

‘The Hidden Struggle’ Report (1989)
The first research into the experiences of black women and domestic abuse was released.

 

Marital Rape Criminalised (1991)
In a historic ruling, the House of Lords declared that it was a crime for a husband to rape his wife.

 

Violence Against Women & Girls Recognised (1993)
The UN officially recognised violence against women and girls as a human rights violation.

 

Protection from Harassment Act (1997)
New legislation introduced to protect people from harassment.

 

Occupation & Non-Molestation Orders (1997)
Introduced to exclude perpetrators from the home and prevent threats or violence.

 

First LGBT+ Helpline (2002)
Broken Rainbow (now run by Galop) set up the first helpline for LGBT+ survivors.

 

New FGM Act (2003)
Increased penalties and explicitly covered UK nationals who took children abroad for FGM.

 

‘Making the Links’ Report (2008)
The first national report by Women’s Aid on the impact of domestic abuse on disabled women.

 

Destitution Domestic Violence (DDV) Concession (2012)
Scheme introduced to help migrant survivors with No Recourse to Public Funds access benefits.

 

Clare’s Law (2014)
Gives anyone the right to ask the police if their partner has a history of domestic violence offences.

Coercive Control Criminalised (2015)
A huge step forward, making patterns of controlling behaviour a criminal offence under the Serious Crime Act.

 

Domestic Abuse Act Becomes Law (2021)
Legally defined domestic abuse and recognised children as victims in their own right.

 

Time Limit for Reporting Assault Extended (2021)
Refuge, with partners, successfully campaigned to extend the time limit for reporting common assault.

 

The Naked Threat Campaign (2021)
Threats to share intimate images is now a criminal offence thanks to campaigning by Zara McDermott and others.

 

Online Safety Act Strengthened (2023)
After campaigning, the Act was updated to include duties for tech companies around coercive control and VAWG.

 

The First Survivor-Led, Privacy-First Safety Website (2025)
Guardian Angel is launched, becoming the world's first website to combine zero-knowledge encryption, comprehensive safety tools, and a survivor-led vision into a single, live and accessible ecosystem. It represents a new chapter in using technology to empower survivors.