Refuge (United Kingdom charity)

Refuge is a United Kingdom charity providing specialist support for women and children experiencing domestic violence. It was founded by author and Men’s Rights Activist Erin Pizzey.[3][4] Refuge provides a national network of specialist services, including emergency refuge accommodation (refuges), community outreach, independent domestic violence advocacy (IDVAs), culturally specific services and a team of child support workers. Refuge also runs the Freephone 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline.[5] The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is only available for women.

This article is about the charity in the United Kingdom. For other related topics, see Outline of domestic violence.

Refuge
Founded1971
FounderErin Pizzey[1]
TypeRegistered UK charity (number 277424)
FocusDomestic violence, violence against women and girls
Location
  • International House, 1 St Katharine’s Way, London E1W 1UN
Coordinates51°30′29″N 00°04′25″W
OriginsChiswick women's shelter
Area served
National
MethodProvision of a national network of specialist domestic violence services for women and children[2]
Key people
Ruth Davison, CEO.
Revenue
£11,372,947[2]
Employees
173[2]
Websitehttps://www.refuge.org.uk
Formerly called
Chiswick Women's Aid (1971–1979)
Chiswick Family Rescue (1979–1993)

Founded in 1971 as the modern world's first safe house for women and children escaping domestic violence, in Chiswick, West London, it is the largest domestic violence organisation in the United Kingdom.[2]

On any given day, Refuge’s services supports thousands of women and children.[6] The charity says it is committed to working towards a world where women and children can live in safety, free from fear.[2]

History
Refuge was founded by feminist activist Erin Pizzey, but she was allegedly kicked out for admitting men face domestic abuse too.

Erin Pizzey opened the modern world’s first refuge for women and children escaping domestic violence, in Chiswick, west London, in 1971.[7] In 1979, the organisation became a registered charity, changing its name from Chiswick Women’s Aid to Chiswick Family Rescue.[8][9] In 1993, the charity changed its name to Refuge, reflecting its growing national status.[7] This followed a funding crisis in 1992 when the charity faced closure, before Sandra Horley made a personal appeal to Diana, Princess of Wales who made a donation and several private visits to the charity's shelters, raising its profile.[10]

In 1997, three of the charity's trustees resigned in a controversy over one of their number's links to a group associated with false memory syndrome.[10]

Pizzey has been the subject of bomb threats and boycotts because her experience and research into the issue led her to conclude that most domestic violence is reciprocal, and that women are as capable of violence as men. These threats eventually led to her exile from the UK.[11][12] Pizzey has said that the threats were from militant feminists.[13][14] She has also been banned from the refuge she started.[15]

Activities

Refuge provides a national network of refuges across 15 local authority areas in England.[6]

Refuge also provides a number of other services, including Community Outreach and Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy services, and runs the Freephone 24 Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247.[16]

Refuge also seeks to raise awareness of domestic violence and challenge negative social attitudes. It also responds to key policy consultations and debates, ensuring that the voices and needs of abused women and children are reflected in national legislation.[6]

Campaigns

Refuge runs campaigns to raise awareness of domestic violence and reach out to women and children who experience domestic violence.[17]

In 1999, Sheryl Gascoigne supported Refuge's campaign 'It's a Matter of Life and Death'. She had recently divorced footballer Paul Gascoigne following her experience of domestic violence at his hands.[18]

In 2008, Refuge created an advertising campaign designed to raise awareness of the warning signs of domestic violence, highlighting the statistic that two women are killed every week by current or former partners in England and Wales. The campaign was based on a YouGov survey showing that young women lack awareness of the techniques used by violent men to control women.[19]

In 2009, Refuge conducted a high-profile awareness raising campaign titled Four Ways To Speak Out in partnership with the cosmetics company Avon Products.[20] The campaign was supported by a number of families whose loved ones had been killed as a result of domestic violence.

In 2012, Refuge launched an online video campaign called Don’t Cover It Up, with popular make-up artist Lauren Luke.[21] The video was designed to raise awareness of the fact that many women who experience domestic violence keep it hidden. The video has been viewed over 2.3 million times to date and won numerous awards including the coveted Creative Circle Gold of Golds award.

In 2013, Refuge launched a campaign calling on the Government to open a public inquiry into the response of the police and other state agencies to victims of domestic violence.[22] The campaign was backed by the family of Maria Stubbings, who was murdered by her ex-partner in 2008. An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission in 2013 found that Essex Police made a series of failings in their response to Maria.

Research

Refuge undertakes research into the effects of domestic violence and issues surrounding service provision for abused women and children.[23]

In 2011, Refuge and the NSPCC, funded by the City Bridge Trust, produced a report on the services for children living with domestic violence in London.[24]

Together with the charity Respect, Refuge has produced a domestic abuse resource manual for employers. This resource is designed to help employers and human resources professionals respond to employees who are victims or perpetrators of abuse. In 2011, Refuge and Respect published an evaluation of the resource manual after piloting it with a county council.[25]

In 2010, Refuge conducted a scoping study into the experience of forced marriage of women from Middle Eastern and North East African communities.[26]

In 2009, Refuge produced a report titled 'Starting in School' as a result of a YouGov survey exploring young women’s attitudes and knowledge of the warning signs of domestic violence.[27]

In 2008, Refuge released a study into the impacts of financial abuse on women and children experiencing domestic violence.[28]

In 2005, Refuge produced a report on assessment and intervention for pre-school children exposed to domestic violence. It identifies ways to support young children and help them overcome their experiences.[29]

Funding

In 2010, Refuge had an income of £10,284,785.[30] The funding is mostly from United Kingdom taxpayers via the Home Office and local councils.

In 2009, a member of staff received over £190,000 p.a. with employer pension contributions to the highest paid staff of over £70,000.[31]

Patrons

Patrons of the charity include Cherie Booth, Patrick Stewart, Jo Brand, Helena Kennedy and Fiona Bruce.[32][33]

Sir Patrick Stewart

In 2007, English actor Patrick Stewart was appointed a patron of Refuge, having witnessed his mother experience violence from his father as a child.[34]

In October 2011, Stewart presented a BBC Lifeline appeal for Refuge and interviewed a woman whose daughter had been killed by an abusive ex partner.[35]

In May 2013, while answering fans’ questions at Comicpalooza, Stewart spoke about his work with Refuge in response to a fan asking what he was most proud of outside of acting.[36]

In September 2014, writing in the New Statesman, Stewart backed Refuge's campaign for a public inquiry into the police and state response to domestic violence.[37]

In December 2014 Stewart backed Refuge's fundraising appeal to keep its refuge service in Stratford-Upon-Avon open, commenting: "It is no exaggeration to say that services like this save lives. Behind the walls of these extraordinary houses, specialist staff help women and children to rebuild every aspect of their lives, helping them to stay safe from violent men, access health services, legal advocacy and immigration advice, as well as get back into work or education."[38]

Stewart has also expressed his support for Refuge in national news outlets on a number of occasions.[39][40][41]

See also

References
  1. "Weymouth women's refuge sale is suspended". BBC News. 3 August 2010. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. Rappaport, Helen (2001). "Pizzey, Erin (1939– ) United Kingdom". Encyclopedia of women social reformers. Vol. 1. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 549. ISBN 978-1-57607-101-4. In 1972 the center was visited by U.S. feminists, who set up similar ventures in the United States ...
  4. Lewis, Helen (27 February 2020). "Feminism's Purity Wars". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  5. "Our services|Refuge". Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  6. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 August 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "35 years of Refuge". Refuge. n.d. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  8. "Register Home Page". Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  9. "History". Refuge. n.d. Archived from the original on 27 December 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  10. Daly, Emma (22 May 1997). "Women from a broken home?". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 20 April 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  11. "Erin Pizzey, crusader for battered women". Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  12. Pizzey, Erin (2011). This Way to the Revolution: A Memoir. Peter Owen. ISBN 978-0-7206-1360-5.
  13. Philip W. Cook (2009). Abused Men: The Hidden Side of Domestic Violence. ABC-CLIO. pp. 123–4. ISBN 978-0-313-35618-6.
  14. Ross, Deborah (10 March 1997). "Battered? Erin Pizzey? Yes, a bit". The Independent. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014.
  15. "We gave women back a sense of self". Richmond and Twickenham Times. 29 March 2004. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  16. "Home– National Domestic Violence Helpline". Nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk. Archived from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  17. "Campaigns". Refuge. Archived from the original on 28 April 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  18. Julia, Stuart (27 November 1999). "My Week: Sheryl Gascoigne Former Wife Of Paul Gascoigne". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  19. Jo Adetunji (5 August 2008). "Refuge campaign highlights warning signs for domestic abuse | Society". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  20. Janqui Mehta, senior communications officer, Refuge (15 April 2010). "Finding ways to Speak Out: Refuge's partnership with Avon". CharityComms. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. "How to look your best the morning after". YouTube. 1 July 2012. Archived from the original on 28 April 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  22. Kelly, June (21 May 2013). "Maria Stubbings murder: IPCC report prompts inquiry call - BBC News". BBC News. Bbc.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  23. Research and publications. "Research and policy". refuge.org.uk. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  24. "Meeting the needs of children living with domestic violence in London" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  25. ""It's a difficult subject, isn't it?" Piloting Refuge and Respect's domestic violence resources for employers in 'Nordby' County Council: an evaluation report" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  26. "Forced Marriage in the UK" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  27. "Starting in school to end domestic violence" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  28. "What's yours is mine" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  29. "Refuge assessment and intervention for pre-school children exposed to domestic violence" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  30. "Register Home Page". Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  31. "Archived copy" (PDF). www.charity-commission.gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  32. "HSBC : News and updates". Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  33. "This page has been reserved for future use". Starsandhearts.com. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  34. Stewart, Patrick (5 February 2012). "Domestic violence blighted my home. That's why I support Refuge". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  35. "Sir Patrick Stewart's BBC Lifeline Appeal for Refuge". YouTube. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  36. "Watch: Patrick Stewart gives passionate response on violence against women at 2013 Comicpalooza". Global News. 30 May 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  37. Stewart, Patrick (4 September 2014). "Patrick Stewart: There's no such thing as "just a domestic"". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  38. Chalmers, Amanda (9 December 2014). "SPECIAL FEATURE: Safe house will close without you!". Stratford-Upon-Avon Herald. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  39. Stewart, Patrick (27 November 2009). "Patrick Stewart: the legacy of domestic violence". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  40. Dugan, Emily (2 December 2012). "IoS Christmas Appeal: Patrick Stewart - 'I knew the exact moment to rush in and stop him hitting her'". The Independent on Sunday. Archived from the original on 2 September 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  41. "Patrick Stewart: Silent crime of domestic violence". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 April 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
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