When Shirin left Iran for the UK with her child, she carried little more than hope and fear. Her life had been defined by uncertainty and control. “I used to live with my husband, the father of my children,” she recalled. “But when I left, I had to leave all my things behind. I didn’t understand how housing worked, and before my immigration status was confirmed, I was scared.”

In those first few months, Shirin’s future felt fragile. She had escaped danger, but stability still felt out of reach. Everything changed when she found Safer Places, one of the Women in Safe Homes fund’s specialist housing partners - and, for the first time, had a safe place to call home.

“I would not be in the UK without it,” Shirin said. “My ex-husband used to say he would deport me.”

A place to breathe, rebuild and belong

For Shirin, her new home became more than just four walls - it became a space to heal, learn and rediscover who she was. “This means I am human again,” she said. “I can be myself-as a human and a woman.”

Safer Places, a specialist domestic abuse charity operating across Essex and Hertfordshire, had supported women like Shirin for more than 45 years. The organisation provided refuge accommodation, community housing and trauma-informed support for those escaping abuse. Beyond safety, it helped women rebuild their confidence, independence and sense of self-through counselling, practical advice, and access to education and employment.

For Shirin, being part of this community was transformative. “I was proud to meet all the other women in the refuge,” she said. “The staff translate Recognition, Recovery Resilience ( RRR) -a trauma-informed recovery programme for women who had experienced abuse-so we could attend and learn together.”

The translation was more than linguistic; it was emotional. It showed Shirin that her story mattered, that she belonged. “Being included and understood made such a difference,” she said.

Building a new future

The support Shirin received touched every aspect of her life - from immigration advice to English lessons, help managing money, and even accessing foodbanks when times were tough. “Staff helped me with immigration, housing, learning English, finding work, managing money, and using foodbanks,” she explained. “It was so important.”

By the time she moved on, Shirin was focused on education and independence. “I planned to get a job and continue my ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes,” she said.

Her journey spoke to the power of safe housing - and of the people who made it possible. A home could mean security, but for women like Shirin, it also meant identity, dignity and the chance to begin again.

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The Women in Safe Homes Fund

The fund is a gender-lens impact investment property fund launched in December 2020 to provide safe, decent and affordable homes across the UK for women escaping domestic abuse and those leaving the criminal justice system.

A joint venture between Resonance and Patron Capital, the fund works in partnership with eight expert housing partners—including Safer Places—to ensure women have access to the wraparound, trauma-informed support they need to recover and rebuild their lives.

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