Victoria Birch

We took our campaign to Westminster.

We met with Jess Phillips MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls – securing a vital opportunity to put survivors’ voices at the heart of Government.

Following the launch of our Living Without Hope campaign, backed by more than 100 partner organisations, our Chair, Niki Scordi, met with the MP to expose the critical gap in support for survivors.

Too many women are being left to cope alone – without the specialist, trauma-informed mental health support they urgently need. The consequences are devastating.

We made it clear: This cannot continue.

HALF of all women who approach the charity for essential mental health support after domestic abuse have to be turned away due to a dearth of Government spending – leaving vulnerable clients at risk of self-harm and suicide.

We’re calling on the Government to:

Make the mental health of women and children a central priority in the upcoming VAWG Strategy.

Commit £27.5 million per year for specialist, trauma-informed counselling and community-based support.

Jess Phillips listened. She recognised the scale of the crisis – and we will continue to work with her to make sure survivors’ needs are no longer ignored.

We’d welcome the opportunity to meet with Baroness Merron, Minister for Women’s Health and Mental Health, to continue this important conversation.

Niki said: “We spoke about what true recovery looks like and how this can be achieved, with support from the Government. We shared information about the major gaps in the current provision – particularly the urgent need for trauma-informed services, the access to counselling and the devastating impact on women who do not receive this support.

“We are grateful to Jess for listening, and her continued advocacy on behalf of women and girls. Our hope is that together, we can build a system that truly puts survivors first.”

The charity’s Living Without Hope report was shared with the MP, which brings together evidence, research and exposes gaps for support. It outlines that:

·       Domestic abuse is a key driver of women’s mental ill health, self-harm and suicides.
·       The lack of mental health support for domestic abuse survivors has devastating consequences.
·       The response of statutory services, including mental health, remains inadequate and ineffective.

There is an economic case for a community-based mental health response, as there is a saving of up to £11 for every £1 invested in the health response for women (NHS Confederation, 2023), with significant benefits to her family and wider community.

Further, domestic abuse costs the UK economy billions annually – with 1 in 5 women taking time off work because of domestic abuse and 9 in 10 saying it affects their performance at work.

This meeting is a powerful step forward — but our fight continues.

Together with our 100+ partners, we won’t stop until every survivor gets the essential support they deserve.

See the report here

After 14 years as Chief Executive of Woman’s Trust, Heidi Riedel will be stepping down in January 2026.

CEO of Woman’s Trust, Heidi Riedel, said: “I joined Woman’s Trust 21 years ago, with the mission to ensure we provide mental health support to every woman and child survivor of domestic abuse who needs it. I am privileged to work with a passionate and committed team of now over 40 colleagues, our dedicated Board and over 30 partner women’s organisations. Our pioneering specialist services, led by and for women, would not be possible without the trust and support of our funders and statutory partners.

“As we mark our 30th anniversary next year, our work is needed now more than ever. It is now time for a new leader to deliver our new Strategy, so that women and children can be safe and recover from the trauma of domestic abuse.”

Woman’s Trust chair, Niki Scordi, said: “Under Heidi’s leadership, Woman’s Trust has developed new innovative service models and initiatives, now supporting almost a thousand women and girls each year across London. She has worked tirelessly to amplify survivor voices and advocated for specialist therapeutic support to be made available to all survivors. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to thank Heidi for her passion, dedication and contribution.

“We will shortly begin a recruitment campaign for a new Chief Executive. Meanwhile, we welcome Yasmin Rehman, who has joined Woman’s Trust as interim CEO. This is an exciting time to join us and to build on the solid foundations we have in place with Heidi’s stewardship. We wish her all the very best in her future endeavours.”

“The sessions really helped me a lot at a time when I felt very sad and isolated.”

Domestic abuse is a national public health emergency of epidemic proportions – it leaves survivors struggling with long-lasting and devastating mental health issues and is a leading driver of suicide in women.

With 1 in 4 women and 1 in 5 children being victims in their lifetime, the prevalence of domestic abuse is now recognised as a national crisis.

This World Mental Health Day, we want to make it clear that no woman should suffer in silence or alone.

We offer free trauma-informed counselling to support women to rebuild confidence and move forward.

In 2024-5, we supported 833 women across all our services:

89% had reduced stress and anxiety
94% had improved self-esteem
70% no longer had suicidal feelings
71% had not self-harmed recently.

It is vital that we respond to survivors’ mental health needs and safeguard them from the psychological damage and trauma, to enable them to recover and rebuild their lives.

But Woman’s Trust’s Living Without Hope report, which evaluated evidence and research, exposed major gaps for support:

Domestic abuse is a key driver of women’s mental ill health, self-harm and suicides.

The lack of mental health support for domestic abuse survivors has devastating consequences.

The response of statutory services, including mental health, remains inadequate and ineffective.

With the Home Office due to publish its Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, we’ve joined forces with over 90 charities to send an open letter to Government to make sure the mental health impact of domestic abuse is finally addressed, urging them to fund specialist, long-term mental healthcare.

We are calling for the Government to provide funding of at least £27.5m per year to deliver specialist counselling and therapeutic support in the community, for women and girls.

Healing is possible. Woman’s Trust will support survivors every step of the way.

If you want to support our work, Big Give is match funding all donations this week, October 8-15. To find out more see our story.

From October 8-15, Woman’s Trust is taking part in the Big Give’s Women & Girls Match Fund – every donation will be MATCHED, meaning your gift goes twice as far.

We are aiming to raise £5,000 from our generous supporters – so we can access match funding to hit our target of £10,000.

Woman’s Trust is the leading mental health charity supporting women and children to rebuild their lives after domestic abuse — offering free, specialist counselling and life-changing support.

Its one-to-one person-centred counselling service provides up to 18 weekly, 50-minute sessions per client with a professional counsellor, trained to understand the specific dynamics and issues associated with domestic abuse.

£25 becomes £50…
£250 becomes £500…
£5,000 becomes £10,000 – funding over 100 one-to-one counselling sessions for women recovering from domestic abuse.

In 2024-5, we supported 833 women across all our services:

89% had reduced stress and anxiety; 94% had improved self-esteem; 70% no longer had suicidal feelings, 71% had not self-harmed recently.

Heidi Riedel, CEO of Woman’s Trust, said: “This year we are looking to raise £5,000 from our generous donors to be able to access the matching pot and double the amount.

“We are so grateful for any donation, big or small, to help us reach our target and support more survivors. It is vital that we respond to survivors’ mental health needs and safeguard them from the psychological damage and trauma, to enable them to recover and rebuild their lives.”

Donations will be generously matched by Big Give’s Champions during the campaign to make double the difference in supporting.

Donate here: 1:1 Counselling for Domestic Abuse Survivors – Big Give
Only available: October 8–15
Your donation will be matched — but only for ONE WEEK

When women and girls thrive, communities thrive. Help us build a fairer, safer world.

About Big Give:

Big Give is a registered charity (1136547) that runs match funded campaigns for charities and special causes at key moments across the year.

By connecting charities to match funders (like philanthropists, foundations or corporates) and the public, Big Give helps them double their donations. And, in doing so, makes an extraordinary difference to the world’s biggest challenges. It has raised more than £350m for charities to date.

“I was facing a hard time feeling depressed and wishing to die. My counsellor gives me emotional support talks and makes me see value in myself.”

Today we are marking World Suicide Prevention Day – shining a stark and urgent light on the hidden toll of domestic abuse.

Today and every day, Woman’s Trust stands with survivors to acknowledge the silent, internal battles that so many face – underlining that supporting mental health isn’t optional, it’s essential.

The statistics reveal a devastating truth:

There are more domestic abuse deaths by suicide than by homicide, with at least 2 women’s deaths by suicide a week (NPCC, 2024).

Half of all suicide attempts by women are linked to domestic abuse (City, University of London, 2022).

1 in 12 women attempt suicide, compared to 1 in 20 men, although more men die by suicide than women (McManus et al, 2016).

Of those referred to women’s organisations for advocacy support, 1 in 3 survivors identify mental health needs and almost 1 in 5 (18%) report attempting suicide or suicidal ideation (University of Warwick/Refuge, 2021).

Survivors tell us that counselling and mental health support is what they need most. Yet more than 1 in 2 survivors can’t access this support due to lack of capacity and funding for specialist services.

That’s why over 90 organisations and campaigners working across the Violence Against Women and Girls, mental health and domestic abuse sectors have signed Woman’s Trust’s letter calling for an investment of around £28m to fund community-based specialist and long-term provision.

Without free and accessible mental health support for survivors, we are putting women’s lives at risk.

Specialist counselling saves lives and changes futures – helping women find a way forward.