IMPACT THEME: Housing & Homelessness, Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, Poverty and Disadvantage, 

WHAT THEY DO: Refuge opened the world’s first safe house for women and children escaping domestic abuse in Chiswick, West London, in 1971. Since then it has grown to become the country’s largest single provider of specialist support to women and children escaping domestic abuse, supporting over 6,500 people every day.

YEAR FOUNDED: 1971

LOCATION: London

PARTNERSHIP DATE: December 2020

FUND PARTNERSHIP: Women in Safe Homes fund

PARTNERSHIP PURPOSE: To enable Refuge to house women and children fleeing domestic violence in a new 8-unit emergency crisis accommodation whilst also providing them with specialist, wraparound support services.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:

ABOUT:  In Chiswick, West London, 1971 Refuge opened the world’s first safe house for women and children escaping domestic violence. Refuge’s key missions are to put an end to violence against women and to support women and their children in rebuilding their lives after violence and abuse. Not only does Refuge provide multiple other support services alongside their housing programme but they aim to prevent violence awareness through education and by raising awareness. This is of great importance because it is crucial for women experiencing domestic abuse to know that they are not alone.

As well as their accommodation scheme, Refuge also offers a range of other services including support for victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, child support workers for children who have experienced domestic violence, independent advocacy and gender-based violence support services for women who have experienced forms of abuse other than domestic violence.

• 1 in 4 women experience domestic abuse during their lifetime
• 60% of homeless adults living in temporary accommodation are women
• 77% of women are release from the criminal justice system without safe and secure accommodation to go to
• 60% of all statutory homeless families are lone mothers with children
• 61.9% of all domestic abuse referrals to refuges are rejected due to lack of space or capacity to support a woman’s needs

PURPOSE OF PARTNERSHIP: Lockdown was a particularly difficult time for women experiencing domestic violence since for them, home is not a place of safety. Women trying to flee domestic abuse can find themselves unable to access safe places to live. So, this partnership with the Women in Safe Homes fund will enable Refuge to purchase large HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) spaces in London and the South East which will be used as emergency crisis accommodation in order to house women and children fleeing domestic violence.

The Women in Safe Homes fund:

• Launched December 2020
• Has raised £29m from over 20 UK and US impact investors 
• Aims to provide 250 homes across the UK and to house hundreds women over its lifetime
• Has partnered with 7 housing provider partners and women’s sector organisations so far
• Started housing women and their children and providing them with specialist support services from autumn 2021

Tracy Blackwell, Director of Strategic Insights and Partnerships, Refuge: “Domestic abuse is an issue which blights the lives of one in every four women. Refuge is delighted to be working with the Women in Safe Homes fund initiative to provide much needed safe, secure and confidential temporary homes to women and children escaping abuse. Alongside this vital accommodation, our experts will provide abused women and children with essential emotional and practical support so they can rebuild their lives from fear and violence.”

Poppy*: “Finding accommodation in a refuge was a blessing in disguise. I was in a horrible situation, but I can honestly say that Refuge saved me. The staff here are so supportive and helpful. I received support to find a therapist very quickly, which is not easy during the pandemic. The staff helped me with everything from sorting my benefits and registering with a GP, to supporting me through the daily struggle of rebuilding my life.”

READ OUR LATEST SOCIAL impact report 

*name changed