SI Scarborough visit the opening of EVA Women’s Aid’s fourth Safe House – June 2019
EVA Women’s Aid is an award-winning Charity providing specialist support for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. Based in Redcar, EVA offers range of first-class services including accommodation in four Safe House properties for women fleeing abuse. As a well- established independent Charity with 32 years experience, EVA Women’s Aid relies entirely on grant funding, donations and our 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’
Richinda Taylor, Rita Leaman, Janet Green and Angela Edwards at EVA Women’s Aid new Safe House for victims of domestic abuse who also have mental health issues
When a woman needs a bed space in one of their 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 use after as laundry bags.
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 crime, 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 of the story. In 2018, EVA worked with 923 women, but had a further 1000 contacts with other women seeking short-term support, such as a one-off appointment for a discussion or telephone support. 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, and EVA supports them in whatever decisions they make.
The Safe House has a ground floor bedroom with disabled access en-suite bathroom
Richinda said ; ’over the last few years, we have received more and more referrals for women with mental health issues, so we wanted to respond to this in a more holistic way. We are doing this by providing new Safe House accommodation for women fleeing abuse who also have mental health problem such as PTSD, anxiety or depression – which may, or may not, be a result of the trauma they have experienced – and offering specialist Mental Health Support Workers. The support we give is totally needs-led – women can access our services for as long as they need to, 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’. This new house is the organisations fourth in the Redcar area.
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
