WOMEN’S aid services are losing out to a “wider equalities agenda” that’s pushing them to the edge, it is claimed.

Three separate organisations in North Lanarkshire fell into ­crisis earlier this year after the local ­authority decided to move its cash to a programme that did more for men.

It said the established groups – Monklands Women’s Aid, Motherwell District Women’s Aid and North Lanarkshire Women’s Aid – weren’t “economically advantageous” enough and a £1.4 million contract with community justice organisation Sacro would address “gaps in ­services” for male victims, people from ethnic ­minority backgrounds and the ­LGBTQ+ community.

The move, called “callous” by Scottish Women’s Aid chief executive Dr Marsha Scott, saw the established groups lose the funding from June.

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While all are trying to keep their services ongoing, the change has cost the provision of face-to-face sessions for women.

Outreach for this group – statistically the most at-risk from domestic violence and abuse – is now handled by Sacro’s web and phone service Aura.

Several experienced women’s aid workers have been made redundant, amid increasing demand for help.

Police recorded 4800 incidents of domestic abuse in the area in 2019-20 and local women’s aid managers say they’re receiving more calls from women seeking support and protection.

On Friday, the Scottish Government announced all three of the groups had won a share of the £38m Delivering Equally Safe (DES) fund, which is shared between 120 services.

The nationwide pot is directed to “frontline services which provide direct support to women and girls, ­prioritising services that maximise their safety and wellbeing” as part of the SNP administration’s commitment to tackling gender-based ­violence and inequality.

But the North Lanarkshire groups say their capacity has been severely impacted and they’re trying to work out how to keep helping those in need despite dwindling reserves.

Earlier this month, Margaret Ann Jones, chief executive of Motherwell and District Women’s Aid, called the situation “dire” and warned it had fewer than two months of reserves remaining.

Now leaders say that while they’re grateful for the DES share, it’s not enough to cover the shortfall, and ­serious fears remain.

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Sharon Aitchison of Monklands Women’s Aid told the Sunday ­National: “We are immensely ­grateful for our Delivering Equally Safe award, this will ensure that our specialist children’s service and our ­specialist women’s advocates service will endure.

“Unfortunately, we are still left to wrestle with the deficits in service provision that resulted from the North Lanarkshire Council decision to procure services that met the wider equalities agenda at the cost of the ­violence against women agenda.

“The demand for specialist women’s aid services continues to grow as the funding continues to dwindle.”

North Lanarkshire Council has said the Sacro contract was awarded after a “normal procurement process and regulations” and it will “continue to work with local women’s aid groups for other services”.