Welsh Women’s Aid Annual Report 2014-15 Message from our Chair of Trustees

2014-2015 was a time of change for Welsh Women’s Aid, and following Paula Hardy’s departure at the start of the year, we welcomed our new Chief Executive Officer, Eleri Butler. Eleri has several years’ experience working on domestic abuse prevention and since she started she has supported Trustees and led the management team and staff to refresh our strategic plan for the next few years. level, and we continue to work as part of This process started earlier in the year a UK network of specialist services that with member consultations at regional meet needs, maximise safety, and work and national meetings, at individual to prevent and member meetings and has also involved children in our communities. consultation with survivors, with our funders, and with everyone who works at We are very grateful to our funders and Welsh Women’s Aid. supporters throughout this period, it is they who collectively make our vital As a national federation of member services across Wales possible. I would organisations that provide specialist also like to thank my dedicated team of services across Wales, it is our number Trustees who work with me on the Board. one priority to ensure that we meet the Following a review of our skill-sets and needs of our members and of survivors capacity, we have embarked on a major who need help and support. Refuge recruitment drive to expand our Board services provide vital support for women membership in 2015. I very much look and children living in fear as a result of forward to welcoming our new Trustees coercive controlling abuse, sexual or into Welsh Women’s Aid in 2015. We physical violence at the hands of their are also extremely thankful for the partners or family members. Many of our dedication and commitment of our staff members have been providing services team and volunteers. It is through their in Wales for over four decades; they were continued efforts that Welsh Women’s often started by women who had fled Aid continues to lead the way in Wales abuse themselves, and many who work in to support delivery of the most vital and lead these services are themselves services to survivors and to work towards survivors. We remain committed to the prevention of domestic abuse in the effectively providing a voice for specialist longer term. services and for survivors at a national

Maria Thomas Chair, Welsh Women’s Aid Board of Trustees Introduction from our Chief Executive

I joined Welsh Women’s Aid in November 2014 and I’m very pleased to be back in Wales, having worked in England for over 25 years on domestic abuse and violence against women prevention.

Our work is as important now as it was in 1978 when we started representing the national network of domestic abuse services in Wales. I firmly believe our But none of this would have been possible network of national and local services without the support of our funders; I’d like is one of the foremost achievements of to thank them for their continued support the women’s movement in Wales and for our work through this period. the UK. Yet we still face unprecedented demand for specialist services, which I also want to thank our dedicated and continue to be insecurely funded and exceptional team of staff and volunteers, which still have to make the case for their our Board of Trustees, and especially our very existence in many areas. In 2014-15, national network of specialist services that 150 UK women have been killed through provide lifesaving services for survivors known or suspected male violence. and their families across Wales. They work This is the price we pay as a society for hard every day to promote equality and not taking this most predictable and human rights, empower survivors, and to preventable crime seriously. contribute collectively to achieve our goal: an end to domestic abuse and all forms This year, we successfully campaigned of violence against women. for improvements to new legislation to make sure it is the best it can be to Most of all, thanks to those survivors who support survivors and prevent violence met with me in my first year, to share their and abuse. Meanwhile we continue to experience of services and their vision of advocate for the UK government to ratify how things can be so much better. Their the ‘’ which will aide strength, courage and determination is us in our work to prevent violence against inspirational. We will continue to place women and children and to promote and survivors’ experiences at the centre of strengthen their human rights. our work to achieve real change that lasts for survivors, families and communities This annual report sets out many more of across Wales. our achievements throughout 2014-2015.

Eleri Butler CEO, Welsh Women’s Aid Our Achievements in 2014/15 26 member organisations providing lifesaving services across Wales

12,274 4,349 10,347 3,892 Adults Children Adults Children

Number of adults & children and young Number of survivors who were people who were referred to domestic supported directly or indirectly abuse services provided by Welsh Women’s Aid members

Supported Supported Children Adults & Young People

• 1,264 (99% women) were accomodated • 805 children were accomodated and and supported in refuge services. supported in refuge services. • 2,027 (97% women) were supported by • 1,091 children were supported by domestic abuse floating support services. domestic abuse floating support services. • 7,056 (95% women) were supported • 1,996 children were supported through through domestic abuse outreach services domestic abuse outreach services in the in the community. community. 2,156 subscribers to our briefings, 28,526 policy updates and newsletters calls and emails to our All Wales Domestic Abuse and Helpline; 14,504 individuals received help and support. 476 women (16% of survivors) and their children were 6,842 directly referred to emergency refuge total follows/likes accommodation. on Twitter and Facebook women have experienced domestic abuse since the age of 16, and two women a week on average are killed by their partner or ex-partner. 4.6 More than 47,000 incidents of domestic abuse were reported to the police in Wales last year, and over 124,000 victims reported a sexual million offence.

1 in 7 children and young people will have experienced living with

children and young people witness or experience domestic abuse in the UK

it’s estimated there are

Domestic abuse costs Wales £303.5m annually, its human 140 and emotional cost totals an victims of female genital mutilation additional £522.9m

victims100 of

14,000 people feel safer, or are safer, as a result of work undertaken in Wales to tackle domestic abuse and sexual violence between October 2013 – March 2015

Welsh Women’s Aid spends:

• 89p in every pound on charitable activities

11p in every pound on business support, governance and fundraising Prevention: Education and Informing to Change Attitudes

Internationally and across the UK, there End Violence Against Women and following was unprecedented coverage this year 16 Days of Action to end gender-based of the success of feminist campaigning, violence (November 25-December 10), covering a wide range of interconnecting we joined forces with BAWSO and other issues. These ranged from levels services, survivors, and local multi-faith and in the UK, unjust convictions, sexism community groups, to raise awareness of in the press and on social media, the rights violence and abuse in local communities. of girls to an education, the treatment Assembly members across all political of women and girls seeking asylum, parties in Wales joined us to pledge their and campaigns to end female genital support to end male violence against mutilation, to name but a few. women.

In Wales, we have supported national campaigns and we also raise awareness and promote best practice to achieve prevention. We do this through education, public service delivery and in communities; campaign for gender equality and challenge attitudes to reduce social tolerance of domestic abuse and all forms of violence against women.

To commemorate the International Day to Led by our ambassador, actor Gareth “The greatest thing I have gained is power David-Lloyd, we supported men, women over my own life, power to be resilient, to and families to ‘walk a mile in her shoes’ bounce back, power to be at peace with through the streets of Cardiff, to raise myself, power to endure, power to love awareness and talk about gender relations and be loved, to give and receive, to be and men’s sexualized violence against productive, creative and accomplish.” women. One survivor who took part in this project We also actively support campaigns has written a memoir of her experience and events across Wales, which this year (‘A Father’s Betrayal’) and we are delighted included supporting Reclaim the Night that she has since gone on to win the 2015 events and a national Anti-Trafficking Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize for her campaign in Wales, coordinated by campaigning work. BAWSO. “Twenty years later I’ve finally found the Throughout all our awareness raising courage to speak out, however, I for one and prevention work, we make sure understand why so many decide not to that survivors’ voices are central to our speak out… so many women who are being approach. In November 2014, through our abused, who chose to take their own lives, survivor engagement project we supported and also those who are murdered. This survivors to share their experiences is why we all need to come together and and produced an e-book of survivor raise our voices to be heard.” stories. Their aim was to bring hope and encouragement to others and help raise awareness of women’s journeys to independence and freedom.

“If my story can encourage just one woman to seek help, then it’ll be worth it. I realise that I’ve had a lucky escape…” ‘Where are the Women?’ Campaign

Welsh Women’s Aid worked with members and introduces a statutory duty to prevent of the Wales Violence Against Women domestic abuse. Action Group throughout the year to call for amendments to and to strengthen what Hailed as a global exemplar of violence started out as the Gender-Based Violence, against women prevention legislation Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence by Professor Evan Stark, the Bill passed Bill. Following our collaborative positive through the Welsh Assembly by March campaign, the resulting ‘Violence Against 2015, and was enacted in April. Our focus Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual now will be on making sure the Act helps Violence (Wales) Act 2015 strengthened reduce all forms of violence against women its educational focus, introduced statutory in Wales. guidance, public authority champions, Still We Rise: Preventing Violence Against Women in Wales As the year drew to a close, we were women, equality and human rights. A honoured and delighted to welcome wide range of renowned speakers and Rashida Manjoo, the then UN Special activists joined us over the two days, to Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, highlight best practice in ending all forms to open our conference, one year on after of violence against women and girls and her 16 day mission to the UK in 2014. consider how this can be achieved in Wales. Bringing together professionals and campaigners from across Wales and 9 in 10 delegates reported an increased the UK, our conference was chaired knowledge of violence against women by Professor Aisha Gill, and aimed to and what to do to prevent it, as a result of highlighted connections between domestic attending our conference. abuse and other forms of violence against Provision: Supporting Specialist Services Across Wales Listening and responding to the experiences and needs of specialist services and of survivors in Wales, is our top priority. Each year we consult with members to make sure we are providing information and help where it’s needed most. We support specialist services across Wales to build their capacity, deliver high-quality support, and keep up to date on policy and practice developments. We also represent and provide services with a voice locally, regionally, nationally, and at a UK and international level. Children Matter Project Through school and community programs, 81% children supported reported increased our Children Matter project aims to prevent knowledge and understanding of abuse; 76% domestic abuse and violence against knew where to go for help, and 80% felt women by challenging gender inequality better able to identify the warning signs of experienced by young people, improve an unhealthy relationship. their safety, and minimise the future impact on children and young people who have All professionals trained to deliver STAR witnessed or experienced abuse. Services programmes said the training was useful, include S.T.A.R. programmes and training in 94% reported being very satisfied, and 99% programme delivery, and awareness raising would recommend the training to others. of the effects of domestic abuse on children and young people.

1458 children and young people benefitted from programmes, 522 professionals were trained to deliver programmes and over 6,200 children received awareness raising sessions on domestic abuse delivered in educational and community settings in partnership with voluntary and statutory agencies. Welsh Women’s Aid Training Service We are an accredited Agored Cymru Our response to the government’s National centre and deliver specialist training to a Training Framework programme, and range of professionals across Wales so feedback from members, also led to a that they can better support and meet fundamental review of our training service. survivors’ needs and reduce the risk posed From 2015, opportunities to deliver a by perpetrators. National Training Service in partnership with specialist services will be prioritised. In 2014 we delivered training sessions on stalking and harassment, risk assessment, vicarious trauma, governance, domestic abuse awareness and work place policy training. Promoting Sustainability of and Best Practice within Specialist Services

Throughout the year we provided weekly In response to concerns about the capacity email newsletters and briefings to specialist of specialist services to respond to the services on welfare and housing reform, increase in demand from survivors and policy and legislative developments. the public sector, we have supported and encouraged regional networks, promoting In response to feedback received, we examples of good practice where prioritised the completion of the Wales partnerships in Wales have already been National Quality Standards for specialist formed. domestic abuse services. The aim of the quality mark will be to help services From next year, we will develop evidence how they best meet survivors’ separate parallel work strands to advise needs and become beacons of best practice commissioners on survivors’ needs in the sector. With the support of Welsh and good practice in domestic abuse Government, we will be piloting these with commissioning, and also aim to support specialist services in 2015/16. services engage in commissioning processes where necessary.

National Voice for Specialist Services We continued to represent specialist Relationships in Schools, and the Homeless services voices and experience to Code of Guidance, to name a few. government to make sure the changes we advocate meet survivors’ needs, throughout • At Westminster, our work on non- 2015 and beyond: devolved issues included responding to consultations on coercive control legislation, • In Wales, we collectively made a real FGM protection orders, College of Policing impact on the content of the first Violence professional practice guidance on domestic Against Women, Domestic Abuse abuse, and gave oral evidence to the and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act, and Westminster All Party Parliamentary Group contributed to strengthening the Renting on Domestic and Sexual Violence Inquiry on Homes (Wales) Bill; the Child Poverty the increasing budget pressures on services Strategy; the Curriculum Review for Healthy in Wales. Protection and Support: Delivering Direct Services

The All Wales Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Helpline

Welsh Women’s Aid has, for 11 years, confident (able to recognise the signs of successfully delivered the high-quality abuse; more in control and aware of services Wales Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence to support them; more knowledgeable Helpline for survivors, family/friends and about their rights and next steps) and more professionals; managing 216,671 calls positive about the future. between 2004–2015, without a break in • Professional satisfaction is also very service delivery. high: 97% were very satisfied; 95% felt the helpline offers a high-quality service; and This year, the Government contract was 94% felt it offers an effective first point of put out to tender, in order to evolve the contact. service into the Live Fear Free Helpline for all survivors of domestic abuse, sexual We were delighted to be awarded the new violence and violence against women. Our contract to deliver the new Live Fear Free professionalism, expertise, impact and Helpline service from 2015, and look forward value for money was evidenced through to working in partnership with other services independent evaluation in 2014: and survivors to provide the best possible • Our impact is significant: 60% of survivors helpline services for men and women across said they felt supported and safe having Wales, over the coming years. called the Helpline and 94% felt more

Welsh Women’s Aid Wrexham and Colwyn Bay Domestic Abuse Services Welsh Women’s Aid direct services in Welsh Women’s Aid Colwyn Bay service: Wrexham and Colwyn Bay between them provided: • 68 referrals for refuge and, of these, 51 women were moved out of county to other • 125 referrals for refuge and, of these, 37 refuges after providing referrals, transport, women were supported in refuge, along with food, clothing & safety planning support. 36 children. 88 women were successfully • 17 women and 13 children were moved-on. accommodated and supported in the refuge • 729 survivors access to community- and with successful move on, the average based support through ‘one stop shop’ length of stay in the refuge was 2 months. services that include group work, individual • 249 referrals were received for community advice and support sessions, advocacy and support. support going through the court process, • 375 children were supported in the drop-ins / peer support, and outreach. Risk community through group work, play assessment & support planning was offered, sessions, childcare, individual and family and we coordinate access to support from work. other services, including substance misuse support; housing solicitors police and health In Colwyn Bay, the service continued to services. develop joint working with a number of • IDVA support for victims identified as ‘high organisations including local food banks, risk’ of harm from perpetrators, in Wrexham. solicitors, Families First & Team Around • Dedicated support for children and young the Family teams and also the family court people in Colwyn Bay services. Welsh Women’s Aid Wrexham service:

• 57 referrals for refuge and, of these, 37 Work continued with our service user women did not enter refuge but received groups across both services in a number support to move on. of ways including involving them in the • 20 women and 23 children were replenishment and decoration of the accommodated and supported in the refuge and supporting survivors to attend refuge and with successful move on, the stakeholder consultation events with North average length of stay in the refuge was 2 Wales Supporting People team. months. • 653 women (with 526 children) were “The refuge has been our home for six supported through the drop-in service. months and we have actually enjoyed it 436 women were given face to face and felt supported and welcome by staff support and were offered safety planning and other women. I will never forget what as part of their support plan. you have done for me…” • 354 survivors were supported by the IDVA service

“I appreciated all the help you have given us over the last few months. From all the practical things you have done, to all the chasing for answers, writing letters, fighting my corner, giving advice and always being on the end of the phone each and every time I needed somebody to be there. Thank you so much” Partnerships: Working Together to End Domestic Abuse Nationally and locally through the work We also worked in partnership with several of member services, we regularly involve agencies and partnerships during the year survivors in developing and reviewing including contributing to: services, and support women who have experienced abuse to become more • Policy briefings with Rights of Women, involved in our work. In doing so, we Scottish Women’s Aid, BAWSO and the continually improve our understanding Welsh Refugee Council on the UK Visas of survivors experiences and how best to and Immigration Policy Bulletin 70 for meet their needs. Domestic Violence.

Focus groups were held with survivors, to • A national conference on the help us review our services and strategic implementation of legal remedies and plan for the years ahead, and to also let local responses – “This is not my destiny” us know what survivors felt should be reflecting on responses to forced marriage improved across public services. This has in England and Wales. led to our plans to develop a national survivor involvement framework across • The Modern Day Slavery Multi-Agency Wales, which we aim to deliver in time to working groups. inform the development of the new Wales strategy from 2016. • National seminars held by The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, focusing Welsh Women’s Aid continued to on domestic abuse, safeguarding and engage with a number of multi-agency older people, with the aim of raising organisations to effectively develop and awareness of best practice and improving improve practice and new ways of working. public sector practice.

Working to achieve ‘Change that Lasts’

To prevent violence against women we ignored and services are delivered in silos; need a better way: by placing survivors’ and a lack of gender-responsive services needs at the centre of our approach we leads to unhelpful and unsafe practice. can provide help earlier and make sure its effects last. We have been working in partnership with Women’s Aid in England, with services, Survivors repeatedly tell us they want policy makers, commissioners and long terms independence and freedom survivors to lay the groundwork for a new from abuse, and for their children to be approach. To achieve ‘Change that Lasts’, protected and safe from harm. Evidence we need a model that is needs-led and from research, from services and from strengths-based, that helps build survivors’ survivors also tells us that services and resilience and leads to their independence partnerships struggle to help survivors and freedom from abuse. We will be who experience multiple disadvantage. We working with specialist services and know from our review that agencies’ focus survivors, on developing and promoting on ‘high-risk’ means their needs are often this model over the year ahead. About Welsh Women’s Aid Welsh Women’s Aid is the national Sexual Violence Helpline (from October charity in Wales working to end 2015, to be renamed the Live Fear Free domestic abuse and all forms of Helpline); a national accredited and non- violence against women. accredited training service in partnership with specialist services across Wales; Established in 1978, we represent, refuge and advocacy services in Colwyn campaign for, and support a national Bay and Wrexham; and our national federation of local independent Children Matter preventative project which charities delivering specialist domestic supports services to help children and abuse and violence against women young people in every local authority in prevention services in Wales, as part Wales. of a UK network of provision. These specialist services constitute our core We have been at the forefront of shaping membership, and between them they coordinated community responses and provide lifesaving refuges, outreach, practice in Wales, by campaigning for and community advocacy and support change and providing advice, consultancy, to survivors of violence and abuse - support and training to deliver policy women, men, children, families - and and service improvements. As a national deliver innovative preventative work in federation, our policy work, consultancy, local communities. training and advocacy is all grounded in the experience of local specialist services We also deliver direct services including and service users. the All Wales Domestic Abuse and

Get in touch Welsh Women’s Aid Pendragon House, Caxton Place, Pentwyn, Cardiff, CF23 8XE T: 02920 541551 E: [email protected]

WelshWomensAid @WelshWomensAid

www.welshwomensaid.org.uk Join Us and Support Our Work Become a Welsh Women’s Aid Member

If you support our goal of ending domestic abuse and all forms of violence against women, for a small monthly membership fee you can join us as an individual or organisational supporter and keep updated on what we do and help support our campaigns and awareness raising work.

Support us fundraise, raise awareness or make a donation

Could you support our vital work across Wales? Any fundraising activity large or small would be warmly welcomed by our team – dinner parties, cake sales, sporting events or quiz nights are just some of the ways our individual supporters can help us with our vital work. We can support you along the way – just get in touch. Alternatively, by making a cash donation you will help contribute to our vital work across Wales which helps save the lives of survivors and children in Wales.

Goods and funds can also be donated to local services which will aide survivors and children recover from the abuse. Many local services operate on limited budgets and survivors often contact them for help without access to funds, clothing or toiletries.

For further information about our current membership package, how you can help us to raise awareness and support our work, or to find out how to fundraise or make a donation, please contact [email protected]

Where to get help

The Welsh Women’s Aid Live Fear Free Helpline is open 24 hours/7 days a week and offers free, confidential help and advice for men and women, children and young people affected by sexual violence, domestic abuse and all forms of violence against women in Wales.

www.livefearfree.gov.wales With thanks to our members, supporters and funders

Our members in 2014-2015

Llanelli Women’s Aid Swansea Women’s Aid North Denbighshire DAS CAHA Women’s Aid Glyndwr Women’s Aid Calan DVS Bangor & District Women’s Aid Port Talbot & Afan Women’s Aid DASU Torfaen Women’s Aid Bridgend Women’s Aid Cardiff Women’s Aid De Gwynedd Domestic Abuse Services Newport Women’s Aid Radnorshire Women’s Aid Rhondda Cynon Taf Women’s Aid West Wales Women’s Aid Aberconwy DA Service Safer Wales Gorwell (Tai Eryri) Atal Y Fro Carmarthen DAS BAWSO Amman Valley Women’s Aid WAIMON Montgomeryshire Family Crisis Centre

Thanks too, to our individual donors, fundraisers and supporters - your continued support is invaluable – and to our public sector funders which include: