Peterborough Women's Aid are the primary domestic abuse charity in the city and surrounding area, holding the Local Authority refuge contract with an 8 bed refuge plus a 3 bed NRPF (no recourse to public funds) refuge, and also run a women's centre in the city. They have staff co-located with the police and strong links with schools in the area.
The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) has awarded a £60,000 grant to them in order to fund The E-scape Project, which has two services attached to it. The first is the Healing Together Programme for primary school age children. It lasts 6 weeks and was put together by clinical and trauma informed experts. Each child is allocated an Early Intervention Workers and learn about how their body and brain work together, their feelings, senses and strategies they can use to help their body and brain feel safe. The second is the DAY Programme delivered in secondary schools and Sixth Forms. This is a multimedia programme that uses short films, advertisements, and chart music to raise awareness and provide education about domestic abuse and exploitation. The charity deliver this one to one where appropriate or through assemblies and PSHE sessions. The majority of referrals come through the designated safeguarding lead in schools. The charity explain that they recently widened the reach of the DAY Programme sessions to boys who attend Peterborough United Football Schools and at ‘The House’ - a project supporting care leavers.
The beneficiaries of this project will be children and young people of both primary and secondary school age, who either have already experienced domestic abuse or have been identified as at risk. The charity presented research from SafeLives to illustrate the challenges faced by children affected by domestic abuse, including 76% having experienced physical abuse, 53% harassment and stalking, 22% sexual abuse. As a result of their experiences 27% had previously self-harmed, 25% had experienced mental health issues, and 21% had threatened or attempted suicide. The charity explain that Cambridgeshire PSHE service provides a framework to all Primary Schools for use in lessons but they do not cover domestic abuse. In secondary schools there is no requirement to deliver healthy relationship education. They quote research showing 50% boys think if they have spent money on a girl they should have sex.
The charity have received positive feedback from parents and teachers about these interventions and their influence on school engagement. 83% children reported improved knowledge on the subject, 66% know how to access help, and they have measured improvements in factors such as the ability to differentiate emotions. Over 2 years Peterborough Women's Aid will support 150 children through Healing Together and 3000 through the DAY programme.
Senior Group Officer for Peterborough, W.Bro Neil Handley, said: “We are delighted that the MCF has awarded this grant. It is awful that charities like Peterborough Women’s Aid have to exist, but having met with with Amanda and her team and looked around the facilities, the need is there so it’s with gratitude that they do such great work.”
Charity CEO Amanda Geraghty said of the grant: “This is a fantastic donation from the MCF, it will allow the both the Healing Together Programme and the DAY Programme to reach a wider audience and deliver our message to more young people across the city.”
To find out more about Peterborough Women’s Aid, please visit their website www.peterboroughwomensaid.co.uk
The above images show:
Amanda delivering the Day programme to a school;
W.Bro Neil and Amanda discuss the charity’s work at the Peterborough Centre;
The Centre's Prayer Room; and shop.