We Believe
We will all know someone affected by domestic abuse at some point, and we can all help!
Our Values
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Domestic abuse is not inevitable. We believe it affects all of us, and that we all have a role to play in ending it.
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Family and friends are often the first to know, and the best placed to support their loved one. We believe they can be significantly impacted by domestic abuse and require their own dedicated spaces and support.​
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Families, friends, and communities should be at the heart of the solution. We believe bridging the gap between our communities and services will create better outcomes for victim-survivors.
We believe:​
Our Actions
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Build a stronger community response to domestic abuse and stalking, working towards a society with a zero-tolerance approach to abuse.
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Equip families, friends and communities with the knowledge to spot the early signs of domestic abuse and provide them with the information and resources they need to support the person they're worried about effectively.
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Bridge the gap between communities and agencies so that we can all work together to tackle domestic abuse and keep victims safe.
We aim to:​
Why Findaway?
For over 40 years, WWIN - formerly Wearside Women in Need - has supported communities in Sunderland, providing specialist domestic abuse support. Now, through Findaway, we aim to reach those impacted earlier, before the abuse escalates, by ensuring the people closest to them feel empowered, equipped and entrusted to support.
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Findaway is built on a simple but powerful truth: you - family members, friends, and community members - are often the first to know about the abuse and are often best placed to support. We want to give you the knowledge and confidence to support someone experiencing domestic abuse in a safe and effective way.
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Domestic abuse doesn't just affect the person experiencing it - it impacts their loved ones too. If you're worried about someone's relationship, talk to us. We can help you understand whats happening, explore your concerns, and find ways to offer support.
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You don't have to feel alone or powerless. With the right support, you can make a difference.
What do we do?
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Who's involved?
Thank you to all of our steering group members and our family reference group who contribute to the development of Findaway. Our steering group is made up of the organisations below, along with Professor Catherine Donovan, Dr Alison Gregory, and our family member representative, Laura.
An additional thank you to all of our steering group members, partner organisations and friends who have informed and inspired this work, including Jewish Women’s Aid, Welsh Women’s Aid and Women’s Aid Federation England. This project is made possible by our funder Comic Relief.
Suzanne's Story
We are honoured to have members of Suzanne's family involved in the ongoing development of Findaway. It was a privilege to work alongside Laura, Les and Chloe, Comic Relief and Melanie Brown to create this powerful short film.
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Our hope is that it sheds a light on the realities of domestic abuse and highlights the crucial role that families, friends and communities play in supporting survivors.
Alice's Story
We are proud to have the Alice Ruggles Trust as a valued member of our steering group. Their expertise and dedication help shape and inspire the development of Findaway.
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In this short film, Broadly met with the Ruggles family to learn about Alice’s life, death, and the critical lessons needed to better protect victims of stalking and abuse.