Crisis support charity, Hestia has today called for more community-based organisations to join its Safe Spaces scheme to reach 5,000 locations by the end of the year – as the charity and TSB find over two thirds (68%) of polling respondents (1) are unaware of domestic abuse help available on the high street.
Currently, there are 4,283 Safe Spaces across the UK (2), with pharmacies accounting for 60 percent of the network and banks 40 percent.
Safe Spaces provide secure and discreet refuge for those seeking to escape an abuser and access support and signposting. Locations across the UK are in addition to Safe Spaces online (3), which ensure people can find services discreetly if they are unable to visit a physical location.
Hestia data shows that someone accessed a Safe Space in a pharmacy or bank every day last year. Accompanying polling by Hestia and TSB polling shows almost a third (28%) of respondents know someone who has sought help related to domestic abuse. A quarter of women (25%) and almost a fifth (19%) of men reported having experienced domestic or economic abuse. Official figures from the ONS (4) reveal that approximately one in four (25.8%) people experience domestic abuse in their lifetime,
During No More Week, Hestia, backed by participating pharmacies and banks is raising awareness of this vital scheme – as the charity and TSB finds over nine in 10 (92%) are unaware that some banks offer Safe Spaces, and almost four fifths (79%) are unaware that some pharmacies offer the scheme. And almost six in 10 (57%) had not heard of Safe Spaces at all.
Domestic abuse can lead to serious physical and mental harm – and in the worst cases, loss of life.
Of those (22%) who had experienced abuse – three quarters (76%) said it had impacted them financially. Debt (52%), Lacking money confidence (36%), Poverty (33%), and Credit rating, (31%) were the most common issues faced.
The banks and pharmacies offering the scheme have specially trained colleagues able to provide victim-survivors with access to private spaces where they can make confidential phone calls to helplines, or friends and family members.
Patrick Ryan, Chief Executive, Hestia, said:
"Safe Spaces is a powerful example of what can be achieved when the charity and business sector come together to find innovative solutions for societal problems. We launched Safe Spaces during the pandemic, and it continues to grow and be used every day by people experiencing domestic abuse.
“The impact is life-changing, and in some cases lifesaving. We are hugely grateful to our many partners including TSB who are the backbone of this vital support on the high street, and we urge other community-based organisations to come forward and join the scheme to ensure we can reach everyone who needs us.”
Kate Osiadacz, Head of Responsible Business, TSB, said:
“We’ve seen first-hand the life-changing impact that Safe Spaces in branch, and online can have, in helping people escape an abusive and dangerous situation.
“With an alarming rate of domestic and economic abuse across the UK, we would encourage all relevant businesses to use their resources to provide what can be vital refuge and routes to safety.”
Distributed by Pressat