News		Volunteer Opportunities
Services		Donate to LDWA
Sal's Place		More Links
The Hideout
See also http://www.lancashiredomesticviolence.info/ for more info on local resources

Lancaster & District Women's Aid (LDWA) is, quite literally, an organisation of last resort, run by women for women (and their children) and girls who are suffering from domestic violence and abuse.

Some women may only need someone to talk to, to sound out their ideas and to get the benefit of experience and information. But for others, years of abuse, violence and blame can lead them to start believing that there really is something bad or worthless about themselves and that they have no right to hope for anything better. Some come to us only because they are tortured by the even greater fear that their children are being irrecoverably damaged by witnessing these brutal scenes and knowing, at heart, that only they can make a change. Our task at Women's Aid is to be on hand and to offer the confidential and safe help, support and information that can make that change a realistic possibility.

In 2001, Lancaster Police were called out to 1,907 local incidents of domestic violence, resulting in 454 arrests. LDWA serves an area extending from the South Lakeland to Preston and east to the Dales. There are no other organisations of this kind in this massive area. We receive an average of 5 referrals a week, in addition to the many women with whom we solely have telephone contact, through our helpline, which is staffed 2 hours daily, with an answerphone the rest of the time.

Services

We provide a range of confidential services, including a helpline offering advice, information about what is available and support. We believe it is important to support women in their choices about how they want to handle their situations. Our clients have been pushed around enough.

We have outreach workers who directly assist individual women emotionally and practically, receiving about 5 new referrals a week for their services, in addition to the many women with whom we solely have telephone contact, or whom we refer on to other agencies who can help. (I.e. we keep a list of solicitors particularly skilled in this kind of work).

We run a large local multi-disciplinary domestic violence forum enabling the many agencies whose work touches ours to network and co-ordinate to improve agency awareness and responses and provide a strong and healthy local service.

We have good working relations with local housing agencies, statutory, voluntary and private to assist women who must leave home to resettle, and also with refuges throughout the country for those who must leave the area.

We liaise with police, legal agencies, schools and volunteers to assist women and their children and girls and enable them, wherever possible, to hold onto their property, their local networks and accommodation securely.

We liaise with local adult and community education resources to assist women in acquiring IT and career development skills. We run drop-in sessions in family and community centres.

We co-ordinate a specialist counselling service and a programme of community awareness development.

News

SAL'S PLACE
13/5/05: One of the country's top soap stars has given her backing to an innovative new initiative for male and female sufferers of domestic abuse. Coronation Street star Sally Lyndsay, who plays barmaid Shelley in the soap, has given Sal's Place - the new Domestic Abuse Support Centre in Lancaster - her full support. Sally, whose character is suffering at the hands of partner Charlie in a dramatic soap storyline, said she was happy to do anything she could to help sufferers.
She said: "Playing someone who is suffering at the hands of a partner has been very hard for me and I have been surprised just how emotional it has been. "I know from the reaction I have had that this is something a lot of people, men and women, have to put up with in their everyday lives and it must be very hard for them."
"I know that initiatives like Sal's Place can only help them. It is still a 'secret disease' in many ways as many people don't report it but they need to know that help is available if they need it. I am delighted to give Sal's Place my full support.''
The centre, the first of its kind in Lancashire, is the result of a wide ranging partnership involving organisations including the local Police, Lancaster and District Women's Aid, Victim Support, Relate, local family solicitors, Sure Start and the Drug & Alcohol Team. The team will include staff from these agencies as well as support workers skilled in dealing
with all aspects of domestic abuse. The support centre will provide a fast, co-ordinated and comprehensive service including practical and emotional support and legal advice and information for anyone affected by domestic abuse living in Lancaster, Morecambe and the surrounding areas.
Often people are unaware of the many organisations that can help and they may think that a criminal investigation is their only option. Sal's Place will help people experiencing domestic abuse make informed decisions as to the best course of action for their situation and staff hope that the anonymity that the centre can provide will encourage more people to come forward to get the help and support they need to protect themselves and their family from domestic abuse.
Sal's Place is based on Floor B, St Leonard's House, St Leonardgate, Lancaster, LA1 1NN. Tel: 01524 61747. (SAL = Safe At Last). See http://www.salsplace.co.uk.

THE HIDEOUT
28/4/05: Women's Aid have launched a new website aimed at children who are witnessing domestic violence.
www.thehideout.org.uk
The Hideout is the first national website to support children and young people living with domestic violence, or to those who may want to help a friend. The site informs children and young people about domestic violence and helps them identify whether it is happening in their home.

Volunteer Opportunities

We need women to help us fundraise asap - activities include addressing envelopes with letters for our 'Cover The Costs' Appeal, searching for charitable trusts that give grants and preparing applications, and coming up with new ideas to raise large sums of cash.

We also need mature / experienced women with good communication and listening skills to help staff our telephone helpline. (01524 383636 11am - 1pm Mon - Fr) We will give training and supervision.

We have a grant from the community safety partnership to set up a website with information on DV resources available to local women. We have a volunteer who is busy collating the information - we could do with a woman to work alongside her actually designing and building the website.

We also need women with organisational experience for our Management Commitee - and if you have experience in finance / book-keeping our honorary treasurer could do with some help. Tel: 01524 389637 (admin line only)
Email:

For more information you can call LDWA during office hours on 01524 389637.

MORE INFO/LINKS

Women's Aid

Victim Support Lancashire

Sal's Place - Lancaster Domestic Abuse Centre, Floor B, St Leonard's House, St Leonardgate, Lancaster, LA1 1NN. Tel: 01524 61747.

The Hideout - website to support children and young people living with domestic violence, or those who may want to help a friend. The site informs children and young people about domestic violence and helps them identify whether it is happening in their home.

The Home Office: Domestic Violence Information

BBC: Domestic Violence Information

BBC: Domestic Violence Information - Crime Support