30th November 2023
Sanctuary Supported Living
PDAS, run by Sanctuary Supported Living, is holding a series of events to raise awareness of domestic abuse and the support available, as part of the 16 days of activism against domestic abuse.
PDAS staff will be at the Plymouth Life Centre from 7am to 10pm on Monday 4 December, in an action-packed day of awareness-raising. They will be undertaking a challenge to cycle a combined 320 miles, to represent all of the high-risk domestic abuse cases which have been heard in the Plymouth Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference so far in 2023. If they achieve their target, the PDAS team will also be undertaking a further challenge to represent the 295 children who have been housed within their refuge accommodation over the past year.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. The annual campaign runs from 25 November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day).
The PDAS team are asking anyone who would like to support them, to come along and join in on the day. The team will also be on-hand to offer more information about PDAS and the support the service offers for all people who are experiencing domestic abuse, including families with children. They will also be joined on the day by Devon and Cornwall’s specialist Moonstone team, who support PDAS with cases of domestic abuse and safeguarding.
As well as the event on Monday 4 December, PDAS has an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) who is based within University Hospitals Plymouth, who will be holding awareness-raising activities in the hospital on Friday 1 and Wednesday 6 December.
The PDAS team also work closely with several partner agencies to support their clients in different ways. This includes a partnership with Refuge4Pets, to ensure that beloved pets are looked after when people are forced to leave their homes due to domestic abuse. They also work with Trevi’s Sunflower Women’s Centre to provide additional services and support for women who are experiencing domestic abuse.
Nicola Blackwell, Local Service Manager for PDAS, said: “We hope that the 16 Days of Activism is an opportunity to raise awareness of the effects of domestic abuse on people in Plymouth, and the support we offer. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of age, race, gender or sexuality. We want to make sure that everyone is aware of what it is, how to recognise when it might be happening to someone you know, and what you can do to get support for yourself or someone else.”
If you’d like to support the work PDAS does with all survivors of domestic abuse within Plymouth, please consider purchasing a gift from their Amazon Christmas wish list and help to make the season sparkle that little bit brighter for those who need it the most.
For more information about Sanctuary Supported Living’s domestic abuse services, see the domestic abuse pages on our website. To contact PDAS, call 0800 458 2558 or email PDAS@sanctuary.co.uk. In an emergency, call 999.
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