Column: Karen Weaver, Harrogate & District Community Action - A vital and growing local charity

​Sadly women and girls experience violence and discrimination in every society, simply because of their gender. These crimes and behaviours can affect victims of all ages, abilities, sexualities and backgrounds. They can happen within current or previous relationships, in families, and in communities. Covid-19 highlighted domestic abuse and concerns for those living in abusive households during lockdown. This and other recent distressing crimes against women has resulted in the Violence Against Women & Girls movement gaining momentum, however the lasting effects of domestic abuse are still not well understood.

The national charity Surviving Economic Abuse has found that 95 per cent of domestic abuse victims report having been subjected to economic abuse. This often results in thousands of pounds of coerced debt, with long reaching implications for women starting again after fleeing their abuser.

Family courts are still catching up with legislation within the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and New Beginnings regularly witnesses a lack of understanding of the emotional and psychological post-separation abuse that is occurring. This causes detriment to the women and children they support, through forced court-ordered contact.

These challenges explain why long term support is vital and this is where New Beginnings aims to help locally. They provide long-term support, building emotional resilience and creating a foundation from which women can build themselves up, helping them to reach the right support from the right agencies.

As a small charity, what they achieve would not be possible without their incredible volunteer cohort of both peer and community volunteers. They and their networks support clients to create homes from properties provided to them, access food provision, create family activity packs that foster emotional intelligence and family connection, connect with fundraising opportunities and create new services such as a weekly text check-in service and peer-led walk and talk.

Currently New Beginnings is looking for new volunteers to help them in two key areas; regular administrative support (ideally with some bookkeeping experience) and arranging fundraising opportunities and events. If you could contribute to this vital and growing local charity they would love to hear from you. All their volunteer positions are advertised in the HADCA online volunteering directory via www.hadca.org.uk or alternatively contact [email protected]

Please note the service is a women-led peer service and is therefore restricted to women/non-binary (female at birth) applicants under the Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9 Part 1 & Section 7(2)e of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.