London MP supports Domestic Violence Charity to Launch Consultation with Women (From Your Local Guardian)

London MP supports Domestic Violence Charity to Launch Consultation with Women

7:11am Tuesday 6th March 2012 in Kingston

From Victim to Survivor of Domestic Violence As we approach the 101st anniversary of International Women’s Day, London based charity Hestia Housing & Support is putting a spotlight on the unacceptably high number of victims of domestic violence cases in London and the UK.

Hestia will soon launch a report commissioned as part of a consultation with their staff and the women who live in their 24 emergency refuges across London. The report outlines the needs of the women who come to them for support; including getting access to longer term housing, child benefits and finding school places for their children – all of which have been extremely difficult obstacles for the women moving into temporary refuge accommodation to overcome. Hestia’s Chief Executive, Patrick Ryan said “we have actively listened to the experiences of the women who have turned to us in crisis and we feel privileged to support them in their journey from victim to survivor.”

Brentford & Isleworth MP, Mary Macleod – who is also the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Women in Parliament, will host a reception on the 8th March at the House of Commons to launch the report helping to give the women a voice in Parliament. Miss Macleod said that “it is vitally important that women and children experiencing domestic abuse have access to the practical and emotional support they need. Safe and comfortable refuge accommodation is an important part of this, and I am delighted to be supporting Hestia”.

Celebrating over 40 years of delivering services to vulnerable people in London - including those in Ealing, Hestia is widely recognised for encouraging its services users to speak out about the needs that matter most to them and in particular on the under-reported issue of domestic violence. Each year, there are over 1 million female victims of domestic violence in England and Wales,[i] and over one in four women can expect to experience domestic violence in their lifetime.[ii] Domestic violence has the highest level of repeat victimisation of any crime[iii] and results in the death, on average, of two women at the hands of a partner or former partner every week - a level that has remained stubbornly constant over the past decade.[iv] In response to these disturbing figures, Hestia’s report proposes seven, low to no cost recommendations for Central and Local Government to implement. Acting on these recommendations will also support the Government to realise its ambition to end violence against women and girls[v] and help to prevent the annual cost to public services and the loss to the economy and victims which stands at a reported £15.7bn.[vi] Individually and collectively the recommendations that Hestia proposes will go a long way towards improving the lives and eliminating the barriers that women and children affected by domestic violence face on a daily basis.

Based on information supplied by Francois Ferriere.