Employer and Employee Initiative

The Issue

Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge & Support Services Corporate Outreach Project

Did you know?

25% of women are affected by Domestic Violence.

20% will take at least a month off work per annum.

56% arrive at work late over 5 times a month

53% lose 3 working days per month

Abuse can continue throughout the working day via harassing phone calls/ emails and stalking.

1 in 6 victims report the perpetrator is employed within the same organisation.

Cost £71 billion in England & Wales. Domestic Violence directly affects an organisations’ ability to perform at its best.

The Solution

While, of course, there are no easy remedies a starting point is education, awareness & an understanding of how to reach out to access support. We need to break the stigma & remove barriers to individuals accessing support.
This includes talking about the impact of domestic abuse on children and young people.

Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge & Support Services (WHWR) is an independent local charitable organisation with real expertise in this traumatic field.

WHWR are reaching out to Welwyn Hatfield businesses to offer bespoke sessions free of charge (either face to face or video call) to support employers in recognising, responding, and referring to support as appropriate and to assist employees, who either may be experiencing DVA themselves or aware of a colleague who is, by signposting them to the services available.

Early intervention and access to support is crucial to prevent DVA escalating & promotes a healthier working environment.

(WHWR gratefully acknowledges the support of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council in this venture through an Annual Community Grant)

Please contact:

Denise Fenn, at denise.fenn@whwr.org
or
Helen Tilley, at helen.tilley@whwr.org

WHWR supporter companies:

Every little donation helps!

Donate

Ways you can contact us

Contact Us

Policy Statement for Sexual Abuse

WHWR recognises there are high incidences of domestic sexual assault and that it is difficult for a victim to disclose to key workers.
We believe that survivors of sexual violence deserve to be treated with respect, empathy and compassion. We recognise that sometimes taking the first step can be the hardest, and we are here to ensure you have access to specialist qualified support within refuge and referring partners.
Women entering our refuge are enabled to disclose their experiences and where available are offered specialist support with these issues from organisation accredited under the Rape Crisis England and Wales National Standard including SARC Hertfordshire.
https://rapecrisis.org.uk/
https://hertssarc.org/professionals/
https://www.junocounselling.co.uk/

Leaving a gift in your will is one of the biggest things you can do to make a difference to the lives of women and children affected by domestic abuse.

For over 30 years we have been working to build a world where violence against women and children is no longer tolerated. By leaving a gift in your will to Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge & Support Services you can play a crucial role in creating this world.

Gifts in wills are special gifts, entrusted to us by those who share our values and vision for the future. They are critical to our work and the lives of women and children across the country because we support women who flee from all areas of the country, including Wales and sometimes Scotland.

No matter the size, your gift will be used to transform lives, strengthen life-saving services, and protect the rights and safety of survivors in the years ahead.

For more information, please email our CEO, denise.fenn@whwr.org