In 2021, a partnership between SafeLives and Natwest was set up to provide financial support to victims of abuse, and to help survivors move forward and promote recovery and resilience. Since then, we have gratefully received two grants from this partnership, which has enabled us to provide valuable extra financial support to our clients.
Our specialist team of IDVA’s were encouraged through their client work, to identify where these funds could provide additional support to meet the varying needs of our clients. The criteria within which these funds must be used, were outlined by SafeLives priorities; Crisis Intervention, Establishing Safety and promoting Recovery & Resilience. Enabled entirely by the provision of the fund, we were so pleased to be able to provide the following items to support our clients on their journey:
- CCTV doorbells
- Door/window locks
- Replacement of damaged doors
- Personal alarms
- Moving costs to relocate away from abuse
- Access to British Sign Language course to support a client’s child who is partially deaf
- Taxis for a child to get to their SEN school placement, due to a breakdown in current provision and whilst an alternative was set up
- Laptop to enable a client to return to studying
- Cost of running a coffee morning on International Women’s Day, an opportunity for ex clients to network with more survivors of DA as part on their recovery journey.
One client, who had suffered domestic abuse from an ex-partner, received a CCTV doorbell and said: “I will be so pleased to have a doorbell with a camera, I think I will feel so much more at ease!”
In addition to the funding allocated above, we were also able to support one client who had been impacted by financial abuse, which occurs in the vast majority of abusive relationships. This form of abuse often lasts long after someone has been able to leave their partner, as they may have had their financial independence taken away from them, been forced to leave work so be left without an income and unable to move forwards independently. We were able to help one of our clients in her journey towards rebuilding financial independence from her ex-partner, by providing camera equipment through the fund to help her small photography business; “Thank you so so much!! I am so happy I could cry. I had no idea how I would afford this but it will make such a big difference to my business”
We are immensely grateful to Natwest and SafeLives, for their funding support through this partnership. It has enabled us to provided additional support to clients at a time when they need it the most.