NEWS

Helen’s Story of Survival Makes the News

The Manchester Evening News have, this week, published the heartrending and inspirational story of one of our Safespots women:

‘Helen Hayes never imagined that she would become a victim of domestic abuse. As a ‘middle-class’ woman working as a director at blue chip firms, she said the notion had never even entered her mind.

But by the time her husband was screaming at her during a Boxing Day row about a dirty cereal bowl at their Cheshire home, she felt like she had lost herself.’

Just weeks after her husband was convicted of assaulting her and her son – who was then a child, she said:

“I want people to stop thinking ‘this will never happen to me’. It can happen,”

“Don’t be smug because it overwhelms you and it overwhelmed me.

“I thought ‘this will never happen to me. Because I’m a strong woman who has good, ‘middle-class’ jobs, a ‘middle-class’ life – all of that. I was wrong.”

Helen Hayes

In the wake of her marriage breakdown, Helen turned to the drop-in group Wythenshawe Safespots.

The campaign is led by a group of domestic abuse survivors and works to provide women with legal advice and emotional support if they are fleeing domestic violence.

Since 2016, Safespots has supported over 1,300 women who have experienced domestic abuse.

“There is nothing else like it for people like me in the area. They were the only people who listened.

“Safespots found me a paralegal with proper experience. I knew it was a drop-in centre and I could go there for help.

“We need this kind of service across the country because it’s sensible, safe and secure.”

Helen Hayes

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Image and Editorial Credits: Manchester Evening News

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