Between 240,000 and 963,000 children in the UK have witnessed violence against a parent or caregiver
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"I was often asked why I stayed, and my reply was I was too afraid. I am no longer afraid. It helps to have a great support system. When you allow your abuser to isolate you from friends and family, you believe you have no way out when thats not true. There is always help, and there is always a way out." Rev. Donna Mulvey
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Friends of Behind Closed Doors launches

Behind Closed Doors is pleased to announce the launch of a new way to support the work of the organisation.

Behind Closed Doors provides support to women living in West and North West Leeds, whose lives have been affected by domestic abuse

Behind Closed Doors offers:

• completely confidential information and support on any aspect of domestic abuse.
• practical and emotional information and support over the phone or face to face
• training in the local community covering issues such as housing, health, child protection, legal and financial services as well as issues facing women experiencing or who have experienced domestic abuse.

Behind Closed Doors today

The organisation has gone from strength to strength and now has two full time and two part time members of staff. There is a volunteer programme in place and since 2004, sixteen volunteers have been recruited and trained, with fourteen of them offering support to the organisation. We currently have three volunteers offering their time to the organisation.

Behind Closed Doors also offers a recovery programme. Piloted in 2007, this new and innovative programme has given women the opportunity to rebuild their lives following the abuse they have endured. This helps women to implement their own strategies of coping and moving forward in the longer term, overcoming both physical and emotional abuse. This is the only recovery programme available in Leeds.

BCD is committed to the provision of comprehensive support to women in West and North West Leeds, including the outlying rural areas.

The History of Behind Closed Doors:

Behind Closed Doors was first established in 1997 by a group of women in the North West of Leeds. All of them had either personal or professional experience of domestic abuse. They were concerned about the lack of specialist service they saw in the area.

In the beginning the women ran a helpline for just two hours a week giving support and advice to women experiencing domestic abuse. They also offered support and information to local agencies.

In 2001 a successful funding application to the National Lottery meant they could finally employ a full-time worker dedicated to the project. Volunteers were recruited and trained and in 2004 Comic Relief granted Behind Closed Doors the funds to appoint a Project Co-ordinator for three years. Succeeding bids awarded by the Tudor Trust and the Big Lottery Fund secured running costs and a full time outreach worker for the project and Lloyds TSB then funded a part time women’s support worker.