Residents have told us how much they value Lambeth’s specialist VAWG support services and the importance of ‘safe spaces’ where they will be believed and provided with non-judgmental, holistic support to increase their safety.
Peer support and being able to speak to others who have experienced VAWG was also appreciated to help better understand the abuse and its impact.
Some residents with lived experience of VAWG also told us that they faced additional challenges, such as poverty, substance dependence, mental ill-health, homelessness, language barriers, having no recourse to public funds, or having contact within the criminal justice system. These impacted on their experiences of violence and abuse and created barriers to accessing services.
The Gaia Centre
The Gaia Centre (run by Refuge) is for anyone impacted by gender-based violence in Lambeth. This includes adults, children and young people of all genders.
We offer confidential, non-judgemental and independent support.
We work with four specialist partner organisations and provide expert help tailored to individual needs:
- Africa Advocacy Foundation
- Bede House
- Respeito
- Spires.
Everyone’s needs are unique, and we will work with you to create a support plan that helps keep you safe.
For example, you may need to:
- talk to someone who understands what you are going through
- receive support with contacting the police
- move away from the area
- access safe accommodation
- stay at home but want to find out how you can be safe
- receive support if you are considering going to court
- access legal advice
- access education and training courses
- get advice on benefits, grants and managing your finances
- find out about support networks in your community
- get referrals to community services
- get specialist support for your children
- be referred to other specialist services to meet your needs.
The Gaia Centre offers independent and client-centred support including:
- a specialist independent gender-based violence advocacy (IGVA) team who can provide expert guidance and help to ensure your rights are respected
- a sanctuary scheme to help you remain in your home safely
- group support
- a peer support scheme to help break your isolation and to support you while you regain control of your life
- dedicated Young People Service for children and young people who have experienced or been affected by any form of gender-based violence
- volunteering opportunities.
To contact the Gaia Centre or make a referral:
- call 020 7733 8724 (8am to 6pm - Monday to Friday, with an additional out-of-hours on-call service provided Monday to Friday 6pm-10pm)
- email lambethvawg@refuge.org.uk
- visit the Refuge website
Please note that the Gaia Centre is closed on weekends and bank holidays.
To get advice and support outside of the Gaia Centre’s opening hours you can contact:
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
- For emergency housing please call out of hours Lambeth Homelessness Team on 0207 926 1000.
- For Mental Health support, please contact 0800 731 2864 (option 1). You can also contact Samaritans on 116 123.
The service is free to use and staffed by female members only. Children are welcome.
You can also access information in different languages:
- Gaia Centre leaflet - English (PDF 334KB)
- Gaia Centre leaflet - Arabic (PDF 472KB)
- Gaia Centre leaflet - Polish (PDF 368KB)
- Gaia Centre leaflet - Portuguese (PDF 365KB)
- Gaia Centre leaflet - Spanish (PDF 367KB)
- Gaia Centre leaflet - Urdu (PDF 487KB)
- Gaia Centre poster 1 (PDF 1MB)
- Gaia Centre poster 2 (PDF 1MB)
Africa Advocacy Foundation
Africa Advocacy Foundation offers holistic support to Black African women and girls, aged 16+, who have experienced female genital mutilation (FGM) or other harmful practices. Their work includes independent advocacy, family support, community champions, a dynamic women’s forum and specialist counselling
Contact the Africa Advocacy Foundation (AAF) by:
- phone on 020 8698 4473
- email info@africadvocacy.org
- Africa Advocacy Foundation (AAF)
Bede House
Children witnessing domestic abuse are victims/survivors of abuse in their own right.
Bede House will provide 12-16 sessions of one-to-one or group psychodynamic art therapy for children aged 5-17 who have experienced or been impacted by Violence Against Women and Girls.
Respeito
Lambeth has the highest Latin American population in London, and Portuguese is Lambeth’s third most spoken language.
Respeito will provide support for members of the Portuguese-speaking community who have experienced domestic abuse, as part of a step down and recovery plan following Gaia assessment and support, as well as developing prevention work for the community.
Spires
Spires offers trusted street-based outreach services to sex working women in Lambeth.
They provide a weekly drop-in to support clients with their needs, including accessing housing, benefits and health services, in a safe and welcoming environment. Service users accessing the drop-in have access to an emergency fund, supporting with vital costs.
Women and Girls Network (WGN) Sexual Violence Helpline
The Women and Girls Network Sexual Violence Helpline offers free and confidential emotional support for anyone in London who self identifies as a woman (aged 14+), and has been affected by any form of sexual violence at any time in their lives.
Survivors can access the helpline as a one off or on an ongoing basis. When survivors call, helpline operators will believe them, never judge them, treat them with respect, honour their wishes and never tell them what to do.
The helpline also provides support to friends and family of survivors, as well as professionals, to help them understand how best to support survivors of sexual violence.
Call 0808 801 0770 (Monday to Friday 10am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 4pm. The helpline also provides out of hours support on Wednesday evenings, 6pm to 9pm)
Supporting family and friends experiencing abuse
Many of us know someone affected by domestic abuse but it can be hard to know how best to support them. Find out how to identify the signs of abuse on the Refuge website.
If you believe an adult or child is in immediate danger due to domestic abuse, call the police on 999.
Get advice on the Refuge website to support someone you care about who is experiencing domestic abuse.
Public safety
The safety of women and girls in public spaces is one of Lambeth’s priorities. If you are a resident, work in, or have visited the borough, let us know where you feel safe or unsafe using our Lambeth Safer Streets interactive map. Tell us why and suggest what we can do to help. Sharing your concerns and ideas will help us to make a safer borough for everyone.