Refuge is the UK’s largest specialist domestic abuse charity, founded in 1971. Its mission is to support women, girls and their families so they can live free from violence, fear, and abuse. Refuge works nationally to provide safety, support and advocacy for survivors, as well as to campaign for structural and social change to end gender-based violence.

Refuge provides a wide range of services, including:

• Refuge accommodation (safe houses): Secure locations for women and children escaping abuse, where they receive emotional and practical support.
• 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline: A confidential helpline offering advice, information and emergency assistance.
• Community outreach services: Support for survivors in their own homes or wherever they feel safe, without requiring them to move into a refuge.
• Independent advocacy and legal guidance: Help with navigating systems such as housing, social services, family courts, immigration and welfare benefits.
• Children’s services: Emotional and developmental support for children affected by domestic abuse.
• Culturally-specific and specialist services: Tailored support for diverse communities, disabled women, and those with unique cultural or linguistic needs.
• Economic abuse support: Guidance for those whose partners have controlled finances, sabotaged employment or restricted access to money.
• Digital and tech-safety support: Helping survivors secure devices, accounts and digital footprints to prevent online monitoring or harassment.