Women and Multiple Disadvantage resources

Groundswell are working with Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse and Westminster Council to transform services and systems to better meet the needs of women experiencing any form of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and multiple disadvantage in Westminster.

On this page you can find:

* Please note that many of these resources explore topics such as domestic abuse and sexual violence, which are very common, and lots of people will have personal experiences of these issues. Please take time to notice how you are feeling. Talk to someone, don’t sit with it. There are helplines listed in the “Domestic and sexual abuse services directory” document if you would like to do this anonymously.

List of resources to help you support women

Domestic abuse

MARAC referral form page

To refer a high-risk case of domestic abuse to the Westminster MARAC (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference), download and complete the MARAC referral form  and send it back to the indicated email address. If the survivor is experiencing multiple disadvantage, you can contact the Westminster Multiple Disadvantage MARAC rep Margaret Walsh for support with the MARAC process: [email protected]

    Other forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG)

    Suzy Lamplugh Trust Am I being Stalked tool

    This tool can be used to better identify whether someone is being stalked and provides practical
    safety advice and signposting to organisations who can help.

    Rape and Sexual Violence Project – Self-help resources

    Written self-help advice on dealing with the effects of sexual violence and abuse.

    Resources on women selling sex – Beyond the Streets

    Beyond the Streets is a UK charity working to end sexual exploitation by creating routes out through working directly with women. They deliver services across the UK and have a variety of useful resources on their resource page.

    Savera Factsheets

    Savera are a Liverpool based organisation tackling ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices across the UK. Be mindful that they only provide services in the Liverpool area so the helpline listed in the factsheets won’t be relevant.

    What are Harmful practices? Factsheet pdf 221 kb
    What is Honor Based Abuse factsheet pdf 252 kb
    What is forced marriage factsheet pdf 182 kb
    What is FGM factsheet pdf 203 kb

    Women and the criminal justice system

    Resources from Women in Prison

    Women in Prison is a national charity that delivers support for women affected by the criminal justice system in prisons, in the community and through their Women’s Centres. They have a variety of useful resources for those affected by the criminal justice system, and those supporting them.

    Women and Trauma

    WGN – Sexual violence and trauma self help guide  (pdf 1.4 Mb)

    Written by specialist women’s organisation Women and Girl’s Network, this is a self-help resource to help women identify self-care practices that work for them. The guide was written for people who have experienced sexual violence, but it contains tips and ideas that could help anyone who has experienced any form of gendered violence.

    Self-care

    Self care resources – Luminary Bakery

    Luminary Bakery is a social enterprise providing training, employment and community to some of the most disadvantaged women in London. They have a wealth of great self care resources on their website.

    Women experiencing multiple disadvantage

    WGN – Keeping Us Safer  (pdf 1.4 Mb)

    An approach to supporting women experiencing homelessness and multiple disadvantage. Produced by Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse and St Mungos.

    Women as mothers

    MATCH mothers

    MATCH mothers is a charity that offers non-judgemental support and information to mothers apart from their children in a wide variety of circumstances. They have a helpline and have in person meet ups across the country.

    Women in couples

    Homeless Couples and Relationships toolkit

    Created by St Mungos and based on the research below, the Homeless Couples and Relationships Toolkit provides guidance for staff working with couples, requirements for accommodation options for people, and outlines recommendations for supporting couples.

    Creating gender responsive services/spaces

    Women’s Spaces within homelessness settings – Connections at St Martins and Solace Women’s Aid  (pdf 1.4 Mb)

    The Women’s Development Unit (WDU) is a joint project between The Connection at St Martin’s and Solace Women’s Aid (Solace). This toolkit has been designed to help organisations looking to set up a gender informed service.

    List of resources to read more around the topic