Refuge opened the world’s first refuge in Chiswick, West London, in 1971. Since then, it has grown to become the country’s largest single provider of specialist support to women and children escaping domestic abuse and other forms of gender-based violence. On any given day, Refuge supports more than 7,000 women and children.
Refuge’s national network of specialist services includes safe emergency accommodation through refuges in secret locations across the country, community-based outreach services; culturally specific services for women from South Asian, African and Caribbean, Middle Eastern, Eastern European and Vietnamese backgrounds; a modern slavery service, independent advocacy services for women at the highest risk of serious injury and homicide; a range of single point of access services for women, children and men across entire regions; and the Freephone 24 Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 200 247 www.nationaldahelpine.org.uk