“Safe Spaces are still available for people experiencing domestic abuse”

By Lyndsey Dearlove, Head of UK SAYS NO MORE at Hestia

When lockdown was announced towards the end of March, the first thought for many was: what about victims of domestic abuse?

Concerns grew rapidly. 2.4 million adults in England and Wales experienced some form of domestic abuse last year alone. For these millions of individuals, home is not a safe place. For many, the time where their partner is at work, with friends or at the gym might be their only respite from horrendous abuse. The five minutes with other parents at the school gates might be their only opportunity to tell someone what they are experiencing. When lockdown was enforced, these opportunities vanished.

As everything closed, we needed one clear message: helplines and support services are open. Next, we needed somewhere safe for someone to contact these services. The amenities left available were sparse, but pharmacies kept their doors open. Safe Spaces was born.

Our original concerns were warranted. Downloads of crisis charity Hestia’s Bright Sky app increased by almost 50 per cent and demand for their domestic abuse services rose by 30 per cent. Calls to national helplines skyrocketed. The need for somewhere safe for victims to go as the rest of us stayed at home was abundantly clear.

UK SAYS NO MORE, Hestia’s national campaign against domestic abuse, quickly configured the Safe Spaces scheme in collaboration with Boots UK, Morrisons and Superdrug pharmacies. Over 100 independent pharmacies across the UK adopted the scheme too.

The concept of Safe Spaces relies on simplicity. If someone is experiencing domestic abuse, they can go to a participating pharmacy and ask at the health counter to use the Safe Space. This provides victims with a place they can go while carrying out daily tasks such as picking up a prescription. Individuals will then be given access to the pharmacy consultation room and provided with resources including national helplines and contact details for local specialist support services.

Individuals can use the Safe Space as they need; they can contact a support service, phone their IDVA or social worker, call a friend or simply gather their thoughts. These spaces are invaluable in providing an opportunity for people to access the support they need.

So far, 1 in 4 pharmacies across the UK are Safe Spaces. In the first week alone, Boots UK reported that the Safe Spaces scheme had been used around 100 times. We’ve heard stories from people who said that accessing a Safe Space saved their life.

Online Safe Spaces have launched with the Royal Mail Group too, adding further opportunities for victims of domestic abuse to safely access support.

The dire need for these spaces will remain.

Despite lockdown easing, many victims are still trapped at home with their perpetrator. As we navigate this ‘new normal’ and confront the possibility of a second wave, pharmacies remain a vital resource for victims of domestic abuse to seek support and information that could enable them to leave.