safespots

LIVE MUSIC NIGHT STARRING PETE EAVERS

Wythenshawe Safespots are excited to present a night of live music from Manchester’s very own Pete Eavers on Friday 10th May 2019, 7pm at Northenden Social Club.

Pete Eavers is a singer/songwriter who has been playing in bands and as a solo artist around Manchester for more years than he would like to would admit to. For this special night, Pete’s put together an eclectic mix of classic hits from the likes of Oasis, The Drifters, Don Maclean, James, The Kinks and many more. We challenge you not to be singing along and maybe even strutting your stuff within moments…

Once we have you singing along, stay with us and show you have what it takes on the Karaoke and dance into the night!

Tickets are just £10 and the price includes entry and snacks. We will have a raffle on the night, raising funds to support survivors of domestic abuse and gender based violence from Wythenshawe and the surrounding area.

If you aren’t able to come along but would still like to donate to help Safespots with our ongoing work please visit our Just Giving Page

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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

READ MORE

Image and Editorial Credits: Manchester Evening News

This Valentines Day- Love Yourself

Valentines Day can mean different things for different people. Whether for you it is candlelit meals, chocolate hearts, roses or just another reason for the card makers to cash in, it can also be a difficult time for many.

However you feel about Valentines , we want to encourage you to use it as an opportunity to take care of yourself and remind yourself that you not only deserved to be loved, cared for and respected by others, but also by you! It sounds a bit cliche , but loving yourself and being whole as person in your own right is the best foundation for happy and healthy relationships with other people.

Loving yourself means taking good care of yourself. This Valentines day take some time, even if its just a few minutes to do something completely for yourself. Have a hot bubble bath, re-open that book you’ve been meaning to read, get yourself your favourite treat or meal to eat or go for walk. We all become so preoccupied with taking care of everyone else, we forget about the person we should love the most….ourselves.

If you have experienced, or are experiencing abuse then taking care of yourself might be about taking that step to seek some support, and finally talk to someone about what you’ve been going through. At Safespots we offer a safe and friendly place to talk. If you are ready to make steps to change things we can help. If you aren’t, we are here to listen and support you. At Safespots we run courses and individual sessions on Healthy Relationships and Confidence Building to help you work come to terms with what you have been through and rebuild, as well as working closely with other specialist support organisations. Caroline,a trained legal adviser can help you navigate the legal system of family law too.

Make this Valentines Day 2019 about you and love yourself first.

 

FGM In The News

If you or someone you know is affected by the issues in this article then please get in touch with the team at Safespots for support.

FGM has featured prominently in the news this month, but what is it and why is it hitting the news?

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a collective term for a range of procedures which involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It is sometimes referred to as female circumcision, or female genital cutting. The practice is medically unnecessary, is extremely painful and has serious health consequences, both at the time when the mutilation is carried out, and in later life.

FGM has been classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) into four major types, all of which may be relevant to the offences arising under the FGM Act 2003:

  • Type I: Clitoridectomy: partial or total removal of the clitoris;
  • Type II: Excision: partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora;
  • Type III: Infibulation: narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal:
  • Type IV: Other: all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.

FGM is mostly carried out- without anaesthetic- on girls between infancy and age 15. It is thought, according to the United Nations, that 200 million women and girls alive today have undergone some form of FGM.

The causes of female genital mutilation include a mix of cultural, religious and social factors within families and communities. It is often associated with cultural ideals of femininity and modesty, but ultimately, it is a way to control girls and women’s sexuality.

According to the World Health Organisation it can cause short term affects such as severe bleeding and problems urinating, while in the long term effects include cysts, infections, complications in childbirth and newborn deaths.

FGM has been illegal in the United Kingdom since 1985, however until this month there had never been a successful prosecution in the UK.

On February 1st a 37 year old Ugandan mother from East London was found guilty at the Old Bailey of the Genital Mutilation of her three year old, a crime that carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

It is only the fourth FGM prosecution brought to court in the UK. The previous cases led to acquittals.

FGM campaigner Aneeta Prem, from Freedom Charity, told the BBC convictions were hard to secure because cuttings were “hidden in secrecy”.

“People are scared to come forward, professionals are scared to come forward to report this. The fact that we have a conviction today is a really historic moment.”

Aneeta Prem

Just over a week after the historical legal case FGM hit the headlines again, this time when MP Chris Chope, who gained infamy after previously halting a bill to make upskirting a criminal offence, blocked a planned law protecting children from FGM by shouting “object!” when the bill was presented on Friday to the Commons for its second reading. The FGM proposal, called the Children Act 1989 (amendment – female genital mutilation) bill, is intended to improve the 2003 law that prohibited the practice by allowing family courts to make interim care orders about children deemed at risk, simplifying the process. Chope claims that while he might support the intent of such bills, he disagrees with the way laws are passed. Chope has obstructed a series of Bills in this way, including one to allow a women’s conference to be held in the house of commons. The move has been described by the MP who proposed the Bill as “appalling”.

The team at Wythenshawe Safespots works closely with other organisations across Manchester to support girls at risk of FGM. Please get in touch if you are affected by the this, or any other form of abuse or so called honour based violence.

Chloe’s Legacy for Safespots (press release)

Friday saw Wythenshawe Safespots domestic abuse women’s centre dedicate their one to one room to Chloe Poole. The 28 year old from Wythenshawe passed away in January 2018 from complications of Non-Hodgkins B cell lymphoma.

The dedication, held on Safespots third Birthday and a year to the week since Chloe passed away was attended by Chloe’s family, Wythenshawe Councillors, dignitaries and school children from Newall Green Primary.

A Just Giving page set up by Chloe’s friends and family has raised over £13,000 for causes Chloe was passionate about over the last year. The page says:

“Chloe dreamt of setting up her own Women’s refuge for victims of domestic violence. To provide a safe space for women to get back on their feet, provide them with support to get back into work and carve out a new safe life for themselves and their children. Each year we would like to support an already existing charity with the same values and provides similar support for victims of domestic violence.”

In November “Chloe’s Fund” donated £3000 to Wythenshawe Safespots to fund the work they do supporting survivors of domestic abuse.

“We are so incredibly grateful and humbled by this generous donation. It has given us the opportunity to expand the work we do in the centre and will directly help Wythenshawe Women when they need it the most. We felt that by refurbishing our one to one room and dedicating it to Chloe it would provide a legacy that would benefit women and their children for years to come, giving them a safe and comfortable space to receive the support they need.”

Pat Hawkins, Chair of Wythenshawe Safespots

Wythenshawe Safespots drop in centre is open from 9.30 to 2.30 on Weekdays. They help women with a range of issues, including healthy relationships, confidence building, legal support, money management and employment support. Any woman can drop in for a chat and more details are available on their website here.

Chloe’s fund continue to fund raise for causes that meant a lot to Chloe and the Just Giving page can be found here.

Clare’s Law Becomes Official

Under the new Domestic Abuse Bill, people will be able to carry out background checks to see if their partners pose a threat to them. Clare’s Law will allow everyone to look into the history of their partners or those of family and friends.

The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) is often called ‘Clare’s Law’ after the landmark case that led to it. Clare’s Law first came into being after the  murder of mum-of-one from Salford Clare Wood in 2009. Clare’s Law gives any member of the public the right to ask the police if their partner may pose a risk to them. Under Clare’s Law, a member of the public can also make enquiries into the partner of a close friend or family member.

Previously police have had discretion on whether to provide information on domestic abuse suspects since Clare’s Law was first passed in 2014.

But now everyone will get the legal right to check out their partners or those of relatives and close friends.

After a campaign led by her dad, Michael Brown, the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme was trialled in Manchester and rolled out across the country, but this week’s announcement enshrines it in law.
The draft Domestic Abuse Bill will now introduce the first ever government definition of domestic abuse so that it includes economic abuse, as well as controlling and manipulative non-physical abuse.
There will be an additional £500,000 funding specifically for male victims,with the system being overseen by the new role of Domestic Abuse Commissioner.

One woman from Wythenshawe who has used the service said it was easy to access:

“I contacted the Police on 101 as I had concerns for a member of my family. I informed the Police I wanted to make an application under Claire’s Law. There followed a lot of questions which took approximately 45 minutes to answer. Once the questions had been answered the officer informed me the application would be looked into. I received a phone call from another police officer the following day. They informed me they were satisfied that the family member should be informed of certain information they held. This information would only be given to the relative I had concerns for. The Police made arrangements to meet with my relative to discuss the information they had. She was then able to make her own decision as to whether to continue with that relationship. I found the system helpful and my relative made the right decision based on information she was given.”

How do I make an application?

It is important to remember that anyone can make an application to the police about an individual who is in an intimate relationship with another person and there is a concern that the individual, may present a risk of harm to their partner.
Contacting the police
There are many different ways you can contact the police. You can:

  • Visit a police station
  • Phone 101, the non-emergency number for the police
  • Speak to a member of the police on the street

If you believe there is an immediate risk of harm to someone,
or it is an emergency, you should always call 999.

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