Women’s Aid turns 50
This year marks 50 years since the Women’s Aid federation in England was founded, officially making this our golden anniversary.
While there’s been a lot of positive change since 1974, the reality for countless women and children today is still far from golden. We will not stop until women and children are safe from domestic abuse.
We are committed to building a more inclusive, future-facing federation, where every survivor, including those women who face additional barriers, can get support in a way that meets their needs, when they need it.
No Woman Turned Away
Supporting women and their children fleeing domestic abuse, who face barriers when trying to access a safe refuge.
Driving change
Despite the significant milestones that have been reached over the last 50 years – from the introduction of the Domestic Abuse Act, through to the criminalisation of coercive control – there is so much more to do. Domestic abuse is still devastatingly common, with so many women and children suffering in silence. It quite frankly hides in plain sight.
Our 50th birthday year coincides with a general election, providing an important opportunity to influence much needed change. 2024 will see the powerful culmination of Women’s Aid’s Come Together to End Domestic Abuse campaign, highlighting the vital role everyone has to play in ending abuse. #EndAbuseTogether the campaign hashtag, will draw together the incredible range of positive action happening across our members, partners, supporters and national activities.
The Come Together campaign asks for five actions:
Domestic abuse doesn’t just affect relationships – it affects you in all areas of your life. £316m is lost to UK businesses each year because of domestic abuse. Tell your employer, your school, your club or an organisation that you work with about domestic abuse, download a poster to raise awareness in communal spaces or ask Women’s Aid to come in and speak to your teams.
Domestic abuse doesn’t happen because you provoked the abuser and it isn’t your fault if you are being abused by your partner – sexist attitudes to women’s roles and men’s roles must be challenged to end domestic abuse.
Join campaigns for better protection for survivors or fundraise at work or in your own time to enable us to make a change. You can put on an event or take part in a challenge. You can also donate to Women’s Aid for our lifesaving services, or to your local organisation here. Don’t forget to use your voice to vote too, calling for political parties to prioritise a whole-systems response to domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women and girls.
Women’s Aid can help you understand the reasons why it may not be easy to just leave. Be an advocate and join campaigns for better protection for survivors or fundraise to enable us to make a vital change. You can put on an event or take part in a challenge. You can also donate to Women’s Aid to support our lifesaving work, or to your local domestic abuse charity here.
Show we are standing up against domestic abuse together. Send us photos and stories about what you are doing in your local area or online to help stop domestic abuse and support survivors. We want to show positive examples of how we can make a difference to encourage others to join us.
Will you Come Together and donate today?
We’re asking everyone to Come Together to End Domestic Abuse; we cannot do this without your support. Your donations allow us to provide life-saving services to survivors. Services where they are given a space to be heard and believed.
The here and now
We move into our 50th year with a wealth of research about the attitudes that underpin domestic abuse from the Come Together campaign, and are ready to translate learning from our attitudes survey and influencers and attitudes report into action.
This knowledge and insight will be the golden thread that runs through all our work – everything from popular culture – TV, film and football to providing expert advice, commentary and training. And we’ll be centring our focus on children and young people with work across education and awareness; seeking further funding to enhance our support and campaigning with young people.
Shop the archive collection
In honour of Women’s Aid turning 50, we’ve delved deep into our vaults to transform art and posters from the beginning of the federation into an iconic range of merchandise.
Ending abuse for good
We have an exciting programme of content and events planned to raise awareness of the reality of domestic abuse in our society right now, but also to build moments of celebration recognising what has been achieved over the past half-a-century by our incredible national network and what we can achieve in sisterhood for generations ahead.
