Domestic Abuse
The Trust Project
According to the 2021 census, Surrey has a growing ethnic minority demographic and over 20,000 female victims of domestic violence.
The Trust Project was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice as an outreach support service for black and minority ethnic women. We offer one to one support of domestic abuse survivors as well as refugees.
The Trust Project vision is for every adult experiencing domestic abuse to be safe, seen and heard. We work towards building a deep and trusted relationship with each client. Our clients are all vulnerable, often with young children and very low income.
They may not have English as their first language or know how to access services. We are currently helping women from 19 different nationalities, including Syrian, Albanian, Ukrainian, Pakistani and Chinese.
Our approach is holistic, culturally sensitive and includes the following
Emotional & listening support
Practical help for the client and children eg assistance with grants, toys & clothes
Help with housing and schooling
Signposting to helpful resources
Working with solicitors and the family court
Working with the police
We have close contact with organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Job Centre and aim to build strong links with other organisations in this sphere to raise awareness of what we do.
We also run events to empower, educate and entertain. These are as varied as arranging one to one tuition for children, pottery painting and visiting an art gallery or restaurant. We recognise how social interactions and access to a community can build social support networks that are vital to moving forward without fear.
Our aim is for our clients to build healthy relationships for themselves and their dependents and to live their lives free from domestic violence and abuse.
We operate through referrals only.
If you are interested in knowing more, or making a referral, please contact Kawther at Kawther.Hashmi@smef.org.uk.
