Herstory

Staffordshire Women’s Aid was borne out of the women’s movement of the 1970s. At this time, women across the world were beginning to come together as movement, campaigning about gender inequality, women’s rights, domestic violence and sexual violence and exploitation. At this time, there were a few refugees setting up across the UK. A small group of women in Stafford came together because they felt that there should be a safe place for local women and their children who were living with violence in their homes and needed to escape. They approached the local council and argued that such a place should be provided by the local authority. The Council, however, said that there was no evidence that refuge was needed in Stafford. So, being a determined and passionate group of women, they put together a questionnaire and sent it to GPs, social workers, health visitors and police officers, asking whether there was a need. The response was resounding Stafford did need a refuge. The women’s group were able to go back to the Council with this result, and this led to them agreeing to provide a property for women and children fleeing domestic violence. Our first refuge was opened in 1976.