Services spotlight: on our Vietnamese and Chinese Outreach Service

How our Vietnamese and Chinese Outreach Service provides culturally aware support that recognises survivors’ experiences, values, and identities.

This week, we mark Race Equality Week, an annual, UK-wide movement to address the barriers to race equality, and reflect on how everyone has a part to play to improve lives for survivors of domestic abuse.  

In this blog, we will be spotlighting our culturally aware Vietnamese and Chinese Outreach service. The service operates across the country, with specialist Refuge staff who support women in their own language to understand their rights and feel empowered, access support around reporting abuse, immigration, reducing isolation and more.    

How do our culturally aware outreach services allow us to better support domestic abuse survivors?                                                  

Our Vietnamese and Chinese services provide culturally aware support that recognises survivors’ experiences, values, and identities. By understanding cultural, religious, and social contexts, these services reduce to access and create safer spaces where survivors feel understood rather than judged. This approach builds trust, improves engagement, and ensures support is tailored to each survivor’s individual needs, leading to improved confidence, emotional well being, and long-term outcomes. 

One survivor initially disengaged from support after negative experiences with mainstream services, where she felt misunderstood around her family and faith. When she was matched with a worker who understood her cultural background and spoke her first language, her confidence noticeably improved. 

Another survivor of domestic abuse was referred to the Refuge V&C Service. During the initial telephone contact, she was reluctant to disclose details of the abuse and expressed significant fear and anxiety. She shared her reluctance to leave the family home due to concerns for her son, as well as a lack of confidence in her ability to leave with him. She cited the absence of alternative accommodation and a fear of being separated from her child, particularly as she had been identified as having mental health needs. 

Although she had lived in the UK for over ten years, she reported having very limited social connections and support networks. She became extremely emotional and distressed when discussing her situation and, despite the severity of the abuse, had not reported it to the police or her GP. This was due to language barriers and her primary fear that seeking help might result in her child being taken into care.  

Once she became aware that V&C Service staff spoke her first language, she felt more at ease and was able to share her experiences and challenges more openly. With ongoing support from the V&C Service, she gradually began to engage more confidently, participated in group activities, and felt empowered to advocate for herself with external agencies. She later reflected that feeling “seen without being questioned” helped restore her sense of dignity, confidence, and emotional well being. 

The survivor stated: “I will never forget the invaluable support I received from Refuge. Refuge truly saved my life, and I am deeply grateful for everything they have done for me. I hope that the Refuge especially Vietnamese and Chinese Outreach Service can continue its work for many years to come, offering vital assistance and support to more Vietnamese women facing similar situations.” 

Feedback from service users 

Service users have shared that culturally aware support has made them feel safer, more respected, and more confident. Survivors highlighted the importance of being listened to without judgement and having their language, faith, and cultural needs acknowledged. 

Many reported that this understanding reduced feelings of isolation and helped them engage more fully with support. Overall, feedback shows that culturally responsive practice empowers survivors and supports their well-being and independence. 

“I am very grateful to what you have helped me, your great effort so that I am able to obtain my immigration status, financial and housing support. You have worked so hard to find a safe place for me and my new baby to stay. I am now feeling very much safer and happier!” 

 {Survivor} 

“I have suffered abuse in silence for such a long time. I did not dare to disclose to anyone because I was afraid that they would laugh at me. It is a shame! Now I feel much better after speaking to you and you are the only one having enough patience to listen to me. I remembered that I could not stop tearing when speaking to Refuge worker who is the only one having enough patience to listen to me and I could express my feelings freely in my mother-tongue language. You have given me a lot of strength to encounter all issues and carry on my life in a new direction. I am very grateful for all your kind support”.   

 {Survivor} 

I now feel very fortunate to have received support from Refuge. I believe I made the right decision to reach out, even though I was initially hesitant. I knew there were many support services available in the UK, but I did not know how to contact them because I do not speak English and was unsure whether I was eligible for support. During that difficult time, I remembered a Vietnamese Refuge worker who had supported me the year before. I will never forget the invaluable help I received from Refuge V&C service, it meant so much to me and my family. 

{Survivor} 

What Race Equality Week means to our team 

For our team, Race Equality Week is a reminder that race equality is a shared responsibility, embedded in everyday practice rather than a one-off. It encourages us to listen, reflect, challenge assumptions, and learn from experiences—both within our team and among the people we support. 

We deliver a range of workshops, including e-learning sessions, eVisa support, mental health awareness, and updates on new immigration policies. These workshops help ensure that our community has a good understanding of these topics and feels informed and supported. 

“I really enjoyed attending this workshop. I had a chance to get to know other Vietnamese people and I found the information very useful for me.” 

“I had a lot of fun when attending the mental health workshop and I could learn a lot of new things related to immigration regulations which are very necessary and important for me”.  

{Workshop participants} 

 We are planning to hold a Lunar New Year event in our service to celebrate and recognise the cultural traditions of our Vietnamese and Chinese communities. This will provide an opportunity for service users and staff to come together, share experiences, and engage in culturally meaningful activities. By celebrating important cultural events, we not only acknowledge and respect the identities of the people we support, but also help build confidence, connection, and a sense of belonging within the community.  

This approach ensures the week leads to lasting change, not just awareness.