Hi, we're Solace!
Many crimes related to domestic abuse, sexual abuse and stalking are hidden from view - offending and abuse behind the closed doors of homes; within the powerful bonds of the family; survivors ashamed to come forward and tell someone about what has happened to them; worried that they won’t be taken seriously or afraid of losing their livelihoods and families if they report their abusers. For some, for whom violence and abuse has long been a part of their lives, they may not even recognise that what is happening to them is criminal or abusive. The hidden nature of these crimes can mean perpetrators are not stopped and brought to justice and opportunities to prevent serious harm are lost. It means survivors suffer in silence, without accessing the vital support services in place to help them to cope, recover and move forward in life.
So why is your role so important? Each year nearly 2 million people in the UK suffer some form of
domestic abuse - 1.3 million female victims (8.2% of the population) and 600,000 male victims (4%) [1]. Around one in seven (14.2%) children and young people under the age of 18 will have lived with domestic violence at some point in their childhood [3]. Domestic abuse impacts everyone and as an employer or colleague, you are in a unique position to spot the signs of abuse, and support someone to access help.
We all want to work in a place where everyone can thrive. An organisational environment where
people feel valued, respected and trusted means that everyone can achieve their potential. That’s why we work with organisations who are taking steps to support their employees who are experiencing domestic abuse and to tackle sexual harassment. Perhaps you want to put in place structures and systems to support staff who might be experiencing domestic abuse at home. Maybe you are looking for ways to demonstrate that your organisation is taking a zero tolerance approach to sexual harassment. Whatever it is, we can help.
Through our training and consultancy services, we help workplaces strengthen their support for
survivors of domestic abuse and sexual harassment. Our CPD accredited and trauma informed
training courses could help your HR team and line managers respond effectively to a disclosure of
abuse; help senior leaders make key policy and process decisions and raise awareness of these
issues across the whole team.
Solace is one of the largest domestic abuse charities in London and for more than 45 years we have supported survivors and children in London to build safe and strong lives free from violence and abuse. Our training is built on that expertise and our specialist trainers are here to guide you through the process.
"The trainer was very engaging and respectful when talking about this sensitive topic. Lots of opportunities to think for ourselves, which promoted learning and engagement further. Thoroughly enjoyed this course and would highly recommend!"
- ‘Supporting survivors of sexual abuse’ training participant
To find out more about our training courses, contact us on training@solacewomensaid.org or visit
our website here.
[1] ONS (2016), March 2015 Crime Survey for Eng