This week is Safeguarding Adults Week and we are working with our supported living provider RWP and charity Key Unlocking Futures to raise awareness of a range of important issues relating to the abuse or neglect of adults.

As part of Safeguarding Adults Week, Liz Stanton, Key Unlocking Futures Refuges Manager, shared a blog on domestic abuse and the support they provide.

Liz's blog

"We will all know someone who is going through or has been through domestic abuse. One in four women will experience it during their lifetime, with two women a week being killed at the hands of their current or ex-partner. One in six men are experiencing it too, with 30 men being killed. One in five children will either experience it or witness it. 

Domestic abuse can be broken down into physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour (where people feel like they are being controlled or have to behave in a particular way for fear of violence if they don't). We usually find that the families we support experience more than one of these types of abuse, and we often get them saying to us – I would rather he hit me, than the emotional abuse – that never goes away.

Key Unlocking Futures offers a variety of ways to help victims of domestic abuse – we have our Safe at Homes programme, where we support both men and women that want to stay in their homes or cannot access refuge or alternative accommodation. 

We run a 24 hour helpline that runs every day of the year – and again this is open to all.  We run two refuges for women, but are part of a consortium that has refuge space for men.  We also run a healthy relationships programme, where we offer free sessions to schools teaching children what makes for a healthy relationship. 

Whilst in the refuge, the children can access support from our child support worker, who helps them overcome the effects of domestic abuse, as well as teaching them how to play – a skill our children don't usually have.

If you have any concerns about someone being effected by domestic abuse, ring us on our 24/7 helpline 01772 435865 or email us at clarehouse@keycharity.org.uk We also have live chat on our website and a text line 07790971237 - these run between 10 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday.

 

Liz

 

Progress Housing Group supports the White Ribbon Day campaign every year – a campaign started by men who recognised that most violence towards women is inflicted by men.  They recognised that men had the power to change this, and from this, the White Ribbon Day campaign started.

The focus of the campaign this year is on football, as the campaign clashes with the FIFA World Cup, and sadly abuse tends to rise when football matches are on.  The team from South Ribble and Chorley women's refuges will be running a stall at Leyland Market on Friday 9 December, trying to raise awareness of the campaign and the support available locally.

Our supported living provider RWP has produced an animated video which explains what safeguarding is. You can watch the video here: 

 

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