Refuge

Refuge opened the world’s first refuge in Chiswick in 1971. Refuge is the country’s largest single provider of specialist accommodation and support to women and children escaping domestic violence, supporting 2,800 women and children on any given day. Refuge provides safe, emergency accommodation through a network of refuges throughout the country and runs the Freephone 24-Hour National Domestic Violence Helpline in partnership with Women’s Aid. Refuge also offers community based outreach services, specialist services for minority ethnic communities and a team of independent domestic violence advocates (IDVAs) to support women experiencing domestic violence.