Please note that the following services are not operated by Surrey Police. In some cases the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner provides funding to support delivery of local services, but the organisations operate independently.
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I Choose Freedom

Description:

What is I Choose Freedom?

We are a small independent charity dedicated to changing the lives of women and children fleeing abuse. Founded in 1984, we have provided thousands of women and children with safety and freedom.

 

What is a refuge?

Most people have heard of a refuge; a place where women and children go when they’re fleeing severe domestic abuse. However, because they’re secret places (we have to keep these families safe from the people that wish to harm them) you may not realise that there is one in your area.

The families that use the service will be the most high-risk cases of domestic abuse and they are assessed as being at risk of murder if they were to remain in their homes.

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What we believe:

Our vision, values and objectives

Our goal is to end domestic abuse by increasing public awareness, providing education to professional services and external providers, both locally and nationally, and to continue to provide excellent services and support to survivors. Starting with a safe and supportive place for women and children to re-start a life free of abuse. Domestic abuse is a gendered crime which is deeply rooted in the societal inequality between men and women. It is a form of gender-based violence, violence "directed against a woman because she is a women or that affects women disproportionately." (CEDAW, 1992).

Our values are: Respect, Inclusion, Trust, Empowerment.

Our service user charter states that women using services should:

- Have the greatest control over their own lives and have the opportunity to make informed choices;

- Have the opportunity to be involved in decisions about every aspect of the service they receive from individual treatment to local and national policy;

- Be treated with respect and dignity;

- Have their diversity respected and have equal rights and opportunities.

In addition, we are conscious of the many social, educational and faith needs of our service users both women and children. We believe that we must offer a holistic service and give assistance in meeting these needs, either from I Choose Freedom or from other sources within the area.

As part of our objective in supporting women in the refuge, each resident has a key worker who draws up a support plan with the woman, identifying and meeting her individual needs. The format of these support plans has been revised in consultation with clients, as we are committed to involving them on all possible levels.

We liaise with a range of other agencies Health, Education, Social Services and Housing Departments as well as other voluntary organisations in order to provide the best support for women and their children.

A monthly professionals meeting is held at the refuge where agency updates are shared, and the progress of each family is discussed and the need for particular agency involvement.

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‍How is I Choose Freedom different?

What's different about us is that we are not telling people what to do, we are enabling women to rebuild their own lives using their own strengths and skills. We have passionate and dedicated specialist staff. The whole team work tirelessly in the community and nationally raising awareness about domestic abuse.

When some people think of a refuge, they imagine a hostel with grim surroundings and a depressing environment. What’s different about us, and what people always say, is that we provide a happy, nurturing home.

We pride ourselves on making survivors feel welcome, included and safe – we embrace everyone’s differences.

‍I Choose Freedom works tirelessly with the women and children over their six month stay. Providing therapy, support, advocacy, practical help and understanding and anything they need to recover and rebuild their lives.

We treat children as primary victims, not just witnesses and their support needs are as important as their mum’s.

I Choose Freedom have three communal refuges where thirty women and their children live. The children range in age from birth to eighteen years old and we have up to sixty children living at the refuges at any one time.

We also run a project called 'Refuge for All'. We have individual units, accommodation separate from our communal refuges, that are there to house any survivor of domestic abuse.

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