Refuge Life saving and life changing services xxxxx

Refuge Life saving and life changing services xxxxx 2013 Claire Cooper

“We arrived there jumpy, scared, vulnerable people and left as brave, fresh faced people ready to face our new life and overcome inevitable obstacles in the future. ”

Refuge: who we are Global • Opened the world’s first refuge in 1971; • Service pioneer; • Advises internationally on strategies to tackle violence. National domestic violence charity; Largest single provider of services. Local • Supporting 3, 000 women and children on any given day; • Two thirds of the residents in our refuges are children.

The problem 25% of women will be abused at some point in their live 2 women killed by a current of former partner each 27 women attempt suicide every day to escape dome violence 35 Average number of assaults before a woman see help

The problem 90% 750, 000 1 All women of abuse is witnessed by children (where a woman children) children witness domestic violence each year call received by the police in the UK every 30 seco biggest issue affecting women in their lives

1 in every 7 children experience domestic violence

The cost of domestic violence Including all costs, the total cost of domestic violence to the state, employers and victims is estimated at around £ 16 billion s e t c u i p v t r st u e o o s c c c l i i a m l n o b o n u i o P t c o e m e Lost n and Huma n o i l l n i o b i l 3 l £ i n b o i 9 l. £ 1 5 bil £ 9. 9

About domestic violence • Systematic – purposeful – patterned behaviour • Designed to control and abuse another person • Can be physical, sexual, emotional, financial • Majority of domestic violence incidents perpetrated by men against women • 1 in 4 women will experience domestic

Why doesn’t she just leave? • Most women do leave • Domestic violence rarely ends at the point of separation • There are many practical and psychological barriers to leaving • Separation is the most dangerous time

Why doesn’t she just leave? Three quarters of domestic homicides occur when a woman is attempting to separate. It is vital that women and children escaping domestic violence receive specialist support from an organisation like Refuge.

The solution Protection Preventi on Provisio n

xperience: network of services Independent Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence Advocates (IDVAS, IDSVAs, IGVAs) Accredited Training programme Prevention and Education campaigns Institutional Advocacy and Policy Volunteering programmes 37 Refuges nationwide run by domestic violence expert practitioners Floating support Freephone 24 Hour National DV Helpline (run in partnership with Women’s Aid) 0808 2000 247 Resettlement schemes Sanctuary schemes Community outreach services Culturally-specific BAMER refuges, floating support, community outreach and advocacy for South Asian, African and Caribbean, Vietnamese and Eastern European clients and their children

Our values Empowerment Individually tailored support Listening Continuous improvement Clie nt Specialist staff

A snapshot of some of our services

Refuge’s services in Cambridgeshire Service Manager 5 Refuge Workers 1 Outreach Worker 1 Child Support Worker • Two refuges • One outreach worker • One child support worker In 2014/15 our Cambridgeshire services supported 140 women and 177 children to rebuild their lives following domestic violence.

Cambridgeshire referral path To make a referral there are two main numbers that you can call; v 01945588015 -Between the hours of 9 -5 v 07717275942 - 24 hours a day 7 days a week An initial referral and risk assessment will be done with the client by a member of staff. If the client is accepted into the service, a member of staff will meet the client at a meeting point agreed or at the refuge.

The Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) We Listen. We Hear. The Elms SARC offers free support and practical help to anyone in Cambridgeshire who has experienced sexual abuse

The SARC Cambridgeshire Our service is completely confidential and you do not have to give any personal information in order to get help. If you would like to speak to someone we are available 24/7 on 0800 193 5434 or send us a message.

SARC contact details Contact Information Tel: 0800 193 5434 (9 am 5 pm) Out of Hours Help Line: 0800 193 5434 Email Address: theelms. sarc@nhs. net

Refuges More than a roof over a head Huge range of practical & emotional support: - Risk assessment - Safety planning - Housing & resettlement - Immigration issues - Health needs - Legal support - Access to jobs / education - Financial security - Vital emotional support

Community outreach service • Not all women want or need to go into a refuge • Our community outreach workers meet women in their homes, or in a discreet place in the community • They offer confidential support on a range of practical and emotional issues • Our outreach workers can support women who are still living at home, or those who are moving out of a refuge and into a new community

Community outreach service • Refuge runs two community outreach drop-in sessions in Cambridgeshire : – Every Tuesday, 9 am-1 pm, at Circle Housing Roddons satellite office, 9 -11 Edinburgh Drive, Wisbech, PE 13 3 LJ. – Last Thursday of the month, 9 am-12. 30 pm, at East Cambridgeshire District Council offices, The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, CB 7 4 EE.

Our purpose: changing lives and saving lives When women arrive at our services, they often feel shocked and traumatised. Many have experienced months or years of abuse. • • 49% of the women referred to our Cambridgeshire refuges had received death threats from their perpetrators; Over half of women referred to us had been strangled or choked; 54% were being constantly harassed and stalked; 80% reported feeling very afraid of further injury or violence

Our purpose: changing lives and saving lives • we reduced our clients’ risk of homicide by an average 40% across all our Cambridgeshire services; • Over half of clients reported a complete cessation of abuse upon leaving our Cambridgeshire services; • Over half of clients felt not at all frightened or only a little frightened after accessing our Cambridgeshire services

Refuge Child Support Worker (CSW): Janice and Charlotte’s story* • Janice and her three-year-old daughter Charlotte arrived at the refuge after Janice’s partner had abused her and attempted to abduct Charlotte • They were both painfully shy and very introverted • Charlotte would hide behind her mother’s clothes, not speaking or making eye contact with anyone • When activities were planned Charlotte refused to join in, or would only join in if her mother was also involved • She had also reverted to having a comfort blanket with her at all times, and using a baby bottle at night (*names have been changed)

Janice and Charlotte’s story: how did we help? • Our CSW worked with Janice to develop strategies to help reduce Charlotte’s separation anxiety • Reward charts were encouraged to recognise small steps forward • Together they devised a game called ‘Can Mummy be back before we count to 3, 4, 5 etc’ to build Charlotte’s confidence • Charlotte started to join in activities with the other children • Five months after they had moved in, Charlotte asked if she could stay with our CSW to make a mother’s day card whilst her mother was upstairs

Life changing and life saving services

Thank you Refuge is committed to a world where domestic violence is not tolerated or ignored and where women and children can live in safety. www. refuge. org. uk Photographs © Julian Nieman

• Thank you for listening.