Berkshire Women's Aid runs 7 refuges across the Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell and Newbury areas for women fleeing domestic violence.

We have 2 types of refuge: first-stage and second-stage. First-stage refuges are staffed during the day and are for women who need help to sort out things like benefits, housing, and any legal issues. Second-stage refuges are unstaffed, and are for women who have  already been with us for a while and are waiting to be re-housed. The second-stage refuges are like shared houses, allowing women to live more independently, whilst receiving regular contact from workers to ensure they are managing.

If you think you may need to leave your home urgently, try and plan what you are going to do. Taking the following things with you will make things easier when you arrive in a refuge: money, including change for the phone; passport; details of your bank accounts; important phone numbers; reference numbers for your mortgage/insurance; medical cards & any medication needed by you and any children you are taking with you; benefit books; birth/marriage certificates; change of clothes & baby essentials etc.

More about being in a refuge