Woman’s Trust marked 30 years of supporting women and children affected by domestic abuse at an anniversary event bringing together policymakers, experts and people with lived experience.

Contributions from Dame Nicole Jacobs, Jess Asato, MP and a panel of experts highlighted the lasting impact of domestic abuse on mental health and the need for better access to specialist support.

Dame Nicole Jacobs: improving responses to domestic abuse

Dame Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, spoke about the need for change across health services, highlighting how survivors can be passed between services without receiving the specialist support they need.\

“Things do need to change…
Right now, too many survivors are being referred from service to service without receiving the specialist support they need.
Too many professionals feel they are not confident in identifying domestic abuse.\

“Too many survivors- as I heard a couple of weeks ago (at Woman’s Trust) – have left appointment after appointment after appointment before coming to the Woman’s Trust and not being asked the right questions and not fully understood.

“That’s why I would like to work with Government, the NHS and partners across health to seek to improve responses, we are pushing for better training for healthcare professionals so they have the knowledge and confidence, we’re advocating for domestic abuse to be properly reflected in the forthcoming mental health strategy.

“We are working to ensure survivors’ experiences themselves help shape these changes and how they are designed and delivered.”

Jess Asato MP: recognising the mental health impact of abuse

Jess Asato MP highlighted the importance of recognising that domestic abuse is not solely physical, and that its psychological and emotional effects can have a lasting impact on women’s and children’s lives.

She told the room that her tenure as Violence Against Women and Girls Advisor to the Department of Health and Social Care had been extended.

“Woman’s Trust is an incredible organisation, doing amazing work.
We have heard about its history, the 23,000 women and children that have been supported, so we are all the better for your efforts since 1996.

“But sadly, it remains the case that all too often that domestic abuse is thought of as a purely physical phenomenon, and when they think of it, they conjure up images of black eyes hidden behind sunglasses… of course it can be physical but it is never just physical. It’s psychological, it’s emotional, and without support it can derail women’s and children’s lives – often for the whole of their lives.

“…When only half of women referred to Woman’s Trust are able to receive support, things are clearly going wrong. Victims don’t deserve to be left without support. Alone and vulnerable, they can be driven to the edge.
Over half of women’s suicide attempts are linked to domestic abuse.

“Survivors need to feel there is hope, and a better life is possible, and essential specialist support is central to that mission. I have spoken to many survivors and to many organisations like Woman’s Trust as the advisor to the Department of Health and Social Care. And I know that we are getting it wrong.

“Too many victim survivors are referred to Talking Therapies, for which they wait very, very long, and they receive a very short-term course of an intervention which too frequently does nothing for them at all. And in the worse cases, can actually make them go back in their recovery journey.

“…I have certainly heard the message very, very loud and clear, from the survivors themselves and from organisations like Woman’s Trust.
Missing the mental health piece of the DA puzzle risks undermining our whole mission as Government to tackle gender-based violent abuse and halve violence against women and girls in the next ten years.”

Panel discussion: understanding what good support looks like

The event also featured a panel discussion including Jain Lemom, Head of Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls at Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC), a Woman’s Trust client, Professor Sian Oram, Professor of Trauma and Recovery, King’s College London, Nirma Bheeroo, Senior Services Manager, Woman’s Trust.

The discussion highlighted the importance of listening to survivors and understanding recovery from their perspective. Specialist mental health support can help women make sense of their experiences, rebuild confidence and reconnect with themselves and others.

See our Woman’s Trust Film

Read our Living Without Hope report

To mark 30 years of Woman’s Trust, our new film, Finding Hope After Abuse, brings together the real experiences of four women who have lived through domestic abuse – and highlights the life-changing difference specialist mental health support can make.

“Woman’s Trust literally saved my life.”

These are the words of a Woman’s Trust client, one of four women who share their experiences in Woman’s Trust: Finding Hope After Abuse, premiered at our 30th anniversary event on 14 October 2026.

Watch Woman’s Trust: Finding Hope After Abuse and hear directly from the women who share their experiences in the film.

*Content Warning – includes discussion around rape and abuse that views may find upsetting.

Watch the film on YouTube

Through their own words, the four women describe the devastating and lasting impact of domestic abuse, including coercive control, psychological abuse, sexual violence and the challenges of seeking help. Their stories reveal how abuse can leave women feeling trapped, isolated and questioning their own reality – and how its effects can continue long after a relationship has ended.

But their experiences also show what can happen when women are believed, understood and given the specialist support they need to begin healing.

The lasting impact of domestic abuse

Domestic abuse is not always visible. Coercive control and psychological abuse can erode a woman’s confidence, independence and sense of self over time, leaving her feeling isolated and afraid.

In the film, the women describe experiences ranging from prolonged psychological abuse and surveillance to financial control and ongoing legal battles. They speak about the toll these experiences have taken on their mental and physical health, their relationships and their ability to rebuild their lives.

For some survivors, leaving an abusive relationship is only the beginning of a long journey towards recovery. The process of seeking help can itself be difficult and, at times, retraumatising.

Their stories highlight why specialist mental health support is essential  – not only to help women make sense of what has happened to them, but to support them as they begin to recover and regain control over their futures.

The power of being believed

The film highlights how meeting a Woman’s Trust counsellor marked a turning point.

One woman recalls the moment someone first told her, “I believe you.” After experiencing abuse that had left her questioning herself, being heard and understood brought a profound sense of relief. Through counselling and group workshops, she began to recognise the patterns in her experience, process what had happened and regain her strength.

They describe Woman’s Trust as a safe place where they are listened to without judgement. The support they received helped them understand experiences and reconnect with their voices, identity and sense of independence.

Each woman’s experience is different. Yet their stories share a powerful message: being believed, understood and supported can make a profound difference.

30 years of specialist support

The film was premiered at Woman’s Trust’s 30th anniversary event, bringing together supporters, experts and those committed to improving the response to domestic abuse and its impact on mental health.

For three decades, Woman’s Trust has provided free, trauma-informed counselling and group therapy for women and children affected by domestic abuse.

The women’s experiences in the film demonstrate why this specialist support matters. Recovery takes time, and survivors need safe spaces where they can process their experiences without judgement, rebuild their confidence and reconnect with themselves.

A special thank you to those who made this film possible:

Emily Compton, Kelly Bush & Rachael Welsby @ CAYA Productions
Directed by Mike Reilly
Superna & Jay @ Twickenham Studios
Russell Shaw @ Quite Brilliant
Graphics by Eduard Fadgyas
Director Of Photography: Dave Jones
Runner: Rosie Brotherton

Actresses:
Valerie Paul
Ellie Ward
Naomi Bowman
Fiona Campbell

And the incredible women who shared their stories

Read our Living Without Hope report

Last night, we came together to mark 30 years of Woman’s Trust, celebrating three decades of supporting women and children affected by domestic abuse to heal, recover and rebuild their lives.

From the powerful premiere of our anniversary film to the poems and reflections in Still, She Speaks, and sharing findings from our Impact Report, the evening centred the voices and experiences of survivors – reminding us why every woman deserves to be heard, believed and supported.

We were honoured to hear from Jess Asato MP, Domestic Abuse Commissioner Dame Nicole Jacobs, our Chair Niki Scordi and CEO Alice Piller-Roner, alongside an inspiring panel of experts, including Jain Lemom, Head of Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls at Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC), Professor Sian Oram, Professor of Trauma and Recovery, King’s College London, Nirma Bheeroo, Senior Services Manager, Woman’s Trust.

Amanda also shared her lived experience and spoke powerfully about the impact of specialist support.

Thirty years on, our ambition remains the same: to ensure every woman affected by domestic abuse can access the support she needs, when she needs it.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, shared their experiences, contributed their expertise and made last night so meaningful. And, above all, thank you to the women who have trusted us with their stories.

We’re also incredibly grateful to our brilliant Woman’s Trust team, Ambassadors and Trustees, whose hard work, commitment and belief in our mission helped make this special evening possible.

Here’s to the next chapter – and to a future where every survivor can access the support they deserve.

Read our Living Without Hope report

When ‘Sarah’ first rang Woman’s Trust, she apologised three times in the opening minute. She was sorry for taking up our time. She was sorry she couldn’t explain properly. She was sorry for “making a fuss”, even though she had been living with years of control and fear.

That reflex to apologise is something we hear often. It is one of the quieter legacies of domestic abuse, and it is why mental health support matters so much.

To mark World Mental Health Day, Nirma Bheeroo, Counselling Manager at Woman’s Trust, has written a guest blog for the Domestic Abuse Commissioner (DAC), exploring the lasting impact of domestic abuse on women’s mental health and why specialist support is essential to recovery.

The effects of domestic abuse can last long after a woman has left an abusive relationship. Coercive control, fear and isolation can undermine confidence, identity and self-worth, meaning that being safe does not always feel the way a woman might expect.

At Woman’s Trust, we provide free, specialist counselling for women affected by domestic abuse, offering a safe, non-judgemental space to process their experiences and rebuild their lives at their own pace. Recovery is different for every woman, but it can begin with small steps towards regaining confidence, making choices and feeling like herself again.

Nirma’s blog highlights why mental health support must be recognised as a core part of the response to domestic abuse, with accessible, specialist services available long after the immediate crisis has passed.

Read Nirma’s full guest blog

You can make a difference this World Mental Health Day.

Through our Big Give Women & Girls Match Fund, donations to Woman’s Trust are doubled at no extra cost until 13 October.

Find out more

We’re live with match funding!

The Big Give Women & Girls Match Fund is now open, meaning every donation to Woman’s Trust could be doubled at no extra cost to you.

Your support can help women and girls affected by domestic abuse access specialist mental health support and move forward without fear.

Donate today and double your impact.

At Woman’s Trust, we provide free, confidential, person-centred counselling and therapeutic support services. We know that there are hundreds of women waiting for our support. In 2025-6, we supported 818 women but had to turn away an additional 700 due to lack of funding.

Every donation made through our campaign page, big or small, will be doubled at no extra cost to the donor. This is a great opportunity to make twice the impact for the women and girls we support.

When? The campaign goes live now – noon on the 6 October and until noon on 13 October
How? Donate via the webpage

We hope you consider supporting the campaign. If you are unable to donate, you can still make a significant difference by spreading the word and sharing widely with your networks.

Thank you for standing with women and girls. Together, we can ensure no woman is turned away from vital mental health services.

A huge thank you to everyone taking on the Oysho Royal Parks Half Marathon on Sunday, 11 October to raise vital funds for Woman’s Trust. Their support will help us continue providing specialist mental health support to women affected by domestic abuse.

If you’re able to donate, no matter how big or small, your support will help Woman’s Trust continue providing life-changing support to women affected by domestic abuse.

Find out more about our incredible fundraisers, below.

Ria is running for Woman’s Trust!

Ria Gandhi is taking on her first ever half marathon to raise money for Woman’s Trust.

Having experienced domestic abuse herself, this cause is incredibly close to her heart. After leaving an abusive relationship, she knows first-hand how difficult it can be to rebuild confidence and move forward.

Support Ria’s fundraising Ria Gandhi is fundraising for Woman’s Trust:

And if you can’t donate, sharing her fundraising page would mean just as much.

Lily is running for Woman’s Trust!

Fundraiser Lily Keisler says: “Somehow I’ve signed myself up for another half marathon…”

Lily is running the Oysho Royal Parks Half Marathon for Woman’s Trust as she says its a cause that’s deeply personal to her.

If you’re able to donate, no matter the amount, you’ll be helping more women access this vital support and rebuild their lives.

Support Lily’s fundraising: Lily Keisler is fundraising for Woman’s Trust

Please sponsor Lily and cheer her on – and help her get round those 13.1 miles!

Suzie is running for Woman’s Trust!

As a survivor of domestic abuse and an Ambassador for Woman’s Trust, Suzie Kennedy is taking on the Oysho Royal Parks Half Marathon to support Woman’s Trust’s work.

Suzie says she isn’t a natural runner, and training has been particularly challenging after surviving cancer twice and living with injuries resulting from abuse. She says every mile is a reminder of why this matters – and of the difference specialist support can make.

Support Suzie’s fundraising: suzie kennedy is fundraising for Woman’s Trust

Every donation, no matter the size, will help more women access the support they need to heal, recover and build lives free from the lasting impact of abuse.

Lalana and Pim are running for Woman’s Trust!

Together, Lalana and Pim Eden are aiming to raise £1,000 to support Woman’s Trust by taking on the half marathon.

They say they are fundraising because they believe more needs to be done to support women affected by domestic abuse – including the often less visible forms of abuse such as coercive control, emotional, sexual and financial abuse, which can have a lasting impact on women’s mental health and wellbeing.

Support Lalana and Pim’s fundraising: Lalana and Pim Eden is fundraising for Woman’s Trust

Support Pim and Lalana and help more women access the specialist support they need.

Harry is running for Woman’s Trust!

On behalf of Gowling WLG, Harry will be taking on the Oysho Royal Parks Half Marathon to raise funds for Woman’s Trust.

Every mile Harry runs will help raise vital funds so more women can access this support when they need it.

Support Harry’s fundraising: Harry Standing is fundraising for Woman’s Trust

Thank you to Harry and to everyone at Gowling WLG for getting behind the challenge!

More than 200 representatives from charities, local government and organisations supporting people affected by domestic abuse and suicidality joined Advance’s World Suicide Prevention Day webinar to explore the links between gender, domestic abuse and suicide.

Woman’s Trust Counselling Manager Nirma Bheeroo joined the panel alongside Sharon Holland, Advance Lived Experience Ambassador and campaigner, and Dr Hannana Siddiqui, Director of Policy, Campaigns & Research at Southall Black Sisters. The discussion was chaired by Amrita Brar, Advance’s Head of Domestic Abuse Services.

Nirma spoke about the impact domestic abuse can have on women’s mental health and the importance of specialist, trauma-informed support for survivors.

The discussion reflects the concerns highlighted in Woman’s Trust’s Living Without Hope report, which examines the relationship between domestic abuse and suicide and the gaps in support available to women experiencing suicidal thoughts and attempts following abuse.

Through the report and its wider Living Without Hope campaign, Woman’s Trust is calling for greater recognition of the role domestic abuse can play in suicidal crisis, better learning from cases where women survive suicide attempts, and sustained investment in specialist mental health support for survivors.

Sharon Holland shared her experience of losing her daughter Chloe to suicide while she was in an abusive relationship, and spoke about the need for professionals to better understand coercive control and its psychological impact.

She said professionals need to be trauma-informed and able to recognise that survivors may respond to prolonged abuse in different ways, including presenting as distressed, volatile or erratic.

The discussion also explored how racism, poverty, insecure immigration status and barriers to specialist support can increase women’s experiences of isolation and entrapment.

For Woman’s Trust, the webinar reinforced the need for domestic abuse and mental health services to work together to identify risk earlier and ensure survivors can access specialist support.

Watch the full webinar on YouTube

See our Living Without Hope campaign
Read our full Mental Health Strategy consultation response

This World Suicide Prevention Day, we’re changing the narrative: suicide prevention must include understanding domestic abuse and ensuring women can access the specialist mental health support they need.

Domestic abuse can have a profound and lasting impact on women’s mental health. One in two women seek mental health support because of domestic abuse, while nine out of 10 women identify counselling and mental health support as a priority need.

The link with suicide is stark. Domestic abuse-related suicides overtook homicides for another year, according to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (2026). Yet many domestic abuse-related suicides are not formally recognised as such, meaning the context of coercive control, threats and abuse can be lost.

Woman’s Trust is calling for wider case reviews that examine not only women who die by suicide, but also those who attempt suicide and survive. Understanding the role domestic abuse plays in suicidal crisis could help agencies intervene earlier and more effectively.

“It’s like living in your own prison in your head”
Angela believes she would not be here today without specialist help from Woman’s Trust.
She describes the lasting impact of abuse and chronic stress.
“Even if I was in the sun in another country, the thoughts would still be there,” she says. “It’s like living in your own prison in your head.”

For Angela, specialist therapy was not a luxury but a vital part of survival.
“You can’t listen to the dead. Sadly, they have been silenced by their abusers,” she says. “Listen to those going through it and learn from it.”

Specialist support can make a difference
Our services show the difference that specialist mental health support can make. Women receiving counselling reported a 74% reduction in suicidal thoughts and ideation and a 93% reduction in anxiety and stress. Among women attending therapeutic support groups, 91% felt less isolated and 96% reported reduced anxiety and stress.

But demand continues to outstrip available support. Half of the women who approach Woman’s Trust for specialist mental health support after domestic abuse are turned away due to chronic underfunding.
Through our Living Without Hope campaign, we are calling for £27.5 million per year to provide specialist mental health support for survivors.

Suicide prevention must include understanding domestic abuse – and ensuring women can access the support they need before they reach crisis point.

Help us give survivors hope. Please donate today.

See our campaign
Read our full Mental Health Strategy consultation response

A message to survivors from Nirma Bheeroo, Counselling Manager at Woman’s Trust

If recent news about early prison releases has left you feeling frightened or unsafe, we want you to know that your fear is valid, and you are not alone.

Nobody should have to live in fear of the person who harmed them. We know changes like this can feel like the ground shifting, especially if you’ve only just started to feel safe. We are not going anywhere.

There are protections that can apply, including licence conditions, exclusion zones and monitoring. If you’re registered with the Victim Contact Scheme, you also have the right to be involved in decisions about your safety. If you’re not sure what applies to your situation, talk to us – we can help you find out.

Periods around release can be particularly difficult for survivors, which is why safety planning matters. That’s what we’re here for.

If you’re worried about your safety:

In danger now: call 999. If you can’t speak, press 55 when prompted – this alerts the police to a genuine emergency.
National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247, free and available 24/7.
In a mental health crisis: call NHS 111 and select option 2, free and available 24/7.
Woman’s Trust: If you’re already receiving support from us, please speak to your counsellor. If you’re not currently receiving support, contact our team to find out how we can help: 020 7034 0303, email
office@womanstrust.org.uk

We’ll help you think it through, explore your safety options and make sure you’re not facing this alone.

With you, always – Woman’s Trust

See our campaign
Read our full Mental Health Strategy consultation response

We welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement on investment in new mental health services. Expanding access to support is an important step towards ensuring more people can get the help they need before reaching crisis.

This commitment to strengthening mental health services aligns with our #GiveSurvivorsHope campaign, which calls for women recovering from domestic abuse to have access to timely, specialist mental health support in women’s centres in the community.

For 30 years, Woman’s Trust has seen the life-changing impact that specialist, trauma-informed support can have for those affected by domestic abuse. As community mental health services continue to develop, it is important that women and girls can access therapeutic support that is tailored to their experiences, with a deep understanding of the dynamics of domestic abuse and its lasting impact.

We look forward to working together with the Government and the Department of Health and Social Care as the new Mental Health Strategy is developed, sharing our expertise to help ensure women and girls can access the specialist mental health support they need to recover and rebuild their lives.

See our campaign
Read our full Mental Health Strategy consultation response