How To Help

How To Help Women's Refuge Charities

A safe place for women and children who have been subjected to domestic abuse, women's refuges provide shelter without the threat of fear and violence. These organisations can not only be a vital safety net but can even save lives.

WHY VOLUNTEER WITH A WOMEN'S REFUGE CHARITY?

According to the Office for National Statistics, almost 8% of women in the UK were subjected to domestic abuse in 2018, accounting for around 1.3 million women. With so many women in trouble, you could make a real difference by volunteering for a women’s refuge charity.

Going to a refuge is a big step for anyone to take, and ensuring there’s support in place when they make the commitment is crucial. Helping to form part of this support network can be an incredibly rewarding way to spend some of your free time, while you could also find yourself picking up new skills and making some friends along the way.

HOW TO HELP WOMEN'S REFUGE CHARITIES

Volunteer At A Refuge

Women’s refuge charities can run thanks to the efforts of people like yourself, who dedicate their time and energy to help out. Whether you’re welcoming new guests to the refuge, cleaning up, or cooking meals, you could also get involved with support services such as helping someone find long-term accommodation.

Provide One-On-One Support At A Refuge

Many women’s refuges don’t accept women from the immediate local area, as this may not be safe, so being far away from familiar surroundings can cause even more stress to women who seek the help of a refuge. Acting as a mentor through one-on-one support as a befriender can be a great way to help someone staying at a women’s refuge.

Volunteer With A Helpline

Many women phone a helpline or use an online chat support service as their first port of call when trying to escape domestic abuse. By volunteering to help with something like this, you could provide essential, caring advice that really helps someone who needs to get themselves out of a bad situation.

Or At An Office

When charities reach a certain size, they need to set up an office to look after their operation. The same goes for women’s refuge charities, giving you the chance to get involved in a variety of tasks with your volunteering, such as answering phones, responding to emails, and sending out information regarding services.

Sponsor A Sister

Some UK-based women’s refuge charities support women from countries torn apart by conflict. Through these organisations, you can sponsor someone in a tough situation like this. Whether their husbands have been killed fighting or they’ve escaped an abusive relationship, your sponsorship could go a long way towards helping someone find their feet and move on with their life.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VOLUNTEER

Some volunteering roles can be particularly emotional, but the best women’s refuge charities will provide support for their volunteers as well as the women they help, so don’t let this put you off.

WHERE TO GET STARTED

There are lots of excellent women’s refuge charities in the UK that provide huge amounts of help and support, including:

HELPING DESERVING CAUSES

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Last updated: 01/07/2021