Loving Me have opened the UK’s first Trans+ Domestic Abuse refuge!
The refuge will provide emergency, temporary accommodation to victims of domestic abuse, who identify as Trans, Non-binary or gender variant.
The centre noticed that trans+ clients were slipping through the cracks in other services and not receiving adequate support, so started the Loving Me service to combat this. Loving Me, though based in Lancashire, is a national service which supports anyone who self-identifies as trans+ and is aged 18 or over and
experiencing domestic abuse, including familial abuse. The service is staffed by experts in the sector, some of whom have over 20 years of experience; it is also a by-and-for service meaning that it’s run by trans+ people, for trans+ people.
The refuge was purchased with support from the Rank Foundation and investment from the Sam and Bella Charitable Foundation.
The CEO of Loving Me, Moss said “everyday trans and non-binary people are struggling to find safe accommodation that will allow them to be free of their abusers.
We are so proud to be opening this refuge, a warm, welcoming and supportive environment where members of our community can feel safe and supported and begin to rebuild their lives.”
Loving Me is now open for refuge referrals for the team to assess whether it’s a suitable option for service users- if it isn’t, the team can still offer outreach support remotely including practical, holistic and safety advice.
Founder, Amanda Elwen said “most victims and survivors from the Trans+ community want to receive support delivered ‘by-and-for’ their own community. This is because specialist by-and-for organisations are better able to understand the context and complexity of abuse faced by minoritised survivors and build the trust
critical to effectively assess risk and provide the right support.” A recent report by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s Office evidenced that ‘91% of Trans + people want a service by and for their community.’
Loving Me would like to thank The Rank Foundation and the Sam and Bella Charitable Foundation for their investment and support in purchasing the refuge. We would also like to thank everyone who donated furniture and household goods, as well as those who donated to our fundraiser. We managed to furnish the whole refuge using your donations alone! The fundraiser is still open if you would like to donate anything, big or small.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse and wish to speak to someone, you can contact the Loving Me team on 0330 1 34 34 34 , email at help@lovingme.uk or call directly on 07902 478958.
Published: 13-Mar-2024: (7410)
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