COVID-19: BME women’s organisation able to meet increasing demand from domestic abuse victims, thanks to National Lottery funding

Southall Black Sisters has been awarded nearly £90,000 of National Lottery funding to support vulnerable women at-risk of or victims of domestic abuse
The organisation has seen a 20% rise in calls to their helpline since lockdown began
The specialist service for women from BME and migrant communities offers refuge accommodation, culturally specific support and an adviceline that operates in multiple languages.

Southall Black Sisters, a women’s organisation that focuses on challenging domestic and gender-related violence across London, has been awarded nearly £90,000 of National Lottery funding. The much-needed grant is to help them cope with increased demand for their support due to the impact of lockdown restrictions on cases of domestic violence.

The money from The National Lottery Community Fund will support the organisation in providing refuge and safe accommodation across London, for vulnerable women at-risk or victims of domestic abuse and help to manage the increase in demand for their advice and advocacy, self-help and counselling services. The organisation, which is led by and for BME and migrant women, has years of experience of championing women’s rights in the UK and runs an advice, advocacy and resource centre in West London.

Due to lockdown and social distancing regulations, BME and migrant women are unable to access traditionally preferred community walk-in routes to seek support. As a result, Southall Black Sisters’ helpline has seen a 20% rise in calls, as well as more enquiries from agencies seeking to support BME victims. The organisation is expecting a further influx of calls once lockdown lifts and women are able to contact them safely, as they may currently lack privacy and be in lockdown with their abusers.[i]

According to a recent report from Imkaan, a BME women’s rights organisation dedicated to addressing violence against women and girls, the majority of calls made to BME women’s services at this time are self-referrals via community based and word of mouth networks as women from BME or migrant communities are generally less likely to utilise mainstream helplines.[ii]

Southall Black Sisters offer a specialist service, led by and for women from BME and migrant communities, through its culturally specific support and adviceline that operates in multiple languages including Arabic, Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati and Urdu, with interpretation services available for languages not spoken in-house. Since lockdown, the organisation has had to work remotely and online, whilst coping with the increase in demand.

One woman who is now in touch with Southall Black Sisters and receiving support said: “I don't know how long this situation with the virus will last but I'm sure that it's going to be difficult and very stressful for us. It is not obvious and tricky, the gaslighting and the crazy making... I've reached a point like today when my hands are shaking during an argument and I can't stop it! I need your help and your experience to make this self-isolation bearable for me and my son.”

Pragna Patel, Director of Southall Black Sisters, says: “We are in the midst of an unprecedented crisis. It is hitting the most vulnerable members of our society the hardest. Self-isolation at home poses serious and significant risks to women and children in violent and abusive households. Now, more than ever, we cannot abandon our responsibility to them. Now, more than ever, we must show solidarity and offer all the help and support that we can muster. We are grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund for their support in ensuring that we reach out to as many vulnerable women and children as possible so that they have access to the welfare safety net and protection.”

Helen Bushell, Head of Funding for the South of England at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “National Lottery funding is life changing for projects like Southall Black Sisters in providing support to vulnerable women. Our priority is to continue getting funding, which is more vital than ever before, out to community groups so they can rebuild and recover from this pandemic.

“We are inspired and reassured by the strength we’re seeing in communities across London. Although we’re beginning to see lockdown restrictions ease, community organisations – big and small – are still grappling with the impact caused by the crisis.”

Going forward, The National Lottery Community Fund will continue to prioritise getting funding to groups best placed to support their communities at this vital time and also towards those seeking to rebuild as the crisis abates.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes. Last year it awarded £1.4 million a day on average to projects that help people and communities thrive.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk

[i] According to Southall Black Sisters (SBS) casework figures and trends, arrived at by comparing user numbers from the same time last year, there will be:

A higher future demand based on dips in walk-in/community-based referrals and low referrals from certain categories of users (particularly those with multiple disadvantages)
This is placed at an anticipated rise of 40-45%.
This works out as 95-120 additional referrals a month and also accounts for prediction post lockdown which anticipates an addition 200-250 referrals incoming a month (over and above pre-Covid-19 levels)

[ii] The Impact of the Dual Pandemics: Violence Against Women & Girls and COVID-19 on Black and Minoritised Women and Girls, May 2020, page 9: https://829ef90d-0745-49b2-b404-cbea85f15fda.filesusr.com/ugd/2f475d_2c6797da42c6454f933837a7290ffe21.pdf

Date published: 16 June, 2020
Region: Wales

Notes to Editors

About us

We are the largest funder of community activity in the UK – we’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Since June 2004, we have made over 200,000 grants and awarded over £9 billion to projects that have benefited millions of people.

We are passionate about funding great ideas that matter to communities and make a difference to people’s lives. At the heart of everything we do is the belief that when people are in the lead, communities thrive. Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, our funding is open to everyone. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.

Website │Twitter │Facebook │Instagram

About Southall Black Sisters

Southall Black Sisters is one of the UK’s leading women’s organisations for black and minority ethnic (BME) women. Established in 1979 we went on to set up an advice, resource, campaigning and advocacy centre with a particular focus on South Asian women. Whilst based in West London, we have a national reach. Our work by its very nature addresses issues of multiple or intersectional discrimination, involving the simultaneous experience of race, sex and other forms of discrimination. The bulk of our work is directed at assisting women and children – the overwhelming victims of domestic and other forms of gender-related violence – obtain effective protection and assert their fundamental human rights.