Refuge supports thousands of women and their children every year to escape domestic abuse and rebuild their lives free from fear. But we cannot end abuse alone.
1 in 4 women in England and Wales will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. Survivors’ experiences are often shaped by intersecting factors such as race, ethnicity, immigration status, and cultural background, which can create additional obstacles to accessing safe and inclusive support.
At Refuge, we know that every survivor accessing our services will have individual needs shaped by these factors. This is why specialist domestic abuse services, including culturally-specific services which recognise the unique experiences of survivors, are crucial in helping women regain their autonomy.
As the need for these services remains high, continuing our lifesaving work has been made possible by the great generosity of the Postcode Lottery players.
Proceeds from Postcode Lottery players have provided Refuge with 3 years of flexible funding – totalling an incredible £900k – to transform the lives of survivors.
The flexible funding approach has allowed Refuge to direct funding to areas which need it most, meaning we can prioritise what’s really important: providing high-quality services which not only support but empower survivors to rebuild their lives towards a safer and more hopeful future.
From 2024, player funding has helped Refuge sustain and develop several areas of our work, including:
- Refuge’s sector-leading Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment team
- Culturally specific Vietnamese and Chinese Outreach service and our Eastern European services
- Policy and public affairs work to amplify survivors’ voices and strengthen the national response to domestic abuse
Refuge’s Vietnamese and Chinese Outreach service
Our Vietnamese and Chinese (V&C) Outreach service provides culturally aware support that recognises survivors’ cultural experiences, values and identities. It also recognises the barriers Vietnamese and Chinese survivors may face in accessing support and justice, including cultural stigma, language barriers and inadequate responses from external agencies. This is why our specialist V&C service supports survivors in their own language, with a commitment to understanding and appreciating their cultural, religious, and social contexts.
A survivor supported by Refuge’s V&C Outreach service said:
“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 Refuge, especially its Vietnamese and Chinese Outreach Service, can continue its work for many years to come, offering vital assistance and support to more women facing similar situations.”
The continued operation of this vital service, which operates across the country, has been supported by Postcode Lottery players. Through this funding, we have strengthened our ability to deliver culturally competent trauma-informed support, underpinned by exceptional safeguarding standards, providing a lifeline for survivors who may otherwise face barriers to accessing the help they deserve.
Beyond crisis intervention, the service focuses on empowerment and long-term recovery. With the help of Postcode Lottery player funding, our colleagues have been able to deliver workshops and information sessions on eVisa applications, online safety, mental health awareness and more. This, in turn, helps build survivors’ knowledge and confidence, opening more routes to healing and regaining independence – a vital step towards a life free from fear of abuse.
Thanks to Postcode Lottery players, survivors have been able to access the safety and support they deserve, while Refuge continues its mission to create a world where domestic abuse is not tolerated.
