Louisa’s and Polly’s story

Young sisters Louisa and Polly spent their early childhood in constant fear of provoking their violent father. The final straw for their mother Lorraine came after the girls saw their father using a hot iron to scald her. She decided it was time to leave – and quickly.

Our services aim to alleviate the long-term effects of domestic violence through counselling and family support services, as well as providing practical assistance such as help finding refuge accommodation. Where a mother’s ability to look after their children has been undermined by fear and violence, our services try to help them improve their confidence so that they can protect themselves and their children from violence.

We helped Lorraine and her daughters to find a refuge, where they began the process of overcoming the difficult time they’d been through. Because Louisa and Polly were young, our staff used drawing, role playing and special worksheets to help them work through their experiences. We provided Lorraine with one-to-one emotional support sessions to help her regain her confidence and self-esteem. Louisa and Polly are just two of the 3,000 children we help each year to move on from domestic violence.