Winter lockdown is impacting women and children fleeing domestic abuse, creating further insecurity, adding additional mental, physical, and economic stress on survivors.
Winter lockdown is impacting women and children fleeing domestic abuse, creating further insecurity, adding additional mental, physical, and economic stress on survivors.
Women are being forced to flee with nothing and create new homes with nothing, without the support of a loved one due to COVID-19 rules, further compounding their feelings of isolation, anxiety, and fear.
Solace is supporting women and children who are living in empty homes with empty kitchen cupboards – not knowing when they will be able to eat a proper meal or sleep in a proper bed.
This is why Solace is launching its emergency winter appeal today.
Since the pandemic, Solace’s emergency fund has already helped over 200 families by providing them with money in the form of grants to enable women to have control over their lives and buy essential items they need to get by. Financial abuse is also part of domestic abuse – Solace believes it is vital for women to have control over their finances as part of their journey to recovery and healing.
Solace has made funds available to support women, to buy vital kitchen items to help prepare meals, feed their families when universal credit has taken weeks to come through, help with debt when they have been forced out of work due to the virus. With your donations we have paid for taxis and hotels for women to find immediate safety after fleeing domestic abuse who would who had nowhere else to turn. Your money is helping ensure women can heat their homes this winter rather than be living in freezing conditions with their children.
“Winter is isolating and stressful at the best of times and it can be a time that many of us dread. For the women and children Solace supports, this winter in particular will be one of their toughest ever. Trying to survive cold weather restrictions, the pandemic imposed restrictions and domestic abuse while in lockdown, is beyond comprehension, pushing women and their children into even more vulnerable and dangerous situations.
As Patron of Solace, I have heard directly from women about what their realities truly look like and why the services we run are needed more than ever. I urge you all to support our emergency winter appeal, so we can reach out to many more women and children who are suffering and give them the life-saving support they deserve and need” said Simrin Bakshi Choudhrie, Solace Patron.
Lockdown is making it harder for many women and their children to flee domestic abuse – with your help we can make this journey less daunting and stressful and keep women and children safe.
These are the words of women who Solace has assisted and we know there are many more women and their children who need the same help.
“A microwave made all the difference. Winter lockdown was hard, and I was facing it with no kitchen, unable to feed my children warm food. We can now eat something hot everyday. It’s helping keep the children warm and full.”
“During winter lockdown I fled my abusive partner. I moved into damp and cold temporary accommodation; I did not even have money to buy a kettle. Not being able to make myself a hot drink made me feel cold and completely alone.” £15 means everything, it could save a life this winter.