homemedia / freelancepromoting justicesurviving violent crimeexpert helpofficium blogcontact me
officium - promoting justice for crime victims and survivors

promoting justice for crime victims and survivors

For those affected by violent crime expert specialist services are vital in reclaiming health, rehabilitation and justice.

Home > expert help > women's lives> Women's Aid >rule

expert help expert help

rule

women's lives women's lives

rule
Women's Aidspacer spacer Women's Aid UK spacer

until women and children are safe...

Women’s Aid is the national domestic violence charity which co-ordinates and supports a network of over 370 local domestic violence organisations, providing over 500 refuges, helplines, outreach services and advice centres. Our work is built on 30 years of campaigning and developing new responses to domestic violence.

Women’s Aid works in partnership with governmental departments, social services, police, health care professionals and other voluntary organisations to provide an integrated approach to domestic violence. We work locally and nationally to:

  • Offer support and a place of safety to abused women and children by providing refuges and other services
  • Empower women affected by domestic violence to determine their own lives
  • Provide a national information and referral point for abused women through the Freephone 24 Hour National Domestic Violence Helpline, our website and other resources.
  • Recognise and meet the needs of children affected by domestic violence
  • Promote policies and practices to prevent domestic violence
  • Raise awareness of the extent and impact of domestic violence in society

If you need help and support please call 0808 2000 247, the Freephone 24 Hour National Domestic Violence Helpline run in partnership between Women's Aid and Refuge.

Address: PO Box 391, Bristol, BS99 7WS
Admin Telephone: 0117 944 4411
Admin E-Mail:  info@womensaid.org.uk
Website: www.womensaid.org.uk
The Hideout (for children and young people):
website: www.thehideout.org.uk

Some survivor's stories:

Amy* met her ex when she was 28.  He was charming, lively, always the life and soul of the party.  The abuse started with the odd comment, but 5 months into the relationship he had gone on holiday. When he got back he started shouted at her in the street, asking who she had seen while he was away, and smashed her into a shop front. The relationship became physically violent, and she stayed in the relationship for one year. He now has a criminal record and she has had a lot of help from her local Women's Aid outreach service.

Jo* was 20 when she first met her abusive partner. There was bullying and violence from the beginning of the relationship; he stopped me from going out, turned my friends against me, threw things at me and on several occasions, threatened me with a knife. On one occasion he actually stabbed Jo in the leg. At the hospital, when asked what happened, she said that a stranger stabbed me. They had a son together, so she stayed with her partner for seven years, and eventually found herself turning to drink to block out the sense of isolation and anger that she felt. Her grandmother actually contacted Women's Aid, who found me a place in a Women's Aid refuge. They stayed for seven months and Jo believes that leaving saved her life.

Fiona’s* partner hit her 6 months into the relationship but she believed that he would change, he always apologised and promised that it would stop. He physically and sexually abused her and even beat her so badly that she miscarried twice. Eventually, the beatings got so violent that she ended up in the Severe Head Injuries Unit of a hospital and her employers found out about the abuse. Fiona rang the National Domestic Violence Helpline but was too scared to go to a refuge or the police, so they advised and supported her instead. Her personnel department at work helped her to leave, encouraging her to see a solicitor and helping with a transfer to another part of the country.

 
rule
Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Linkedin Linkedin Newsvine Newsvine