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A new specialist support service has been launched in South London to help individuals affected by abuse, harassment, and related issues.
The initiative, called the Women’s Safety Alliance (WSA), has been introduced by Southwark Council as an expansion of its previous Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) programme. The service is designed to support residents of Southwark dealing with a wide range of concerns, including domestic abuse, stalking, harassment, forced marriage, and sexual exploitation. While the focus remains on protecting women and girls, the service is open to anyone in need, including men and boys.
The council has partnered with several local organisations, such as Southwark Law Centre, Citizens Advice Southwark, Lives Not Knives, and 1st Place Children and Parents' Centre, to deliver the programme. The service officially began operating this month from a newly built, dedicated centre designed to provide a safe and confidential environment.
One of the key features of the WSA is its integrated approach, bringing together legal, housing, and therapeutic support under one roof. This allows survivors to access multiple services without having to repeat their experiences to different agencies.
Councillor Natasha Ennin, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhoods, described the service as “trauma-informed” and tailored to individual needs. She emphasized that the goal is to create a more supportive system where victims are not forced to navigate multiple departments or recount their experiences repeatedly.
Ennin also highlighted the importance of collective responsibility in tackling violence and harassment, stressing that addressing these issues requires involvement from the entire community. She pointed to ongoing campaigns encouraging men to play an active role in challenging harmful behaviours and supporting victims.
The launch of the service follows findings from the council’s Women and Girls’ Safety Survey, which indicated an increase in crimes affecting women in public spaces across Southwark. In response, the council aimed to create a dedicated hub where individuals can seek help for issues such as coercion, intimidation, sexual violence, and online abuse.
The centre offers a range of recovery and wellbeing services, including counselling, therapy, and support for substance misuse. It also provides private consultation rooms for one-to-one sessions, safeguarding assessments, and access to legal guidance on matters such as injunctions and non-molestation orders. In addition, community spaces are available for workshops, confidence-building activities, and skills development.
The introduction of the WSA comes at a time when demand for support services is rising nationwide. According to data from the Office for National Statistics, approximately 3.8 million people aged 16 and over experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2025.
Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, welcomed the initiative, stating that the new service will make it easier for victims and survivors to access personalised support and begin their recovery journey.
