Women's Support Project
‘Women Together Against Abuse’-WTAA
(Domestic Violence Support for Chinese Women)
CIAC’s Women’s Support Project is funded by London Councils. We are dedicated to helping Chinese women and families who are struggling or in distress. Much of our work focuses on helping Chinese women who have been victims of domestic violence, but we have also helped women to access the support they need on a variety of different issues, ranging from parenting to welfare benefits. To learn more about our services please click here.
Children’s Support Project
The Sunflower Support Programme is funded by the City Bridge Trust. It aims to help children and young people who are affected directly or indirectly by domestic violence. To learn more about our services please click here
Become a Women, Child and Youth Support Volunteer
CIAC recruits up to 10 volunteers a year to assist and support women and children victims of domestic violence. These volunteers provide a range of support services, including acting as the victim's interpreter at important appointments, filling out benefit forms and helping mothers to register their children for new schooling. Often volunteers simply listen, reassuring other women/children that they are not alone and helping them gain the confidence to move forward. For further information, please click here
Family Law Surgery at CIAC
A family law surgery is now open to the public providing legal advice on a range of family issues. The surgery is open every Mondays from 11:00am - 13:00pm, for further Information please click here
For information on Women's Support Project in Chinese, please click here.
- At The Chinese Information and Advice Centre (CIAC), a women’s worker and bilingual team of trained women’s volunteers offer advice and emotional support in Cantonese, Mandarin and English. Our services are free and include: - Support to women and families in distress; advice and support to female victims of domestic violence, advice on issues related to housing, legal protection, welfare benefits and children.
- CIAC is proud to be a part of a multilingual consortium called “Women Together Against Abuse” which was established in collaboration with 5 other Black Minority Ethnic Refugee (BMER) women organizations in 2008.
- We continue to provide a free and confidential advisory and support services to Chinese women affected by domestic violence in Central and Greater London
CIAC’s Women’s Support Project is dedicated to helping Chinese women and families who are struggling or in distress. Whether the problem is big or small and whether the service user is young or old, our Women’s Worker and dedicated team of trained women’s support volunteers do their best to help. Out of fear of “losing face” or being the subject of gossip, many Chinese women find it difficult to approach relatives or friends for help on sensitive issues, such as domestic violence or marital problems. This is why we are always careful to protect confidentiality and to respect each woman’s ability to make her own decisions. In addition to providing specialized help for domestic violence victims in the Chinese community, the Women’s Support Project gives ongoing support to lone mothers, helping them to access a variety of services, including housing, legal help, education and counseling. Bilingual women volunteers undergo a highly developed training programme to provide emotional and practical outreach support, such as accompanying women to appointments and helping to interpret.
Raising awareness of domestic violence and women’s issues continues throughout the year. CIAC's women's workers provide workshops and frequently participate in forums and conferences on this issue. Last year, CIAC also helped develop the Chinese version of the Westminster Domestic Violence Forum’s multilingual website (Click here). CIAC was also featured as a model agency in Westminster Domestic Violence Forum’s Good Practice Guidelines.
Children and Domestic Violence:
It was found in study that 75% of mothers who suffered domestic violence themselves reported that their children had directly witnessed domestic violence (Action For Children – formerly NCH-, 1994). Furthermore it was found that in 25% of cases of domestic violence the male perpetrator has also been violent towards the children in the home (Action For Children, 1994). Children can be affected in many different ways by living with domestic violence. What children see or hear when their mothers are being abused can include not only physical violence but also emotional abuse and put- downs, threats and intimidation. Children are likely to be affected by the fear, disruption and stress in their lives. They may develop physical, emotional, learning or behavioral problems and their academic achievement may also be affected. If the child has someone to turn to for support and can seek help from a professional, they are often able to come through their ordeal relatively unscathed.
What Sunflower Support Programme can offer?
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To become a women child and youth support volunteer, you must be:-
• A woman over 18 years old;
• Bilingual in English and Chinese;
• Able to provide two references;
• Undergo a police check; and
• Willing to commit to being a volunteer for at least one year.
If you would like to become a CIAC domestic violence support volunteer, please contact CIAC's Women's Worker using the number given above, or email womensupport@ciac.co.uk.
If selected to become a domestic violence volunteer, you take partake in training, which covers topics such as domestic violence awareness, child protection and active listening skills. You are then matched with a service user with whom you meet on a regular basis. CIAC's Women's Worker remains involved throughout, giving regular supervision and guidance.
Our solicitors give legal advice and information on issues relating to family law, such as divorce. Since CIAC opened the surgery on January 1st 2010, we have received many service users. Please call to make an appointment on 08453 131 868 ext.211
Registered Charity Number 800646
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