Half a million pounds in funding to support survivors of domestic abuse in Swansea

Swansea Women’s Aid have welcomed the news of an additional £499,988 of National Lottery funding to support women, children, and young people facing domestic abuse in Swansea.

The charity has seen an increase in domestic abuse during the Covid-19 pandemic. The new project offer increased support for people as recovery starts and lockdown restrictions ease. Over the next three years, the ‘DAISE (Domestic Abuse Information, Support and Empowerment) Family Support’ will offer emotional and practical support for women, and offer crisis support and safety planning for children and young people.

Frances Williams from Swansea Women’s Aid said: ‘As a worker within our ‘DAISE (Domestic Abuse Information, Support and Empowerment) Family Support service, I provide vital support to children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse. The support offers young people the opportunity to explore their experiences and learn about the impact of the abuse, providing them with skills to examine how it affects their beliefs, values and behaviour now.’

The staff at Swansea Women’s Aid will form the new community service team delivering ‘co-production by survivors’, with survivors of abuse involved in the design and delivery of the programmes and activities. Ms Williams added: ‘We adopt a child and young person led approach and support children and young people with the issues that matter most to them, allowing them to talk in confidence about how they are feeling. We promote healthy relationships and raise awareness of domestic abuse and support children and young people to keep themselves safe.’

One service user from Swansea Women’s Aid explained: ‘I found that it helped me because I have someone to talk to. It helped me not bottle it up. I feel like I can talk to the worker about anything. The support has made me realise how important it is to reach out to someone if I really need it.’

This project is one of 104 projects awarded across Wales in the past month totalling over £4m of funding raised by National Lottery players. 

In related news, £125m will be handed to councils across England to make sure safe accommodation spaces, such as refuges and shelters, can provide victims with vital support services.

Photo by RODNAE Productions