Carrie Bower’s Post

🔍 Breaking Barriers: Empowering Communities Against Domestic Violence 🔍 At Saoirse Domestic Violence Services (SDVS), we're dedicated to driving change and fostering awareness around domestic violence and abuse. Today marked a pivotal moment as we hosted our inaugural online, multi-agency participant, half-day training program. The response has been overwhelmingly positive! 🗣️ In anonymous feedback received after today's session, one participant shared: "Thank you to the wonderful facilitator of the course. Very knowledgeable, professional, articulate, personable, and engaging. Content was really valuable and interesting. Overall, I gained a lot of insight and received useful information which is invaluable to support women in our organization (a charity) who are directly or indirectly affected by Domestic Violence and Abuse." 💼 Our CPD accredited sessions, facilitated by QQI certified experts, are designed to equip professionals with the tools to recognize, respond to, and gain a deeper understanding of domestic violence and abuse. 💡 Whether you're a healthcare professional, social worker, educator, or community advocate, our training program can enhance your skills and knowledge. 🗣️"The use of slides, video, polls, verbal information and Q&A was all really valuable and engaging" - (Anonymous participant feedback). 📅 We're thrilled to announce that there are a very limited number of spaces available for our upcoming session on March 6th. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your understanding and contribute to creating safer communities. Secure your spot today through Ticket Tailor https://lnkd.in/eWM2_Jut and be part of the movement to break the silence on domestic violence. Together, we can make a difference. 💪 #DomesticViolenceAwareness #SDVS #Empowerment #TrainingPrograms #BreakTheCycle

Check out this toolkit to help young people recognise abusive relationship behaviour

Today is the start of the 16 Days of Action - a global campaign calling for an end to violence and abuse. The stats will stop you in your tracks, and we're seeing a rise in reports of domestic abuse. The reality is stark, but we can all do something to #ChangeTheStory. Developing the Kent and Medway 16 Days communications campaign for the past 3 years as part of our wider #KnowSeeSpeakOut initiative has been one of the most eye-opening and rewarding campaigns I've worked on. It's about raising awareness to save lives and people need our support now more than ever. Taking action is easy: - Join the campaign at https://lnkd.in/epMhQpqP and spread the word on social media - Become an Employer Champion - get free training and advice on creating a workplace policy - Consider donating to a local or national domestic abuse charity such as Oasis Domestic Abuse Service - every penny is crucial to these vital services In case you don't know: - 2.4 million people in England and Wales experience domestic abuse every year (ONS) - Last year, 5% of adults experienced domestic abuse (ONS) - In 2020/21 there were 4 domestic abuse-linked deaths a week in England and Wales (ONS) - 1 in 5 under 18s will have lived with domestic abuse at some point in their childhood (NSPCC) How else can you take action?

10 years ago, I meet a women who was experiencing domestic violence. She fought hard to keep her baby in her care because the law didn’t think she could provide adequate safety. The onus was on her to demonstrate safety, it wasn’t on the perpetrator. This made me question how this country could do better in recognising domestic violence and keeping women and children safe. Several years later, I worked with families experiencing significant trauma from years of abuse. The onus was on our staff to find appropriate services available for these families. We knew that working through trauma and supporting women to identify domestic violence was crucial in recovery and mitigating further abuse. There were limited services available and those that did exist were significantly underfunded. This made me question how this country could do better in supporting women impacted by domestic violence. Since this time, I have reached out to Government, I have written to politicians, I have made hundreds of requests for funding, and it frustrates me that we are still just talking about it! Women are being murdered and the impact on children is heartbreaking. This now makes me question how far we have come? Yes, there have been small changes during this time, but I had expected to see more. I want to see more money going into frontline services. To the little guys who are too busy keeping women and children alive that they don’t have time to be in Canberra advocating for change. I want to see more support services immediately available to children and young adults, without the long wait lists. *There are such limited options available to young adults experiencing abuse.* I want more support to be available to nurses and doctors who are healing the wounds of victims of abuse, for they are dealing with so much more. I want to see support services available in our schools to help teachers identify abuse and provide them with the tools to know what to do when discloses are made. I want to see systemic change. Without this, we won’t see progress. #domesticviolence #dfv #domesticviolenceandabuse

1.7m women experienced domestic abuse in 2022. 70% of domestic abuse survivors have a housing need AND there’s been a 38% increase in #homelessness with domestic abuse cited as the main cause. Housing for women is desperately needed. Our and Patron Capital's Women in Safe Homes fund is providing domestic abuse survivors with a safe home in local communities where they can put down roots and, with access to specialist support services provided by the fund’s expert housing partners, Nacro, Ella's, Refuge, Stop Domestic Abuse, Daizybell Homes, Cyrenians, Safer Places Domestic Abuse Support Services, Winner, Preston Road Womens Centre and Sheffield Women's Aid, they can start their recoveries and rebuild their lives. Read the fund’s latest social impact report, including women’s stories and the positive outcomes already being achieved for them in https://ow.ly/Fvno50QaLKg #16daysofactivism #NoExcuse #16days #socialimpact #impactinvestment #domesticviolence #domesticabuse #homelessnessawareness #violenceagainstwomen #16DaysOfActivismAgainstGenderBasedViolence

The latest report from the Women in Safe Homes fund reveals a remarkable 91.5% positive impact on women's wellbeing and life outcomes. Explore how gendered housing solutions are making a tangible difference and shaping positive futures – see the Women in Safe Homes fund's latest social impact report. #NOEXCUSE #16DaysofActivism

An important research focus from Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families. Domestic abuse is the most prominent reason that parents and kinship carers calling our advice line cite for why children's services are involved with their children - 29% of callers. Most, but not all, of these callers are mothers who are victims of domestic abuse. Many report feeling further punished by a child welfare system that blames them for failing to protect their child but routinely neither engages with, nor holds to account, the perpetrator of the abuse. Some describe the lack of access to suitable domestic abuse support services and perpetrator programmes.

Women’s Aid’s national manifesto for the 2024 General Election calls for the national prioritisation of domestic abuse and other forms of VAWG, and for political parties to pledge their commitment to our three key pillars. INVEST to save: fund specialist women’s services to save lives and money. SUPPORT survivors: deliver the right response the first time. Even before the start of a survivor’s journey to safety, survivors need to know that no matter where they turn, they will be supported and protected – whether that be, for example, with their mental health, supporting their children’s wellbeing, accessing emergency funds, or securing housing.   PREVENT abuse: transform societal attitudes and understanding Attitudes which enable and excuse domestic abuse to continue are still worryingly prevalent in the United Kingdom. To end domestic abuse, it is vital that we raise awareness and improve understanding of the causes, and to change attitudes to ensure we achieve a world where domestic abuse is no longer tolerated. #domesticabuse #vawg #domesticabuseawareness #burystedmunds #suffolkbusiness

Domestic abuse is widespread and has devastating, long-lasting impacts on children, from mental and physical health, to forming positive, healthy relationships in the future. We don’t know enough about what works to support child victims of #DomesticAbuse. We have identified over 100 interventions aimed at supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse. Two thirds of these interventions have not had the opportunity to be evaluated at all. One third have been evaluated but not assessed to understand their impact on child outcomes. Left unsupported, child victims of domestic abuse are likely to need more and more expensive and intensive help. We are announcing £2.6m to fund and evaluate six promising programmes to support children affected by domestic abuse. #REACHplan Read more about the REACH Plan: https://lnkd.in/eddRth9g

Domestic abuse is far more common than we’d like to believe;  sadly, it often involves children too.  Read more about domestic abuse and how it can affect children, here: https://lnkd.in/gT5xv_W #ChildAbuse #DomesticAbuse #DomesticAbuseAwareness