A project which captured the lived experience of domestic abuse survivors in Northern Ireland As the 25th November 2021, marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls and the start of the 16 Days of Action, Women’s Aid are thrilled to use this platform to launch the valuable work of […]

Silent Night…Violent Night Domestic abuse makes Christmas the most dangerous time of year for many women and children. Can you imagine all the excitement and magic of Christmas being crushed by the fear and worry of how your abuser is going to act? Imagine trying to put on a brave face for your children and […]

26th October 2021: Belfast and Lisburn Women’s Aid have today launched a powerful animation which depicts and articulates the real-life experiences of children living with domestic violence and abuse in Northern Ireland over the past 18 months.  The animation, which was funded by Belfast City Council, comes off the back of stark headlines from the release of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for […]

What is the trafficking project? We are currently contracted by the Department of Justice to provide support to potential female adult victims of modern slavery in Northern Ireland upon signing into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). We are committed to providing and maintaining a healthy and safe environment for all women and children using our […]

Firstly, the women, children and team of Belfast & Lisburn Women’s Aid thank you for considering donating your £100.00 High Street Voucher to us. Unfortunately, you are unable to donate the voucher directly to us, however if you would still like to donate there are ways to do so. Option 1: It is currently unclear […]

World Homeless Day 2021 Today, Sunday 10th October, is World Homeless Day 2021. The purpose of World Homeless day according to the organisers is to “draw attention to people who experience homelessness needs locally and provide opportunities for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness, while taking advantage of the stage an ‘international […]

A new advocacy service offering impartial and practical support for victims of sexual and domestic abuse has been welcomed by Justice Minister Naomi Long.

Online abuse – or digital or tech abuse as it’s also sometimes referred to – is the use of technology and online platforms to harass, bully, intimidate or stalk a current or ex partner. Like many forms of abuse, it is underpinned by the need for power and control held by the perpetrator.

Women’s Aid Federation of Northern Ireland (WAFNI) define coercive control as “an intentional pattern of behaviour (often used alongside other forms of abuse) which can include threats, excessive regulation, intimidation, humiliation and enforced isolation. It is designed to punish, dominate, exploit, exhaust, create fear, confusion and increase dependency in a woman (or a woman and her children). Over time it can lead to a complete loss of self.”

Verbal abuse in relationships You likely will have all heard the phrase ‘sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me’, however in the context of domestic abuse this is fundamentally untrue. Insults, name-calling, and verbal threats and intimidation are all ways in which an abuser can use their words to […]