EVA Women’s Aid is a multi-award-winning Charity providing specialist support for victims/survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence. Based in Redcar, EVA offers a range of first-class services including accommodation in three Safe House properties for women fleeing abuse and seven, self-contained Move On flats. Two of EVA’s Safe Houses have a ground floor bedroom with disabled access en-suite bathroom.
As a well- established independent Charity with 38 years’ experience, EVA Women’s Aid relies entirely on grant funding, donations and their own fundraising efforts.
CEO Richinda Taylor said:
“We are very grateful that SI Scarborough supports us, not only with financial donations but by collecting toiletries and other items that we are able to give to the women we support. When a woman needs a bed space in one of our Safe Houses, they are given a pack containing basic toiletries, underwear and pyjamas, as often they arrive with nothing but the clothes they are wearing at the time. SI Scarborough have held ‘sewing evenings’ where drawstring bags have been made for these items, which the women can then use as laundry bags. In addition, they have ‘sponsored’ one of the Move On flats by supplying small kitchen items, soft furnishings etc to make the flats into comfortable welcoming homes.”
Domestic abuse and sexual violence are not easy issues to discuss.
Richinda added:
“Our shop-fronted offices in Redcar’s High Street represent a different approach to addressing these issues – it is our intention to bring it into the public view, to show it cannot be ignored, because ignoring abuse allows it to perpetuate. Every week, two women are killed by a current or former partner, and there are more than 1.3 million female victims each year in the UK. Domestic abuse amounts to 16% of all violent crime, and has more repeat victims than any other, so it is clear this is a huge issue to be addressed.” (Info from ONS, and Crime Survey England and Wales).
“By a huge majority, women are far more likely to be victims of abuse than men, but we know that reported figures are only half the story. EVA works with more than 1000 women every year and offers workshops and support to over 3000 school students. Over half of the women EVA works with choose not to access the Criminal Justice System, meaning they are not formally recorded by the Police or Courts. That is their choice – EVA supports them in whatever decisions they make.”
Richinda said:
“The support we give is trauma-informed, and totally needs-led – women can access our services for as long as they need, and until they feel empowered to move on to live independent lives.”
In 2015, EVA opened the UK’s first (and only) Safe House for older women as part of their award-winning ‘45+ Project’. In 2024, they relaunched the campaign targeting older women, this time focussing on the 60+ age group as they can often be the ‘hidden victims’ of domestic abuse. EVA Women’s Aid has recently received the Women’s Aid Federation of England (WAFE) ‘National Quality Standards’ Award, receiving no less than 13 Commendations – the most ever awarded by WAFE.
Richinda commented:
“We are immensely proud of this Award, which is the gold standard for our sector, but the main thing is that when women walk through our door, they know they are going to get the very best service.”
If you want to know more about this award winning service please contact:
Richinda Taylor CEO
EVA Women’s Aid
86 High Street
Redcar
TS10 3DL
Tel: 01642 490677
Fax: 01642 507099
Facebook: Eva’s House
Twitter: @evawomensaid1