Scottish Women’s Aid have published new guidance for social landlords to assist them in responding to domestic abuse as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

The new guidance recommends that social landlords develop specific domestic abuse policies and engage with local groups to ensure victims and survivors know where to get support.

Mary Beglan, Chief Officer at North Ayrshire Womens Aid, said: “I can only see the guidance as a positive. One of the barriers for women leaving abusive relationships is housing and where they go and how they’re supported to do that.

“With lockdown we’ve had to abandon face-to-face work so we’re constantly adjusting our service. Now we do phone calls, drop off food parcels, pick up prescriptions for women. We’ve opened up a private Facebook for women to talk to each other and we deliver group work via Zoom.

“But the biggest issue for me is that we can’t reach the women we need to reach. It’s about coercive control which nobody sees. What we’ve created is a prison in the house – women’s release would be when their partner went to work or vice versa, those hours of safety. Now that’s been removed from women.”

North Ayrshire Womens Aid work with associations such as Cunninghame House and Irvine Housing as well as North Ayrshire Council to ensure women receive appropriate accommodation.

Jo Ozga, Policy Officer at Scottish Women’s Aid, said: “We urge all social landlords to take note of this new guidance and to actively use the unique position they are in to respond to the needs of women, children and young people experiencing domestic abuse within their properties.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with an abusive partner in lockdown, call 01294 602 424.

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