Refuge comment on the death of Dame Anita Roddick

Sandra Horley OBE, chief executive of Refuge, said:

“The news of Anita’s death is incredibly upsetting for all of those who had the honour of knowing her.  She was a passionate and pioneering voice for the rights of women and was committed to ending violence.  The impact she made on the lives of women both in the UK, through her work with Refuge, and across the world is immeasurable.

“She first became involved with Refuge in 2003 as part of the Body Shop’s commitment to end violence in the home.  Thanks to Anita and the Body Shop, Refuge has been able to reach out to thousands of women in need through our website as well as expanding our services to help more women and children than would previously have been possible.  She wanted to make a difference for women and children experiencing domestic violence and she did. 

“Anita was a brave female voice, long before it was cool to care.  A generation of women owe her a massive debt.”

“Why we cannot ignore domestic violence”

Written by Anita Roddick for The Sun

September 20, 2003

What goes on in the head of a man who beats his pregnant wife or girlfriend and risks the death of his unborn child? And why do so many of us look away when we hear these stories?

Domestic violence affects women from every social background, religion and culture.  It can occur at any stage in a woman’s life but 30 per cent of victims are assaulted for the first time when during pregnancy. 

It is all about control.  A pregnant woman is at her most vulnerable and is more dependent on her partner.  She may be unable to leave. Imagine the fear and intimidation that leads victims to be beaten an average of 35 times before they work up the courage to leave or call the police.

Domestic violence is one of the biggest human rights issues affecting women. Refuge provides a badly needed safety net but the real work ahead is getting to the guts of the problem and putting the stigma where it belongs – on the abusers.

It also means examining why our society allows a disease like this to bloom so unchallenged. 

That means facing grim truths.

Don’t look away when I tell you that two women are killed weekly by partners in Englandand Wales and 25 per cent of women have been victims of domestic violence. 

Real change demands a new way of thinking from us all.  The first step is to refuse to ignore the problem.  In England and Wales alone, 19million adults say they know someone who has suffered at the hands of a violent partner.  That is a statistic we cannot afford to ignore.