For International Women’s Day on March 8th, Jewish Women’s Aid are launching an appeal to raise vital funds to support female victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence in our community. At a time where incidents of brutality and misogyny against women and girls are dominating the headlines and the demands for our services are increasing, the support we provide for Jewish women and girls has never been more critical.

Women who are suffering from the enduring effects of domestic abuse and sexual violence are supported by Jewish Women’s Aid’s holistic and high-quality support services. Our advocacy and therapeutic teams worked with a total of 700 women in 2022. Following an assessment to identify the women’s needs, the professional staff team offer a range of services, including counselling, children’s therapy, safety planning, risk reduction, emotional support, access to legal options, benefits advice and coaching.

Our former co-chair (2020 – January 2023) Madeleine Abramson said: ‘During my three-year tenure as co-chair, our team has responded to an alarming 48% increase in demand. Jewish women and girls aged between 14 and 94 years old continue to turn to us traumatised and isolated. Our clients’ experiences of sexual violence and sustained abuse are horrifying and very real. For the women we support, the practical, psychological, emotional and financial services delivered by our team of expert caseworkers and counsellors is simply life changing.

Our education programmes seek to reduce the prevalence of abuse and sexual violence within our community. We are creating a culture of consent and understanding of healthy relationships impacting several thousands of young adults, students and community leaders each year.’

3,200 students attended our healthy relationships and consent education programme and our education team delivered 147 sexual violence prevention sessions in 2022.

We all want to see an end to this epidemic of violence against women in our society. This International Women’s Day, your support is vital in ensuring we can keep women and girls in our community safe from abuse and violence.