Cast your vote for life-saving project to support domestic violence victims

A life-saving project to support victims of domestic violence in Salford is in the running for a national award.

Safe Spaces, run by Salix Homes, provides safe, temporary accommodation to men and women fleeing abusive relationships, along with a package of support to help victims rebuild their lives, improve their wellbeing and regain their independence.

Now, Safe Spaces has been shortlisted in the Health and Wellbeing category of the Community Impact Awards 2017, organised by the National Housing Federation, and the public are being urged to cast their vote.

Rachel Connelly, service manager for supported housing at Salix Homes, said: “If you’re fleeing a violent relationship with your children, there’s a statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation, but sadly this isn’t always the case for some of those without dependent children.

“Nobody should be turned away from accessing lifesaving services and it’s those people who compelled us to launch Safe Spaces – providing safe, temporary accommodation for victims of domestic abuse.

“Victims provide emotional support to each other, while our officers help them in every aspect of their lives to recover and work to regain control of their lives.

“We’re helping women, and men, of all ages escape their violent partners and build bright futures. We’re incredibly proud of this project, as without Safe Spaces, these people quite possibly wouldn’t be alive today.

“To be recognised for our work helping domestic violence victims in Salford is a real honour and I’d urge people to cast their vote for Safe Spaces.”

In Salford, domestic abuse is the biggest reason for homelessness. Last year Salford’s homelessness service, which is managed by Salix Homes, accepted 327 households as homeless, with domestic abuse accounting for a quarter of cases.

Domestic abuse victim Karen* says she wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for Safe Spaces.

She arrived at Safe Spaces following a violent attack by her partner, who controlled her every move, took away her financial independence and cut her off from her friends and family.

Arriving with just the clothes on her back, our specially trained officers helped her obtain a food parcel, apply for benefits, register with a GP and provided her with the support and stability she needed to rebuild her life and reclaim her independence and control.

Karen spent 14 weeks with Safe Spaces and her life has been transformed. She’s now got a new home and is embarking on a training course to become a mentor for other victims.

She said: “I owe my life to Safe Spaces. If it hadn’t helped me and offered me a place of safety I would have felt I had no choice, but to go back to my violent ex-partner. Without the support given during my stay, I would never have coped.”

Safe Spaces provides accommodation and support for up to 12 people in Salford and victims are housed in pairs in order to provide crucial peer support.

Voting for the Community Impact Awards will run during Community Impact Week (November 6-12) and you can cast your vote here

*names have been changes to protect identities