Safe in Sussex started life in 1977 as Worthing Women’s Aid. At that stage the organisation was run entirely by volunteers, many of whom had experienced abuse first hand and recognised the desperate need to provide a safe place to live for women and children fleeing from abuse.
Fast forward twenty years to 2026 and Safe in Sussex, as the charity is now known, has 3 refuges across West Sussex. These are run by a dedicated team of over 40 staff members, all working tirelessly to help those affected by domestic abuse.
A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to visit a refuge with one of our supporters, and we were both blown away by the dedication of the staff and their overwhelming sense of optimism in the face of some extremely challenging situations. A special shout out must go to Samantha Quinn the wonderful Refuges’ Manager who manages the whole service and is constantly thinking of ways to improve the lives of the women and children living with them.
For obvious reasons we couldn’t meet any of the residents, but we were lucky enough to visit a small, newly refurbished house known as a dispersed refuge. Although women and children can stay in the refuge for up to a year there is often an issue when a woman has older boys because only boys under 12 can be housed in a communal refuge. Once completed, this house was going to be home to a woman and her teenage son. Everything in the house was brand new and the local community really got behind the project with many items donated by local businesses.
In July 2024, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing said that violence against women and girls is a “national emergency”. Not surprisingly given this situation, demand for spaces exceeds supply with referrals coming from many sources, including the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, housing teams, social workers, medical professionals and self-referrals. With this in mind, our discussion turned from provision to prevention because if the current situation is to improve we need to start educating our communities and our children on the impact of domestic abuse and the importance of healthy relationships. Funding for this kind of work is always hard to come by but I have every confidence that this group of resourceful women will make it happen.
The final vote of thanks must go to the retiring CEO, Sharon Howard, who has been with the charity since the beginning. She hasn’t gone yet but Sharon has touched the lives of many women who have used the refuge services, and we wish her a long and wonderfully relaxing retirement.
The Sussex Women & Girls Fund supports local charities helping women and girls feel safe, build confidence and create opportunities for the future.
You can find out more and support the Fund here.
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