Women’s Lived Experience Voices
The Women’s Voices Group offers women, who have left their abusive relationship, the opportunity to engage in discussions, with the aim of improving services in Leeds through their lived experience. Engagement opportunities are offered in a range of ways including attending groups either face to face or on-line, 1-1 with a support worker or via email or telephone. Your level of involvement is your decision. There is no time constraints or commitment to engaging regularly. Your anonymous feedback is given to organisations, with a commitment from them that they will explain how they have used the feedback given and what difference it has made.
Women who engage in this work have talked about feeling supported in their recovery journey, being part of something which is making a real difference in Leeds and a happy and welcoming project to be part of. Read some of our participant quotes at the bottom of this page.
As a women’s group who have all experienced domestic violence and abuse, we wanted to have a symbol to represent us now – to reflect how we far we have come on this journey, and inspire the beauty and freedom of being our own true self. The butterflies we created are a representation of that and we are proud of who we are and what we have achieved being part of this project.
If you would like to join the Women’s Voices Group, please contact Nicola Marlow at: [email protected] or telephone: 07741552499
Latest News & Projects
Training Podcasts
Police Podcast
The work was a success and has resulted in the police making internal changes to departments to improve the communication between DA Officers and Offender Mgt Officers. The police has acknowledged lessons learned in individual cases and informed the victim/survivors of the changes already being made to reduce this happening again, the project has developed a podcast to share within the police and with victim/survivors regarding this piece of work.
Leeds Domestic Violence and Abuse Strategy Foreword
Senior decision makers in Leeds who attend the Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board asked the women’s group to co-write a foreword for the Leeds Five Year Domestic Violence and Abuse Strategy. Councillor Coupar attended one of the women’s group and the foreword was written, in the words of the women to reflect their involvement in developing positive outcomes for future victim-survivors.
Read the full foreword here: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/plans-and-strategies/leeds-domestic-violence-and-abuse-strategy