This study is a qualitative analysis of the impact of cohesion and faith-based approach on the lives of ethnic minority women drawn from one-to-one structured interviews with 21 women from South Asian or African-Caribbean backgrounds, who have suffered domestic violence or abuse.

The findings of this research demonstrate no evidence that religious leaders and organisations have made inroads into reaching the most deprived or making a positive impact on the lives of vulnerable women. Moreover, the research shows that poverty, discrimination and social exclusion are as relevant to the idea of the ‘Big Society’ as to previous government’s focus on the idea of social cohesion – and just as urgent to unpick in respect of its impact on the vulnerable women who are the subject of the study.