West Mercia Women’s Aid are very fortunate to have been offered the use of the charity shop on the site of the old job centre in Ross between Saturday, April 7th and Friday, April 20th.

They are accepting donations into the shop during the first week, (unfortunately, they cannot accept electrical items or soft furnishings). So if you would like to donate, purchase or learn more about domestic abuse and what they do at West Mercia Women’s Aid then please come along to the shop.

The registered charity provides advice, support and refuge to women and children who have or are experiencing domestic abuse.

When woman and children come into refuge they often arrive with just the clothes they are wearing. The charity is raising funds to provide necessities such as toiletries, underwear and nightwear. They hope that funds raised at the shop will also be used to provide activity experiences for the children, in addition to replenishing their welfare fund so they can finance specific items to meet the needs of individual families using the services.

Domestic abuse is defined by the Home Office (2012) as any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who have been intimate partners or family members regardless of age, gender or sexuality.

Many people do not realise they are suffering from domestic abuse as their partner has not been physically violent towards them, however, abuse can be a range of acts designed to make a person feel subordinate or dependent by isolating them from friends and family, controlling finances and regulating their every action.

Coercive behaviour is a pattern of assaults, threats, humiliation and intimidation that is used to cause harm, punish or frighten their victim.

Domestic abuse occurs across society regardless of age, gender identity, race, sexuality, wealth or geography. It may include physical, sexual, psychological, emotional or financial abuse and also social isolation.

In 2014-15 the Police recorded 900,000 domestic incidents in England & Wales (Office of National Statistics Crime Survey).