Born and raised in the North East of England, Stacey – one of the Women in Safe Homes fund’s tenants’ - early years were shaped by numerous house moves: from living in pubs, briefly moving into a house with her stepfather, then returning to living in pubs again before moving to live at her grandmother’s home where she stayed until she met and moved in with her ex-partner and had a job to go to.

Stacey is one of over 340 women (and almost 170 children) housed and supported by the Women in Safe Homes fund since it launched in late 2020 and shares how being in an abusive relationship that then broke down meaning she could no longer remain in the property, led to homelessness. “I was left with all the bills and had to work hard to keep afloat,” she recalls, leaving her without a safe place to live.

Stacey was referred to one of the Women in Safe homes fund’s housing partners, Safer Places.

Her new home with Safer Places, marked the start of a new beginning for Stacey, “It gives you time to breathe and get the support you didn’t know you could get. I’ve had more support from the housing officer and Safer Places than I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve been so lucky.”

The stability of her new home and support she has received has given Stacey time to think about her life and helped her to start healing from her experiences.

“It has been amazing, time to reflect. I feel like I’ve recharged my battery, having the time to do what I want, getting help and support and additional funding. I’ve learnt that self-love and self-care is not being selfish. I’ve had time to reflect on so much of my life. I’ve learnt to unpick your whole self and start again. You are better by the end of this.”

She has also used this time to grow and invest in herself. “I have studied since I’ve been in the refuge — online courses—and I’ve gained two certificates. I’ve found peace. My energy and anger used to go right through me, and now I feel more balanced. I know I’m moving back up North with my dog. My head is in a better place with everything — I used to bury my head in the sand.”

The support she’s received has been vital. “It’s a necessity. My support worker was relatable — she’s been through it and I could feel that. She was empathetic and understanding, while staying professional. She would collect food hampers for me, and I really liked that. She even admired my creativity, which I didn’t realise I had in me.”

Stacey knows that there are still challenges to overcome, “Employment is a worry. I will get a job either way, although I would like to start my own business. The cost of living is a worry, too, since I’m starting off with not much—but I’ll remain positive and stay off the dole.”

But now she is thinking about the future with hope, too. “My plans are to get back to ‘normal living’, working, holidays, family. Having my dog with me. Just setting goals and achieving them, giving back to the universe, staying positive.”

Stacey’s new home has been transformative, “I don’t think my well-being would have been as healthy as it is now. I probably wouldn’t have my dog with me, too. I probably would have gone back to my abusive relationship. I was so isolated—I didn’t have contact with anyone. Now, I speak to my mother every day.”

The Women in Safe Homes fund

The fund is a gender-lens impact investment property fund that was launched in December 2020 to provide safe, decent and affordable homes across the UK for women escaping domestic abuse and leaving the criminal justice system. It is a joint venture of Resonance and Patron Capital and it works in partnership with eight housing partners to ensure women have access to the wraparound, trauma-led support they might need in order to start their recoveries and rebuild their lives.

The fund is fully deployed, having purchased 122 properties, and so far, has housed over 500 women and children. Over its lifetime, the fund aims to house and support over 2,300 women and children in these homes.