Support service for women experiencing abuse across Rutland sees rise in people coming to them

Freeva received over 13 thousand calls in the last year.

Sad woman
Author: Julie CastonPublished 24th Jul 2024

There are major concerns after a support service for woman across Rutland and Leicestershire experiencing domestic or sexual abuse saw a 40 per cent rise in the numbers asking for help in two years.

The last 12 months saw over 13,000 calls to Freeva in the region.

It comes after a report yesterday warmed about high levels of violence against women and girls.

Janice Keene from Freeva abuse service says it can have a profound effect:

The emotional, phycological and the physical scars on victims affected their ability to participate in community life

She says: “It represents the recognition of the urgency of the scale of the problem, and we have seen a significant increase in the people accessing for support.

“The emotional, phycological and the physical scars on victims affected their ability to participate in community life.

"So, in their community it creates a significant problem."

“It does require a collective effort from all community members and by working together we can create a safer and more supportive environment for everyone.

“There will always be victims or survivors that are wary of stepping forward, but just because they don’t report to the police, they can still access support services.”

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