From Women's Aid Federation England:

This week, 15th – 21st May, is Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme this year is anxiety. As Women’s Aid members working every day to support women and children, you see first-hand the devastating impact of domestic abuse on survivors’ mental health, including the anxiety that they face. We know that this does not end after a woman leaves her abusive partner – and that it can even intensify.  

As many of you know, for the last couple of years we have been calling for better mental health support for survivors, through our Deserve To Be Heard campaign. As part of the campaign, we have created a guide for survivors, in consultation with our Survivor Advisory Board, the mental health charity Mind, and Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Service (SARSAS). 

It provides information on how mental health can be impacted by domestic abuse and includes some helpful self-care techniques from survivors, as well as links to free support resources. We created this guide in collaboration with Mind and Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support. 

Will you read our guide and share it with the survivors you work with this Mental Health Awareness Week?  

Guide for survivors