On 4th July we were treated to an eye-opening talk by the CEO of one of our local Safer Places (Refuges). She and her colleague explained the different sorts of abuse, not by any means restricted to physical, that one person can and does inflict on another, usually male on female but not exclusively so. They also went into the percentage of abuse cases (10% approx.) that are actually reported and how women and children arrive at a Safer Places home. They then talked about how these women and children are looked after within the Safer Places scheme, with the aim of helping women to become able to run their own lives. They also outlined some individual cases where young women in their late teens ask for help and what Safer Places can do to help them. There is a telephone no. 0845 0177668 which can be used to contact Safer Places. SI Hertford & District try to actively support the Safer Places scheme by holding at least 2 collections a year of things that women and children, who may well arrive with nothing, might need immediately. If you are interested in joining SI Hertford and to become involved in this sort of support for women and children in our local area do make contact with us at sihertford@btinternct.com.