Lunchtime Meeting - 12.45pm - Speaker Shropshire Refuge

Today our speaker was Gill, Domestic Violence Services Manager from the N Shropshire Women's Refuge, a post which she has held for 10 years, since the Refuge opened.  Refuge is a UK national charity which was started in 1971 by Erin Pizzey, family care activist and novelist, in Chiswick, London.  The current CEO is Sandra Horley CBE and Refuge is now the largest UK provider of support to victims of domestic violence, also providing a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week helpline in partnership with Women's Aid.  On any given day Refuge's services support around 3000 women and children, and the charity is committed to working towards a world where women and children can live in safety, free from fear: 'For women and children. Against domestic violence'.

There are many types of women who seek the support Refuge can provide; they may be in a forced marriage, a same-sex relationship, in a home where there is great financial security, living in a council-house with several children and no money - no 2 women's story will be the same, but what unites them is the psychological, physical and often sexual abuse they are suffering at the hands of their partner.  1 in 4 women will suffer some degree of domestic abuse in their lifetime and 2 women EVERY WEEK lose their lives to a current or former partner.  Where there is domestic violence in a relationship 55% of women will have been threatened with death, often being subjected to strangling and choking, which they may (or may not) survive.  A woman in crisis rings the police every 30 seconds.

So what does Refuge do to help?  It liaises with the police to help identify women at risk and keeps a database of agencies such as social workers, GP practices, solicitors, schools, health workers, housing departments etc which it helps the women access, with a view to them changing their lives, becoming safe and moving on, perhaps into their own accommodation and getting back to work - a new independent life without violence.  The actual Refuge is the place of safety which enables this to happen while keeping the woman (and any children she brings with her) in a stable, supportive environment.  The average stay is 6-9 months although individuals do stay for a matter of days or up to a year.

One of the most valuable things the women get is help coming to grips with the Criminal Justice System, getting non-molestation orders, or setting up child contact for example - of course child protection and safe-guarding is extremely important and women get input from a designated Health Worker as well a family worker. Refuge support workers take part in MARAC (multi-agency risk-assessment conferencing) which meet monthly to discuss individual cases.

Some women need help with parenting skills and can go on courses for this and also to help get them ready to look for a job.  They will be put in touch with housing agencies when the time comes to move on and helped to set up utilities and source basic furniture etc. Obviously most will need financial support to do this.

Refuge is a charity and as such depends heavily on donations to fund its valuable work.  Gill was extremely happy to be given a cheque for