A blog by Farah Nazeer, Women’s Aid CEO

International Women’s Day is always a special event in the Women’s Aid calendar and one that we use as an opportunity for celebration, reflection and of course, looking towards the future. 

These are testing times for so many, with different experiences of constrained resources, political change, the economic environment, and indeed the international context that’s playing out for women at large. The impact of these significant issues on our sector and the women and children we are here for is undeniable, but I wanted to make sure we could still carve some space to recognise what we have achieved together in spite of the many challenges, and our commitment to adapting and persevering to make things better.  

For over half a century, Women’s Aid and its members have been supporting survivors of domestic abuse and working towards creating a society which has no space for misogyny, and which does not tolerate violence against women and girls. Rooted in the feminist movement of the 70s, today, we are a federation of over 180 organisations, supporting women and children as they seek to escape abuse and rebuild their lives. We are a sisterhood and it is by coming together and working together, that we are able to deliver the vital, life-changing support that survivors so desperately need. 

It is a sad reality that women face an unequal amount of challenge and threat – from inequality in the workplace, through to the devastating reality that women are much more likely to be killed by their current or former partners. International Women’s Day is an important opportunity for us to recognise this and to celebrate our sisters, who do so much to help women and children flee. I am grateful to each and every one of them – in our federation and of course, worldwide. 

The scale of the problem we are facing remains devastatingly vast. According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, a third of women over the age of 16 in England and Wales experience domestic abuse. This is an astonishingly high figure, and yet, it is likely to be even higher, given that domestic abuse is a crime that hides in plain sight and one that is historically underreported. 

To add to this already deeply challenging context, services are running within a frankly unsustainable funding environment, often being forced to turn women away who need help. Too many women referred to refuges cannot be accommodated because the space simply does not exist. And that matters because we have all heard the question: “Why doesn’t she just leave?” If anyone is still asking that question, the answer is painfully simple. Too often, when she tries to leave, society does not give her somewhere safe to go. Sustainable funding for the services that support women and children is critical. They are the backbone of response to ending violence against women and children. 

Steps are being made to change the wider reality of violence against women and children and many of them are significant. It feels like we are living at a time of reckoning – we see public bodies reflecting on their failings, committing to learn and change. We have seen a government publish a strategy aimed at reducing VAWG. We are also seeing an increasingly aware society, women who are unafraid, who see bad behaviour and who do not shy away from calling it out whether that be online or in their own lives. 

But the reality is, we cannot make the change that is needed alone. Momentum is gaining and it must be maximised and to do this, we must come together. We now need everyone else to stand with us – we need to see promises being delivered on, we need the pace to increase. Every woman who is killed by a predatory man is someone’s mother, daughter, sister, friend, colleague. They deserve better. 

This momentum must go beyond the women’s sector; we need allies from the public and private sector to make a commitment as well. Ending domestic abuse requires change across society; to shift attitudes and to improve the support available to survivors wherever they look for it. 

This year we’ve been so proud to work with some incredible corporate partners on initiatives that make a genuine difference to the lives of survivors. We’ve created pathways of support for women and children in need, delivered awareness campaigns to improve public understanding of abuse and have used our collective voice to reach new audiences and influence government. 

I hope that 2026 brings opportunity for new innovative collaborations between our sector and our corporate allies. It’s these connections and partnerships that gives us the strength and power needed to truly challenge misogyny and abuse that is deep-rooted in our society. 

My message this International Women’s Day is simple – it is hope and it is unity. We face many challenges, but the feminist movement has faced them ever since it began. We know that we can withstand these pressures, we know that we can achieve remarkable things. Join us – be proactive allies, campaign for change, call out dangerous behaviours and support one another. Together, we are unstoppable.

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Ellie Daniel, Head of Policy and Survivor Services, comments:   

Today’s announcement that all Criminal Crown Courts in England and Wales will be funded to hear as many cases as possible next year is welcome. It is vital that survivors of domestic abuse feel confident that a backlog of cases does not stand in the way of access to justice, and increased investment will help enable this. 

While welcome, investment to ease the backlog in cases will not fix the entrenched problems survivors of domestic abuse face in securing the justice they deserve.  We continue to call for mandatory, specialist domestic abuse training for all court professionals to enable them to understand the complexity of domestic abuse. This is urgently needed and must be accompanied by wider culture change to address the misogynistic attitudes that dominate in the criminal justice system, so that survivors get the justice that they deserve. 

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By Women’s Aid CEO, Farah Nazeer

As with all those who work in the violence against women and girls (VAWG) sector, I first became aware of Gisèle’s story as it broke across international media in 2024, when she waived her right to anonymity and spoke the famous words: ‘shame must change sides’.  

At Women’s Aid, for over 50 years, we have been working with victims and survivors of abuse as they escape their tormentors, rebuild their lives and seek justice. And I can tell you that those words will have meant everything to those women. Sadly, we still live in a society that treats domestic abuse as largely invisible – stereotypes about who is more likely to experience it still prevail, as do the ideas that abuse is only abuse when the repercussions are physically visible. These prejudices follow women as they break free and seek justice, with countless women reporting that they didn’t feel like they were believed by those in the criminal justice system, with others saying that the system was weaponised against them by abusers. Gisèle’s outstanding bravery in choosing an open court represents an enormous step towards eradicating the silence that cloaks the experiences of so many women. And her book, published today, goes even further.  

A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides, published in the UK today, is poignant, searingly honest and brave. Yes, the book speaks to survivors and their experiences, making them feel seen, heard and validated. But it also breaks down the stereotypes around violence against women and children – a vital step if we ever hope to live in a society which no longer tolerates it.  

A heartbreaking example of this runs throughout the book, as Gisèle talks about her and Monsieur Pelicot’s (Monsieur Pelicot is how she addresses him in the book and during court) almost 50 year-long relationship and being seen as the ‘perfect couple’ and acting like ‘teenagers’. From the outside, they were perfect, in love and committed to one another, yet she talks about ‘all the incidents that I now realised were signals I had missed’. We know from our work with survivors just how true this is – abuse is insidious and so often ‘invisible’ to the outside world, yet like a slow poison, it is always there, circulating and destroying the relationship and the love that led to it, piece by piece. Gisèle was there for her husband, as women were expected to be for millennia, time and again supporting him through difficult family dynamics, through career setbacks and even the initial ‘upskirting’ charge, yet the entire time, he was abusing her.  

Gisèle’s book is also incredibly powerful when it comes to describing the impact of trauma on the wider family, as well as on the generations that follow them. She speaks with unerring frankness about the awful abuse that she heard about, and witnessed herself, in Monsieur Pelicot’s family. She describes in visceral detail the abusive relationship between her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Denis and Juliette – something that would be so uncomfortable and unsettling to see for their children, yet sadly still too common and ultimately, no excuse for abuse. She also talks about the impact that Monsieur Pelicot’s abhorrent actions had on her own family and their children. The tragic reality of domestic abuse is that it goes far beyond the abuser and the survivor. It impacts families, it hurts children, who become victims in their own right, and it continues to feed into misogynistic and sexist attitudes that still plague our society. If we stand a chance of ending the epidemic of VAWG, much of the work must be centred around children and young people – they must be supported, they must be taught and they must understand what is and isn’t acceptable when it comes to healthy relationships. Respect and consent are cornerstones of any loving relationship – without this knowledge, we are just going to continue the cycles of abuse that we have born witness to.  

In addition to the many lessons Gisèle’s book teaches us about the nature of abuse, the impact it has and the questions that survivors are left to grapple with, it also left me with an overwhelming sense of hope. ‘I heard joy and anger prevailing over silence, and I am more than happy to offer my experience as an example and my name as a battle flag’ are Gisèle’s words in the final chapter. She has become the face and voice of resistance, bravery and hope. She has challenged abusers, she has held them to account and, as a result, has kept countless other women safe from their predation.  

Gisèle is a survivor and an ally, and if there is anything I learnt from my years of working in VAWG and leading Women’s Aid, is that we need each other. We are a sisterhood and together, we are unbeatable. We will come together for as long as we need to, until every sister, daughter, friend, colleague is safe. And as we do, we will turn to women like Gisèle – survivors who advocate and campaign, who face the unthinkable and rise up stronger. And above all, who never lose hope.

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Gisèle Pelicot inspired and moved millions of people when she chose to waive her right to anonymity in the trial of her ex-husband and the fifty other men eventually convicted of her sexual assault. Her call for shame to change sides in cases of violence against women has raised awareness of the devastating impact of these crimes, and invigorated the global movement for change.

In celebration of the global publication of Gisèle Pelicot’s memoir, A Hymn to Life, during her visit to the UK, Women’s Aid and her publisher, Vintage, part of Penguin Random House UK, proudly co-hosted an event in the Houses of Parliament.

Gisèle Pelicot’s book is a powerful and searing reminder that domestic abuse and sexual assault can happen to anyone. Data shows that nearly a third of women experience domestic abuse, with 1 in 4 also experiencing sexual assault. For many women sexual assault is part of the abuse they experience at the hands of their husband or partner.

Gisèle Pelicot‘s message is one of defiance and renewal – that victims have no reason to feel ashamed; that even after unimaginable betrayal we can go on; that the colour can come back to life.

Gisèle Pelicot addressed a captivated room, including government ministers and Members of Parliament, survivors, and advocates to end violence against women and children. Some of those in attendance included Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Jess Phillips, Minister for Victims and Tackling VAWG Alex Davies-Jones, broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire, Women’s Aid ambassadors Michelle Griffith-Robinson, Ashley James, Katie Piper and others.

Gisèle Pelicot said:

‘It is an honour to speak in the Houses of Parliament today, a building where many laws are made.  Changing legislation is far easier than changing attitudes. For victims to speak out, society also has to be ready to listen and to hold their hand.  Shame must change sides.’

Speaking alongside Gisèle Pelicot, Farah Nazeer, CEO at Women’s Aid said:

‘I would like to express my personal thanks to Gisèle for her outstanding bravery, unflinching honesty and pursuit of justice. By holding the men who committed these crimes against her to account, she has given countless women a voice, making them feel seen, heard and no longer alone. We know from our work with survivors just how isolating and insidious violence against women and girls is, as well as how deeply rooted it is in misogyny. By standing tall and calling for shame to change sides, Gisèle has changed the lives of women, everywhere.’ 

Hannah Telfer, Managing Director at Vintage said: 

‘The collective force of Gisèle Pelicot’s strength, hope, honesty and resilience is on every page of A Hymn to Life and has generated an extraordinary response around the world. Gisèle has harnessed the unrivalled power of a book to offer understanding, solidarity an empathy, giving all of us renewed determination to ensure change happens.’

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, said:

‘Gisèle Pelicot has shown extraordinary courage and dignity by telling her story. We must honour that by treating violence against women and girls as the emergency that it is.

Our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade cannot wait. This case should mark a pivotal moment in our fight to ensure women and girls can live their lives free from violence and fear.’ 

Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said: 

‘What happened to Gisèle horrified people in France and across the world. I want to pay tribute to her courage in speaking out, and to every survivor who does the same.

She is showing that shame should belong to those who abuse, not the victims. We must keep working to end violence against women and girls.’ 

References: 

1. Nearly a third of women (29.6%) have experienced domestic abuse since the age of 16 (ONS, 2025a). Office for National Statistics. (2025) Dataset: Domestic abuse prevalence and victim characteristics. Available online: ONS. 

1. Nearly a quarter (25.6%) of women have experienced sexual assault (including attempts) since the age of 16. (ONS, 2025). Office for National Statistics. (2025) Dataset: Sexual offences prevalence and victim characteristics, England and Wales. Available online: ONS. 

1. Women’s Aid On Track national data shows that in the financial year 2023-24 , (over 1 in 5) 17.2% of women supported by a refuge or community-based support (CBS) service experienced sexual abuse. This included 16.4% of women in CBS services and 26.7% in refuges.     

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Today we are proud to launch our What Works Fund impact report: What works to prevent violence against women and girls? This short report brings together the impact of the work Women’s Aid carried out through the ‘What Works’ Fund (WWF) provided by the Home Office between 2022 and 2025. It summarises the contribution of the following projects in our mission to end violence against women and girls: 

• Influencers and Attitudes (2023) – this report was based on research on children and young people’s understanding of and attitudes towards healthy relationships. This report was referenced in the recently published Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) government strategy.  

• Expect Respect – a school-based educational programme about unhealthy relationships and the gender stereotypes that underpin them. Our independent evaluation, also published today, showed us that after our training, children and young people aged 11 to 18 were 2.5 times more likely to say they knew who they could talk to if they were concerned about a relationship. 

• Training bursaries for domestic abuse professionals: We provided 134 bursaries to train staff working with children and young people CYP in the domestic abuse sector. We also worked with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to deliver training to probation staff. 

• Love Respect – thanks to the What Works Fund, we were able to further develop our website for young people aged 14 to 24. We listened to the voices of children and young people and made changes to our Love Respect website, we increased the number of monthly users by more than 450%, allowing more young people to learn about and be supported with domestic abuse.  

• Activity packs to support children and young people during their time in refuges. Our activity packs are designed to help children communicate their likes and needs, to explore and express their feelings, to find comfort in their creativity, and to understand key topics including safety and trust. The packs have been downloaded at least 72 times and have likely helped even more children and young people in refuges.  

 “The importance of the work undertaken as part of the What Works Fund cannot be underestimated. Each project has a tangible and meaningful impact when it comes to addressing domestic abuse and the toxic beliefs and systems that underpin it”
Nikki Bradley, Director of Delivery at Women’s Aid 

To read our What Works Fund impact report please visit: What works to prevent violence against women & girls? 

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Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, comments: 

We welcome the government’s ambitious commitment to halving violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the next decade, as outlined in their strategy published today.  

We are pleased to see the emphasis the strategy places on long-term prevention, particularly new investment in programmes that aim to shift attitudes of children and young people, ensuring that they understand what healthy relationships must look like. Our own research tells us that children who were exposed to content like that from Andrew Tate, were five times more likely to view hurting someone physically as acceptable, if they apologised afterwards, so this intervention is absolutely vital. We also welcome much-needed plans to improve local commissioning standards which, for too long, have resulted in a postcode lottery of support for victims and survivors. Looking ahead, it is fundamental that there is a focus not just on setting national expectations – but on ensuring robust implementation and accountability on the ground, so that all women and children experiencing abuse are able to access lifesaving support when they need it most. 

This strategy is a commendable effort by government to deliver a whole system response to VAWG, including through long-awaited interventions in healthcare, which should provide additional resource to complement the vital work being delivered already by specialist services. However, we are mindful that frontline services will experience additional strain following a planned increase in referrals through the NHS, as well as via education and criminal justice systems. It is important that these services are well-equipped to respond, given that over 60% of referrals into refuge are already declined, primarily due to a lack of bedspaces. Additional funding by government into safe accommodation and other specialist services is welcome, but this needs to go much further, including through ring-fenced investment in services run by and for Black and minoritised women and dedicated support for child victims  

While we also acknowledge the government’s efforts to encourage reporting of abuse by migrant victims and survivors, significantly more remains to be done to ensure these most vulnerable victim-survivors are protected and supported, as well as specific funding commitments towards migrant survivors of domestic abuse. The Home Office Flexible Fund, administered by Women’s Aid via our network of specialist services and delivery partners, remains crucial for supporting women, such as those with no recourse to public funds, in times of crisis, and we advocate for sustainable funding for this lifeline. 

Finally, it is critical that through the delivery of this VAWG strategy, the wider expertise and fullest potential of the specialist domestic abuse sector, including the by and for sector, is recognised. Our specialist members already deliver educational work in schools, provide therapeutic services and train of professionals, amongst a myriad of expertise which compliments their role in delivering safe accommodation, as well as frontline and community-based services. We strongly urge that the sector is heavily involved in the funded delivery of these new and vital aspects of the strategy. 

We will now take time to familiarise ourselves with the strategy and consider its impact on our diverse group of member services across England. We will respond more fully in due course.

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We are looking for a compassionate and skilled Domestic Abuse Outreach Worker to provide direct support, advocacy, and outreach services for individuals experiencing domestic abuse in Elmbridge, Epsom & Ewell, and Spelthorne. In this role, you will empower clients by offering emotional and practical support, safety planning, risk assessments, and guidance on accessing key services, such as legal aid, housing, and benefits.

If you are passionate about supporting survivors and committed to making a difference, we would love to hear from you. We are seeking a dedicated and approachable individual with strong communication skills, an understanding of safeguarding frameworks, and experience working with victims of domestic abuse.

Please note: This post is restricted to female applicants in accordance with Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010

JOB DESCRIPTION

POST TITLE
IDVA / Domestic Abuse Outreach Worker

DAYS / HOURS
2 – 5 Days a week / 14 – 35 paid hours

SALARY
£25,000 – 32,000 FTE depending on experience

DURATION
6-12 Month Contract

REPORTS TO
CEO

LOCATION
Walton-on-Thames office

HOLIDAY & PENSION
20 days holiday per annum plus paid Bank Holidays, increasing with each full year of service up to 30 days and option of enrolment in pension scheme

1. ACCOUNTABILITY

The post holder is accountable and will be supervised by the Chief Executive and work in partnership with the other Service Managers.

2. KEY AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

The key purpose of the role is to provide a domestic abuse outreach service for the boroughs of Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell and Spelthorne

Direct Work with clients

·       To contact clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills in order to allow clients to explain their situation and empower them to set their own priorities.

·       To provide skilled practical help, advice and emotional support to enable clients to reach an informed decision regarding their future, including safety planning and risk assessment.

·       To enable and encourage clients to take advantage of all services relevant to their problems such as legal and financial advice, housing and benefits rights, education, medical treatment, safety advice etc. and make appropriate referrals.

·       To assist clients where necessary by negotiating, drafting or writing letters and telephoning.

·       To negotiate with third parties, including statutory and non-statutory organisations as required.

·       To accompany clients to meetings with agencies and courts if needed.

·       To be mindful of the impact of any client’s children witnessing domestic abuse and of the associated child protection issues.

·       To help reduce client’s isolation and encourage them back into the community.

·       To seek opportunities for clients to access group work and to deliver group work as appropriate.

·       To attend Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences.

·       To assess clients for referral to the North Surrey Sanctuary Scheme.

·       Understanding of Safeguarding Framework and procedures both for Vulnerable Adults and Child Protection.

Administration

·       To maintain relevant casework records on clients for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation and ensuring such records are kept up to date and in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

·       To maintain records to fulfil monitoring requirements of funders

·       To undertake letter writing as appropriate

Other duties and responsibilities

·       To uphold the aims and principles of the NSDAS.

·       To keep up to date with policies and procedures relevant to bureau work and undertake relevant training within guidelines issued by NSDAS.

·       To uphold and work within the principles of the Surrey Multi Agency Strategy against Domestic Abuse.

·       To provide advice and information to other organisations and take part in Domestic Abuse awareness raising events.

·       To liaise with other organisations and agencies where there is a joint or multiple approach to a client and be aware that inter-agency co-operation is an integral and essential facet of outreach work.

·       To abide by health and safety procedures in accordance with Health & Safety legislation.

·       To work closely with the other Outreach Workers/IDVAs.

·       Any other duties as required to ensure the efficient provision of the outreach service.

·       To understand and adhere to Safeguarding Policies and procedures.

·       Answer calls, facilitate meetings and be on a rota to support the charity as needed.

Professional Support and Development

·       To keep up to date with legislation, case law and policies and procedures and undertake appropriate training relevant to the provision of an advice service and issues concerning domestic abuse.

·       To prepare for and attend supervision sessions as required.

·       To attend team meetings.

·       To attend all relevant training as required including specialist domestic abuse/gender violence training.

Requirements and Skills

·       Knowledge of the issues facing people experiencing domestic abuse.

·       Recent experience of advice work which could be within any voluntary or statutory organisation.

·       Ability to plan and prioritise own work, meet deadlines and manage caseload.

·       Experience of supporting victims of domestic abuse and evaluating risk factors.

·       Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively and a willingness to challenge constructively.

·       Effective written and oral communication skills with particular emphasis on negotiating.

·       Ability to use IT in the provision of advice, compilation of statistical data and preparation of reports.

·       Flexible approach, ability to work on own initiative but also ability to work as part of a team.

·       Numeracy skills.

·       An awareness of the importance of confidentiality.

·       The ability to listen, to communicate and to be non-judgemental

·       To demonstrate a commitment to equality and diversity.

·       To be able to work effectively with a range of different statutory agencies, voluntary organisations and individuals.

·       To demonstrate understanding of safeguarding issues.

·       To have a full driving license and use of a car and ability to meet clients in the Boroughs of Epsom and Ewell, Elmbridge and Spelthorne,

·       To be qualified as a domestic abuse IDVA or willing to train to achieve this qualification.

We recognise the positive value of diversity, promoting equality and fairness, and challenging discrimination. We welcome our legal duties not to discriminate as a service provider and an employer. We aim to go beyond the narrow scope of legislative compliance and follow best practice, making equality, fairness and diversity a fundamental part of all our activities. We recognise people with different backgrounds, skills, attitudes and experiences bring fresh ideas and perceptions, and we wish to encourage and harness these differences to make our services more relevant and approachable.

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