Aurora and Adam

It was lap dancing that brought Shonagh, the CEO of Aurora New Dawn, and me together. At least, that’s how we would joke about it in the years that followed. In 2019, a lap dancing club was reopening near where I lived and I was unhappy about what this would mean for the local community. Long story short, I discovered that Aurora had attempted to block the opening, so I reached out to them to see if anything could be done to help them.

The more I learned about what Aurora stood for; safety, support, advocacy, and empowerment to victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and stalking, the more I wanted to dedicate time to helping them in what way I could.

At first glance, it might seem that there’s no place for a man with Aurora; Aurora rightfully has an all-female staff in order to provide safety and support for its clients. Being a man, it was clear to me that any involvement I had with Aurora would have to be appropriate to this fact. And so it was that I found myself ‘the website dude,’ dealing with the technical maintenance of the Aurora website. A role I was grateful for as it balanced helping the cause with appropriacy.

My running journey

Time passed and in my free time, I began running for my own health and fitness. I began entering competitions and events to set myself goals. When signing up for my first event, I realised this was a great opportunity to show my support for Aurora’s cause. Consequently, I badgered Shonagh for an Aurora t-shirt to wear and away I went. Every event I entered I would wear my shirt to show my support. Then post the photos of me at the events online and share them with friends and family. Later, in the run up to 2022’s 5km Great South Run, I regularly posted online and set up a fund raiser page for Aurora.

This 2023, I had made such progress with my running that I entered the 10-mile Great South Run. What a privilege it was to run in the Great South Run with seventeen thousand others, all there for different reasons, so many doing it for charity, and to be showing my support for Aurora.

Running for change

Aurora seeks to raise awareness of the violence against women epidemic. As is often the case, women are the ones speaking out about the violence against them while men all too often look on. I firmly believe that it is crucial for men to actively engage in this, adding their voices in condemnation of violence against women.

As all men, I have women in my life, all of which I want to protect. I want a future in which women don’t have to live in fear of experiencing violence. By supporting Aurora and participating in events to raise awareness, I hope my small contribution is a reminder of the need for a world where women are respected, protected, and empowered to lead the lives they choose.

If you would like to support the Aurora New Dawn charity and you are able to donate you can do so here:

If you would like to support our female only group work and you are able to donate you can do so here:

Aurora’s helpline – 6pm to 9am Monday to Friday and 24hrs over the weekend 02394 216 816

Discussions about the cost of living have become as commonplace as COVID-19 only a short time ago, with an enormous impact rippling out far and wide. Here at Aurora, we have seen huge repercussions for our service users as well as a shift in the support they require from charities like ours.

However, another major impact that is less well known, is that on charities themselves.

At the start of this year, it was found that 97% of charities and social enterprises had been directly affected by the cost of living crisis. The Charity Aid Foundation also reported that:

• 86% of charitable organisations are worrying about the effect of cost of living increases will have on those that depend on their services.
• 59% are concerned that people will not continue to or begin to donate to their cause because of the cost of living crisis.
• Over 80% of nonprofits expect to struggle with increased cost of utilities for their own venues, as well as managing wage increases.
• Overall, 35% believe their organisation will struggle to survive altogether.

We echo many of these fears. This year has seen huge changes for Aurora – and while supporting the women and children who desperately need our services will always come first, different challenges due to the cost of living have continued to crop up along the way.

Here we share some of the factors impacting ours – and many other – charities, as well as how we are striving to mitigate the effects.

How are charities being affected by the cost of living?

We are seeing many charities struggling to raise necessary funds and even make ends meet. It’s a worrying time, with a sharp spike in people seeking help from these charities, putting additional pressure on a sector that’s feeling the weight of the cost of living.

From Aurora’s perspective, we are doing everything that we can to minimise the impact so that we can keep delivering our much-needed service to survivors and victims; this includes applying for additional core funding, adjusting the way that we work with service users and finding ways to better support our staff, too.

Some of the ways that we have been affected include:

1. More people need to use our services.

Our main duty line has seen an increase in calls of 25% in the second quarter of this year (April-June 2023). This is a major spike, and one we largely attribute to the range of ways that the cost of living crisis is impacting our users. This has, as a result, led to an adjustment in the way that we support them.

“In our prison groups, a lot of the women are saying they are having reduced visits due to family and friends not being able to afford to travel. This can have a significant impact on the women’s mental health and increase their feelings of isolation, especially when they cannot see their children. We have incorporated extra work in our sessions to offer emotional support to women affected in this way.” said Dr Shonagh Dillon, Aurora’s CEO.

“We have also noticed a huge increase in victims and survivors needing housing advice – they cannot afford to pay private rent but there is a limit on the number of houses available in social housing. Anecdotally, we are seeing more women being forced to endure violent relationships because the option of leaving is severely limited, and there are other women sofa surfing with their kids just to stay safe.”

Aurora will always find ways to help women who need us, but as more and more victims are needing our services, resources become increasingly restricted. This is one of the many reasons why government, trust and corporate funding is life changing for charities and the people that they support.

2. Oversubscribed and underfunded frontline services.

We are also seeing more people come to us for advice on frontline services that sit outside of our direct remit, meaning that the nature of many of our service line calls has changed.

Shonagh explained, “We think this is due to oversubscribed and underfunded services. More people are now calling us to find out what support options are available to them, because the support that would previously have been accessible elsewhere is either not open to them or not as responsive as they need, because all services are struggling with the same issues.”

“Consequently, our helpline is now more needed than ever, and we’ve had to adjust our training to ensure that all staff are able to respond to the varying needs of callers. It’s of the utmost importance that someone reaching out for help experiences support from us and feels better informed than when they first called us.”

3. Higher staff turnover.

The charity sector has always had its struggles with regards staff turnover. While people come into the third sector for all of the right reasons, ultimately the sector cannot match wages and, sometimes, progression opportunities that their corporate counterparts can. In 2022, a survey put not-for-profit as the top sector for staff moves and this is certainly something we’ve seen more of recently.

The cost-of-living crisis spans across many demographics, and we have seen this first-hand within our charity. One of our team has had to sell her home due to the mortgage being too high and she has moved into a rental property that is much smaller. Another staff member has told us how she is struggling with everyday food bills and utilities.

She shared: “I probably wouldn’t be able to do this job if I didn’t have a partner earning a good wage and I wouldn’t have a choice but to look at private sector jobs to earn more, or even do a job that I didn’t want to do or enjoy!”

Unfortunately, not everyone is in the same position, with many charity workers having no choice but to move into the private sector. It’s important for us to support our staff in any way we can, so we give the women who work at Aurora a £50 supermarket voucher every few months, as well as buying the team lunch on a Wednesday.

One staff member said: “I want to say that the gift vouchers and Wednesday lunches do make a massive difference. I know that for some of the team, that has meant that they don’t need to struggle to do a food shop, so it really does go a long way.”

4. Less fundraising opportunities.

It won’t come as a surprise that, as a sector, fundraising itself has been heavily impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. According to BritainThinks, just under a quarter of the public have cancelled or reduced their charitable donations in order to help reduce the burden on their monthly finances. An additional 39% of these people said that they intended to reduce their charitable donations in the future in order.

We have reduced our organisational fundraising events because we already know how hard it is for people to make ends meet. Although we commit to at least one fundraiser a year, and we always get so much support from the community when we do, we are really conscious of not adding any burden to our supporters, many of whom are victims and survivors themselves.

5. New difficulties accessing people we need to support.

Our mission at Aurora is to offer safety, support, advocacy, and empowerment to survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking. No matter what our own circumstances at the charity, this will always be our driving force. However, we are now seeing different barriers stopping the people who need us from being able to reach out.

“Take up for our forces group work has been low and a lot of this is to do with childcare: people simply can’t afford to send their children to a childminder or get a babysitter to cover the sessions. This means we’re only really seeing women with school aged children and over, which, in turn, makes those clients with younger children experiencing domestic abuse more isolated, at an already isolating time.” said Lynne Thompson, Aurora New Dawn Army Advocate.

This means that victims are not receiving the help they need because they do not have the means to join sessions. This is a worrying issue that we are working to find extra funding to offer a creche for women who want to access our group work, but as stated funding is already limited and we are in a position of knowing that we aren’t as accessible in our services as we should be or want to be.

What will happen next for charities during the cost of living crisis?

It’s difficult to know what the future landscape looks like for the third sector in the midst of the cost of living crisis. Shonagh Dillon says: “Every feminist led organisation working in this sector know that we are lucky to continue the legacy handed down to us from our second wave sisters . They founded the UKs male violence against women movement on a budget of precisely nothing, with no state support, and those women are truly an inspiration to us now. Our services are run by and for women, and the vast majority of the Aurora staff team have been subjected to men’s violence themselves – as such we understand the need for charities like ours to keep fighting to stay afloat. We will always keep victim/survivors as our central priority – times are hard, but we have a duty to our fore sisters and those that come after us to continue to do all we can to keep going, and to support as many women as possible.”

If you would like to support the Aurora New Dawn charity and you are able to donate you can do so here:

If you would like to support our female only group work and you are able to donate you can do so here:

Aurora’s helpline – 6pm to 9am Monday to Friday and 24hrs over the weekend 02394 216 816

Aurora New Dawn is celebrating its ongoing partnership with the Army for Armed Forces Day.

As the main charity providing this type of specialist support to the British Army, Aurora New Dawn has recently been funded to deliver its advocacy support for another three years thanks to the Army Central Fund. An independent charity, the Army Central Fund disperses over £2.5 million a year to support projects and activities that contribute to the well-being of serving soldiers and their families. Their mission is to make life better for serving Regular and Reserve Army Personnel and their immediate families.

Aurora has worked in partnership with the Army Welfare Service (AWS) since 2018 to offer a bespoke package of support to victims and their families who are affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence, and stalking.

Shonagh Dillon CEO at Aurora New Dawn says: “The AWS is a key partner in our work with victims, they have been instrumental in our work within forces communities. The key to ensuring victims feel supported lies in the strength of our relationships with AWS. We work together to ensure that victims are offered independent support from Aurora, but just as importantly we want to ensure that they understand what support is available to them from the Army’s own services.”

In addition to the funding, the charity will be launching a new service later this year to support victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking who are either working for the Royal Navy, or spouses or partners of those serving within the Royal Navy.

Speaking of the new collaboration, Dr Shonagh Dillon, Aurora’s CEO, said:

“We are delighted to be working with the Royal Navy again and are soon to be launching a service for Royal Navy personnel and their dependents who are victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking.

“We understand that forces life is different to civilian life and we are proud to offer bespoke services to victims and survivors in the Royal Navy communities.

“We are really looking forward to continuing our work with colleagues in the forces; together, we can ensure that victims and survivors receive specialist, independent support tailored to their needs.”

As part of the new service, Aurora New Dawn’s Director of Policy Practice and Development, Zoe Jackson, will also be providing domestic abuse and sexual violence awareness and response training to Royal Navy police divisional officers at RNAS Culdrose in July. Zoe said:

“Providing support to victims and survivors is just one part of the service. This work goes hand in hand with the training we provide, ensuring that staff can effectively and sensitively handle disclosures of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking situations with confidence.

“In the last five years the way we work with the Army has developed and it has become a true partnership. We are now proud members of the Armed Forces Covenant, and have received the bronze award in the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme.”

The Army Advocate service launched in 2018 to support personnel and their dependents, aged 16 and over, with independent advice and guidance from people who know how the military works. From practical to emotional support, Army Advocates are members of the forces community themselves and help victims to take the right course of action for them, from liaising with the right agencies to moving forward, to navigating the court process.

The demand for help is constant, and in 2022 a second Army Advocate was recruited to meet demand. Between June 2022 and May 2023, 77 women and men were supported through the specialist service, for domestic abuse (82%), stalking (17%) and sexual violence (1%).

One such client is Mrs M*, who moved to the UK to be with her husband when he was serving in the Army. Within weeks he was physically abusing her and no matter what she did, she says: “He just got so comfortable beating me”. The Army Advocates worked with the Army Families Federation to secure Mrs M’s visa and enable her to work, liaised with housing agencies to obtain a local authority flat and supported her as she began divorce proceedings.

Speaking of her own experience supporting victims of domestic abuse within the British Army, Aurora New Dawn Army Advocate Lynne Thompson said:

“The majority of our clients come to us with a great deal of fear. Army life is different to civilian life – while the survivor knows that they need help, they may be scared to share what they’re going through with colleagues or friends. Many victims also don’t know what support and options are available to them, or what they are entitled to and what would happen to them if they disclose the abuse. It can be terrifying – the people who come to us are incredibly brave, and it is our job to explain what options may be available, offer them emotional support and advocate for them.

“We are incredibly happy to now be in a position where we are able to continue our Army Advocates service for another three years as well as expand into the Royal Navy. It will enable us to help more and more victims and survivors on their first step toward healing from the abuse they have been subjected to.”

* not her real name

If you would like to support the Aurora New Dawn charity and you are able to donate you can do so here:

If you would like to support our female only group work and you are able to donate you can do so here:

Aurora’s helpline – 6pm to 9am Monday to Friday and 24hrs over the weekend 02394 216 816

Aurora has been very privileged to run stalking services since 2013 in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We were an organisation of only two years old when we were first approached by an amazing advocate for stalking victims in Hampshire Constabulary, DS Linda Dawson, who was instrumental in changing legislation for stalking victims via the Protection from Harassment Act. We worked closely with Linda and with the then Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Hayes, and his team, to establish the first independent stalking advocacy service outside of London.

For the last ten years, we have operated the independent stalking service in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and have supported over 1,500 victims of stalking. We have won multiple awards for our service provision, were highlighted as a best practice model by HMIC and have been partner to instrumental change for stalking victims nationally with the support of our partners at The Suzy Lamplugh Trust.

Our service was funded year on year via grants, predominantly for one advocate each year, although for a period of time we were able to extend the service by having a bespoke cyber stalking advocate. Running a service on yearly grants meant we lost many good staff over the years as their employment security could not be guaranteed. We are thankful to every woman who worked in the service over the years, they were all part of systematic change for stalking victims, and many have gone on to continue their work with victims in other areas of work. We are pleased that the service has now been commissioned on a more secure footing, with extra funding for more advocates, under a three-year contract.

Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in securing the new contract in Hampshire and the IOW. The new provider will be announced by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight this week, and we will work hard to ensure a seamless transfer of victims to the incoming provider for July 1st, 2023. We are sad that we are not able to continue our work in Hampshire and the IOW with stalking victims, competitive tendering in the Violence Against Women sector is incredibly difficult for small charities. Nonetheless, we are extremely grateful for all the funding we have received over the last ten years to establish and build the service for victims in the two counties. We are proud of the service we have delivered and the learning we have been part of with partner agencies. Most importantly, we are incredibly thankful to the victims who have trusted us over the years, we have learnt invaluable amounts from all of them, and they continue to be an inspiration to us.

Moving forward our stalking services in Thames Valley go from strength to strength and we have some very exciting plans for expansion of provision for victims in this area. We will announce those developments soon. The work in Thames Valley is incredibly rewarding. Partner agencies are a delight to work with and we have felt incredibly welcome. There is a tangible desire to address the pernicious crime of stalking in new and innovative ways across the Thames Valley area, and we are excited to be a part of that change. We thank the PCC, Matthew Barber, and his team, in Thames Valley for the support and funding of our service delivery. We will continue to work hard to support as many victims of stalking as we can across the area.

Our work within the Armed Forces also continues to grow. We have run services for personnel and their families who are victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking since 2017. We are currently funded by the Army Central fund to support victims in the British Army both in the UK and abroad. This year we have been delivering a new group programme, funded by The Covenant Fund Trust, for victims in the armed forces, this is a pilot project that we are co-designing with victims to ensure a bespoke group programme is available for victims across the Armed Forces, to heal and recover from the abuse they have been subjected to. We are also excited that new and innovative services are coming online for victims in the Armed Forces, across the different force areas, and will announce updates on these developments in the near future.

Over the years, we have supported many victims through the criminal justice system, and we have witnessed many of them bravely secure criminal convictions against their stalkers. However, all too often we still witness victims being let down by a criminal justice system that does not adequately respond to the crime of stalking. Much work still needs to be done to hold stalkers to account, and we will continue to work with partner agencies to improve justice for victims.

Stalking is a crime that changes the lives of victims. Stalker’s behaviours have lifelong psychological impacts on victims, and sometimes tragically their behaviours are fatal for victims, both in terms of homicide and suicide, we will work endlessly to ensure victims voices are heard and that they are protected.

Where victims of stalking have been tragically murdered by their perpetrators, or died by suicide after being subjected to stalking, members of the Aurora Senior Management team are committed to chairing and authoring robust Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHR) across England and Wales. We will continue working with the families and loved one’s of stalking victims to ensure their experiences are not forgotten and they are honoured within reviews. Our DHR work aims to bring about systematic change and learning to help victims in the future.

For National Stalking Awareness week 2023, #NSAW2023, the campaign of the national stalking consortium, of which we are proud members, is focusing on young people being subjected to stalking, and our services are open to anyone aged 16+.

Please keep an eye on our social media this week and follow The Suzy Lamplugh Trust on their social media: share, retweet and raise awareness of stalking.

If you are a victim of stalking, you can contact us on 02392 479254 or email us at stalking@aurorand.org.uk.

You can also contact the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300.

A huge thank you to all who support us, and an even bigger thank you to all the victims and survivors who trust us to support them.

#NSAW2023

Dr Shonagh Dillon LLB, DCrimJ

CEO – Aurora New Dawn

If you would like to support the Aurora New Dawn charity and you are able to donate you can do so here:

If you would like to support our female only group work and you are able to donate you can do so here:

Aurora’s helpline – 6pm to 9am Monday to Friday and 24hrs over the weekend 02394 216 816

Aurora New Dawn wins £40,000 award from The King’s Fund and GSK IMPACT Awards

Aurora New Dawn are incredibly proud to share that we have recently won a major national award for our work supporting survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking based in Hampshire and working across England and for the Armed forces throughout the UK and abroad.

Following a rigorous selection and assessment process, we were chosen from more than 400 charities across the UK as one of the 10 winners of the 2023 GSK IMPACT Awards which are delivered in partnership with leading health and care charity The King’s Fund. Now in their 26th year, the awards are a mark of excellence in the charity sector, designed to recognise the outstanding work of small and medium sized charities working to improve people’s health and wellbeing in the UK. As one of this year’s winners, we will receive £40,000 in unrestricted funding as well as expert support and leadership development provided by The King’s Fund – support that is going to be transformational for our service and the people we support.

Supporting victims of domestic abuse | Why is the need so high?

Every 30 seconds, police across England and Wales receive a domestic abuse related call, yet research shows that less than a quarter of domestic abuse crime is reported to the police. Studies have revealed that one in four women will experience domestic violence and abuse in their lifetime and last year Hampshire Police saw a 19% increase in rates of domestic crime and incidents compared to the previous year.

Since launching in 2011, we have developed a range of innovative support services for survivors of domestic violence, including help to find housing, supporting people to obtain restraining orders, and accompanying victims to court. Last year, we supported over 2,300 people.

The Award judges were particularly impressed by our ‘DVA Police Car’ service which involves staff accompanying Hampshire police on domestic violence and abuse (DVA) call outs. The service started in East Hampshire working alongside officers attending domestic abuse incidents and has now expanded across Hampshire, with advocates based in Portsmouth, Southampton and Basingstoke. During Covid-19 lockdowns, when staff were not allowed to accompany the police, we set up our 24-7 Helpline, which now receives a high volume of calls from victims and professionals needing help, support and information.

Navigating a challenging time for charities

The award win comes at a time when many local charities find themselves working in a uniquely challenging environment. The long-term consequences of Covid and the current cost of living crisis are having a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of many local communities. Public services are under additional pressure, and charity finances have been hit hard.

Despite this, we have continued to innovate and expand our services, working in extremely difficult circumstances to target those most in need. For example, research has found men and women with military experience are over three times more likely to commit violence and abuse towards their partner and almost three times more likely to experience it than civilians.

Although Portsmouth is a major Royal Navy base, we found that we were not receiving referrals from the naval community. In 2018, we secured funding to raise awareness of DVA and stalking in the British Army, Royal Navy and RAF. We now employ advocates with a background in the Armed Forces to support any serving member of the British Army nationally and overseas affected by domestic violence, including spouses and families.

Aurora New Dawn’s public service partnerships

The Award judges noted our exemplary partnership, working across local public services, including the police, probation services and GPs, to change how frontline staff work with victims of domestic violence and stalking. Last year, we launched a unique new stalking advocacy service in the Thames Valley, the first of its kind to operate across three counties. We train frontline staff to understand the severe impact of stalking and facilitate better support to victims.

The impact of domestic violence and abuse can be long lasting, with rates of depression and suicide much higher amongst survivors. To support people with long-term effects, the team offers a ten-week therapeutic group programme, ‘Athena’ to support survivors to recover from the psychological effects of abuse by increasing self-esteem, improving the understanding of the dynamics of abuse and helping to prevent further abuse. We also run bespoke versions of this for women in prison, sexual violence survivors and for South Asian women, who are the largest ethnic minority community in Hampshire.

Katie Pinnock, Director, UK Charitable Partnerships at GSK, said: “Aurora New Dawn is a creative charity and should be commended for responding to gaps in services, such as poor take up of domestic violence support in the Armed Forces and a lack of awareness and understanding amongst frontline professionals of how to support victims of stalking. Through their impressive partnership work with the local police in Hampshire, their innovative DVA Police Car service enables victims to feel better supported. Demand for their services remains high, and the charity’s influence and reach continues to grow.”

Commenting on the award, Dr Shonagh Dillon, CEO of Aurora New Dawn said: “We are absolutely delighted to have received a GSK Impact award. We are aware of the amazing work the charitable sector does across many different areas, so to be chosen as one of the ten winners is a real honour. The funding provided to us through this award enables us to sustain and expand our services to victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and stalking. In addition to the monetary award, the benefit of working with the other winners and taking part in the leadership programme through The Kings Fund will provide us with a lasting legacy that is invaluable to organisations like ours. We are incredibly grateful to the judges and extend our thanks to them for the award.”

If you would like to support the Aurora New Dawn charity and you are able to donate you can do so here:

If you would like to support our female only group work and you are able to donate you can do so here:

Aurora’s helpline – 6pm to 9am Monday to Friday and 24hrs over the weekend 02394 216 816

If you have any experience using Aurora New Dawn’s DVA cars service or calling our helpline, you can share your thoughts and feedback in our anonymous survey. Find out more and take part in the survey here.

Aurora New Dawn has commissioned an independent study and evaluation of its helpline and DVA cars service. The evaluation will be the third of its kind for the charity, led by Dr Andy Williams – a principal lecturer in criminology and criminal justice at the University of Portsmouth and an independent researcher and consultant for charities and police organisations.

The aim of the evaluation is to find ways to improve the service we provide to women, led by victim voices so that we can make changes that are genuinely needed and will have a real impact on the women we support.

Here we share more about the nature of the survey, what it means for our victims and what has changed since Mr Williams started working on this current evaluation in 2021.

Why are independent evaluations important for charities?

Evaluations are crucial for charities like Aurora New Dawn because they allow us to continuously improve and serve the people we support, in the best way possible. Every woman’s experience is individual to them, so we need to review and adjust our service to make sure we can deliver support in the most effective way possible every single time. In making this an independent evaluation led by a qualified and experienced researcher, we can also ensure it is a rigorous and robust review process that is driven by academic and ethical research design and methodology. With the data we get at the end of the evaluation, we can also prove to our funders that the work we do is not only needed, but critical.

“As part of our funding for DVA cars, we are formally required to run regular evaluations and deliver reports. I met Andy while I was studying for my Doctorate at Portsmouth and knew that as an independent consultant he had already run similar evaluations. His own academic research also specialised in violent and sexual offenders, so it made perfect sense to approach him for help with this project,” said Aurora Chief Executive Officer Dr Shonagh Dillon.

The 2023 evaluation – which consists of a victim survey and separate victim and police focus groups – is the third iteration of these evaluations for Aurora. Each one consists of a critical evaluation of processes (in a variety of ways) followed by a detailed review and report of key findings and recommendations to move forward.

“I like to see myself as a critical friend. It isn’t about highlighting faults, but rather coming into the situations and experiencing all perspectives for a positive, progressive outcome,” said Dr Williams.

“It’s my job to find out what the charity is doing, how it does it, what works well, what could be improved and gather the inside information needed to prove that the service is making a major difference within the community.”

How does the 2023 evaluation differ from previous years?

This is the third evaluation that has been done in this way for the charity, with every evaluation having a different focus and methodology – a conscious choice from Dr Williams who wanted to build on his findings and the charity’s developments each time.

The first evaluation centred predominantly on the DVA car processes. Dr Williams spoke directly to advocates and the police working alongside them through interviews and focus groups, as well as going out on shift in the DVA cars.

“It was incredible to see the advocates and the team out in action – what they do at the point of crisis is truly wonderful. It meant that I could experience and learn first-hand about the service.”

Following the first evaluation, the service grew exponentially. What used to initially cover a handful of areas has now expanded across the whole of Hampshire. The helpline has also been put in place and police buy-in is high.

The second evaluation took an unexpected turn; all thanks to a little something called COVID.

“It was tough running the evaluation during COVID because the charity had to shut the cars down. This is when the helpline was put into place – an amazing example of Aurora reacting and innovating during a challenging time. The helpline was so well received that it is now a core part of their offering. So, out of a bad situation came something positive. This just shows their flexibility and fluidity,” said Dr Williams.

He ran Zoom interviews with various individuals from the Aurora team and police officers, charting any differences between year one and two as well as any enhancements that had been made: one of which being that the advocates now have access to the police database so that they can input victim information immediately. Prior to the evaluations, they would have to fill in a paper form, share it with the police and then have them manually add it into the system.

This time around, the focus is on the victims and their voices.

What do we hope to achieve with the latest evaluation?

The Aurora DVA Cars and Helpline Victim Survey has been designed to put the victim voice front and centre. This survey will be backed by victim focus groups and additional police focus groups.

“We want to get the victim’s point of view – to give them an opportunity to share their views on the helpline and DVA cars. One of the key things that we want to find out is; whether or not the combination of the two is a required service,” said Dr Williams.

The hope is that not only will the survey and focus groups provide the charity with critical evidence and feedback so that they can identify improvements to their services, but it will also empower victims to share their voice.

“We’re already seeing this in the feedback on the survey so far. There’s a mixture of tick box questions and then additional space to share your further thoughts if you wish, and the responses showing up here have been enormously helpful and illuminating. It felt important to give victims the space to really express what they think.”

While the victim focus groups will be directed by Dr Williams, there will be a member of the Aurora team there to introduce the group and share the space throughout, this ensures that if any victim becomes distressed or wants to seek support afterwards we are able to do this in a trauma informed way.

“I am very aware that I am a male coming in and leading these groups. I want the victims to feel safe to express their opinion and to put their minds at ease. I am trying to be a conduit for their voices.”

Finally, we wanted to ask Dr Williams why he felt so compelled to work with Aurora New Dawn in the first place.

“The team is absolutely fantastic at Aurora – as an outsider going on shifts, looking at the comments on the survey, being in the room with victims, it’s impossible to deny quite how needed their service is. My research specialism is violent and sexual offenders, so I know the harm that these offenders cause to the victims and their loved ones. To have people there, who are not the police, supporting the victims – who really understand and hear them – is amazing. It’s what they need. It means a lot to me to help Aurora enhance this more and more and more.”

If you have experience with our DVA cars or helpline, we would be very grateful to hear your thoughts. It will take between 15 – 20 minutes and your answers will be completely anonymous. You can find out more and take part here.

If you would like to support the Aurora New Dawn charity and you are able to donate you can do so here:

If you would like to support our female only group work and you are able to donate you can do so here:

Aurora’s helpline – 6pm to 9am Monday to Friday and 24hrs over the weekend 02394 216 816

Aurora New Dawn has raised an impressive £4,350 thanks to its annual Sea Swim for Survivors.

The chilly winter sea swim took place on Sunday 22 January, after being rescheduled twice due to unsafe sea conditions, with approximately 12 supporters joining swimmers from our team. The swimmers took to the water at Southsea Beach with the aim of raising awareness and funds to continue their valuable work supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

Aurora Chief Executive Officer Dr Shonagh Dillon said: “We have incredible supporters who regularly take it upon themselves to host events, take part in challenges and raise funds. Our Sea Swim for Survivors is something we do together as a community, pushing ourselves well outside of our comfort zone in the name of the women and children we support.”

The funds will be put towards the vital work that we do on a daily basis helping women and children make a new start in life. It’s a need that is only growing: from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022, we supported 2,522 survivors through our network of services.

“In the UK, evidence shows that a woman is killed every three days by a man. For women killed by a current or former partner that equates to one woman every four days. We also know that statistically, on average, three women commit suicide every week as a result of the impact of male violence. We cannot underestimate the magnitude of the problem – and that’s why it’s our mission to support victims and survivors in every way possible,” said Shonagh.

“Our Sea Swim for Survivors is just one of the many ways that we work to gather people together and we are so grateful to the support we get from our supporters and our community. Marie Costa, the Lady Mayoress of Portsmouth, named Aurora New Dawn as her chosen charity, which highlights the importance of the support we provide to women across the county.”

You can still donate to the fundraiser by clicking the button below – every donation will help provide vital support to victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking across Hampshire.

The pictures:

Aurora’s helpline – 6pm to 9am Monday to Friday and 24hrs over the weekend 02394 216 816

While collaboration is key for protecting women and girls from male violence, Aurora New Dawn has an important message for organisations charged with keeping us safe: in order to truly help, they need to get better at policing themselves.

It’s a notion we feel strongly about – however, with this year’s worrying release of a report centred on corruption in the metropolitan police force, we believe that now is the time to put these risks on a platform and encourage ALL forces to prioritise their own policing; otherwise, how can they effectively protect the women and girls who need it the most?

The culture of the police force needs to change in order to support victims of domestic abuse

The police watchdog report found that:

• In the last two years, the Met recruited people with criminal connections and more than 100 people who have committed offences. Some of these decisions “may have been justifiable, but the force failed to properly supervise these people to lessen the risks”;
• Property and exhibit procedures were “dire”. Hundreds of items were not accounted for, including cash and drugs. In one instance, the security access code for a property store was written on the outside of the door;
• The force does not know whether all those in sensitive posts – such as child protection, major crime investigation, and informant handling – have been cleared to the level of vetting needed;
• More than 2,000 warrant cards issued to personnel who had since left the force were unaccounted for.

It also found that, among several cases of misogyny and sexual misconduct, one officer convicted of domestic abuse and one accused of sexual assault were accepted into the force.

‘There is a widespread cultural problem with those working in positions of power – we often find patriarchal and hierarchical attitudes within the force, and these can heighten feelings of power and control for perpetrators of abuse. It’s vital that these institutions do better; we cannot face more findings like this. Change must happen and immediately,’ says Dr Shonagh Dillon, CEO at Aurora.

It’s important for us to highlight that the report is focused on the Met and the findings are not true of all police forces. There are very good individuals working in police forces but it takes everyone to change the culture. Trust is paramount for victims and survivors – with reports like this widely available in the public domain, there is a serious concern that victims may feel less inclined to disclose personal information to police officers.

It’s easy to tar an entire group with the same brush and it would be unfair to generalise when there are some fantastic teams and officers working hard to support victims in the best way possible. Having said that, the risks of not speaking up about these issues are too great to ignore, and that’s why we continue working alongside police officers to influence behaviour, support survivors and, ultimately, alter public opinion.

How does Aurora work alongside the police?

Earlier this year, Hampshire and IOW constabulary launched a new service after police officers and staff highlighted barriers to reporting domestic abuse, and feedback showed that some had felt unsupported in reporting domestic abuse or violence in the past.

The team were approached to form part of a specialist panel that includes Stop Domestic Abuse and the YOU Trust. Together we provide expert advice and guidance on how victims can be effectively supported to reduce risk, cope with damaging behaviours and how perpetrators can be held to account. The service enables us to use our expertise to guide the constabulary in their methods for investigating reports of domestic abuse and violence in order to empower victims. We were even awarded the ‘Chief Constable’s certificate of gratitude’ for our support – an accolade we are proud of.

In addition, we run our DVA Cars™. This long-term service has proven to be a brilliant way to help victims feel safe, seen and supported when reporting incidents of domestic abuse to the police.

Shonagh continued: “We have a good relationship with our policing colleagues in Hampshire and we are proud of the improvements we’ve been able to make so far, but we are also clear that there is more to be done. Organisations like police forces cannot hope to investigate reports of domestic violence internally and reach satisfactory outcomes for everyone involved; they need expert advice, new perspectives and independent support to make it an unbiased process.

A lot of the work we currently do is changing attitudes. When we began the DVA Cars™ service, many of the officers couldn’t see the benefit of having domestic abuse advocates working alongside them, but now they understand how we support victims and we work well together. We need to continue challenging these barriers so we can work as a solid partnership in supporting victims and educating perpetrators.”

If you would like to support the Aurora New Dawn charity and you are able to donate you can do so here:

If you would like to support our female only group work and you are able to donate you can do so here:

Aurora’s helpline – 6pm to 9am Monday to Friday and 24hrs over the weekend 02394 216 816

Supporting victims of stalking and harassment has always been a major part of our mission at Aurora New Dawn. Here we explain what stalking is and how, alongside organisations like the police, we support people who have been (or are still being) subjected to stalking.

Stalking is a serious criminal offence – and yet it is something that is so often missed or ignored. For the victim, stalking brings with it fear, anxiety and enormous danger; so, why are stalking conviction rates still so low? ​

According to findings from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, in the year ending March 2020 there were estimated to be over 25,000 adult stalking victims. However, information from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust puts the number of stalking incidents in the year 2019-2020 as being at 1.5 million, with a conviction rate of just 0.1%.

While there are many factors coming into play here, we do believe that a lack of real understanding around what constitutes stalking is a key influencer. It’s something that we want to change, and fast.

What is stalking?

We describe stalking as the ‘imposition of a relationship where one would not otherwise exist’, but really, this barely scratches the surface. Stalking is a pattern of fixation, obsession, unwanted and repeated behaviour that can leave a victim feeling defenceless, distressed and in constant fear. While stalking will often come in the form of intimate partner stalking (from a perpetrator who has previously been in a relationship with the victim) research from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust shows that approximately half of all stalking cases did not include an ex-intimate partner, and we would attest with that in our own work with stalking victims. That is why a specialist stalking service outside of generic domestic abuse provision is essential.

Stalking can come in many forms such as:

• Phone calls
• Emails
• Unwanted gifts
• Unwanted communication
• Damaging property
• Threats
• Repeatedly following or spying
• Using fake profiles to communicate
• Contacting friends, family or work colleagues

The list goes on and – in isolation – the acts may not appear to have much impact. However, repeated over and over across long periods of time and in culmination with one another, they quickly become frightening and very serious. Psychologist and leading expert in stalking, Lorraine Sheridan, explains that stalking is really about the motivation for the behaviour rather than the behaviour itself. In many cases, it involves the targeted repetition of otherwise ordinary or routine acts.

You can find more information on our service page.

Why is there a lack of understanding around stalking?

Stalking can be incredibly hard to unpick, especially when there can be so many additional complications such as if you have children or own a home with the perpetrator. In these instances, a couple will need to communicate and often be in the same space, so it can be harder to separate what is and isn’t stalking, for the victim and for other people around them. In these situations, we also find perpetrators can try to manipulate the criminal system to get access to their victim; for example, often a stalker will take their victim through family court on repeated occasions simply to make contact and see them face to face.

‘We often find that professionals struggle to draw the line between what is and isn’t stalking. We tend to see this when they have been working with a victim and perpetrator for a long time and they can’t quite tell when that escalation becomes ‘too much’. Because we are immersed in this world day in and day out, we can tell pretty much immediately – even when the case isn’t an obvious instance of stalking – that the line has been crossed and action is needed,’ says Brianne, Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworker at Aurora.

Victims of stalking need long term support outside of the Criminal Justice System, otherwise responsibility falls to police officers who have to navigate stalking scenarios without professional support from trained experts, Within a constantly changing environment, this has led to clients not being referred to the right place (if at all) and the emotional, impartial support for victims being amiss. This experience is frightening, incredibly stressful for victims and is compounded by the lack of awareness around the reality of stalking in society. We often see it romanticised in television, literature and film, and perpetrators themselves either shift the act of stalking under a gaslighting lens or hold onto the excuse that ‘they did it because they cared’.

These narratives need a drastic rewrite, and we work closely with people and organisations looking to lead this change. In January 2022 we were featured as part of the Stacey Dooley BBC documentary on stalking which you can watch here, and we recently signed the super complaint submitted by The Suzy Lamplugh Trust on the police response to stalking.

Aurora and Thames Valley Police | A union supporting victims of stalking

Having provided stalking advocacy services in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight since 2013, we were delighted that earlier this year, Aurora started working in collaboration with Thames Valley Police to provide Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworker support to victims of stalking offences in the area. This union – running until March 2025 – enables us to work with victims and professionals to ensure that everyone gets the best support possible, to minimise high risk scenarios and remove victims from dangerous situations quickly and safely.

Most of the referrals come directly from Thames Valley Constabulary – however, as the service grows the team imagines more and more will be self referrals. Whatever the route, it’s our job to support victims and the police throughout the entire criminal journey and beyond.

‘Our approach is to ask ‘why is this NOT an example of stalking?’ It’s a subtle shift but one that we are trying to embed within all the professionals that we work with. If we can’t answer that question, then we must all move forward with the understanding that this IS a case of stalking,’ says Brianne.

And the service is already proving a success with both the police force and clients alike, and is a vital source of victim support where previously there had been nothing similar.

What next for Aurora and Thames Valley Police?

The team is busy planning different training opportunities and sessions to run across Thames Valley in the new year which will further support professionals so that they can better support victims of stalking through improved awareness and understanding alongside the service itself.

The entire collaboration is yet another example of the many ways that Aurora unites with like-minded and value-led organisations, all with a shared mission of enhancing trauma informed work with victims and survivors. We are focused on getting people onto the right path and standing against those who choose to abuse, harrass and stalk, because the onus needs to be placed on them and victims deserve justice and to live their lives free from the physical and psychological harm that stalkers cause.

If you would like to support the Aurora New Dawn charity and you are able to donate you can do so here:

If you would like to support our female only group work and you are able to donate you can do so here:

Aurora’s helpline – 6pm to 9am Monday to Friday and 24hrs over the weekend 02394 216 816

As we continue to raise awareness of the United Nations 16 Days of Activism to end violence against women, we wanted to shine a light and reflect on one of Aurora’s most influential partnerships: our DVA Cars™ in collaboration with Hampshire Constabulary.

In 2015, Aurora New Dawn launched DVA Cars™ – a service whereby every Friday and Saturday night, our staff head out in police patrol cars to work alongside Hampshire Constabulary in attending reports of domestic abuse. The aim is to offer independent support and advice to victims and survivors during that window of opportunity: the moment they make the choice to reach out for help.

This partnership is just one of the many ways that Aurora unites with organisations to deepen the support available for survivors in the community. The impact has been huge – from victim engagement to police understanding, we know that our DVA Cars™ offer a crucial lifeline to women and girls in their time of need.

Why do victims and survivors of domestic abuse need DVA Cars™?

The very nature of the service is to show the victim that they aren’t alone – and to offer someone independent who genuinely believes them. This in itself can be transformative for a person and can encourage them to disclose far more than they normally would if the police were there without us. One of our earliest research reports on the effectiveness of DVA Cars™ found that 100% of victims agreed to speak with Aurora staff. In addition to this, 100% agreed to take information about support services with 50% of these still being engaged with services over a month later. The fact that 50% of the victims had never engaged with services before evidenced the benefit of having an independent, trained, specialist female advocate with the officer deployed to the address.

‘We find that victims are really surprised when we turn up – they had no idea that we existed. Many say that they felt believed and taken seriously for the first time. Often, this means that we are able to empower them to engage and do a risk assessment when previously they hadn’t,’ says Charlotte Robinson, Senior Advocate for the DVA Cars™ service.

There can be a huge number of reasons why a victim may not feel as open to sharing information with a police officer – it can feel intimidating, for starters. The neutrality of DVA Car™ advocates, the lack of preconceptions and even the normal clothing that they wear creates a softer, more comforting environment. Through this environment, we can then support the police in gathering the information and evidence they need, whatever the next step.

Why do the police need DVA Cars™?

The landscape of domestic abuse support is constantly changing – and unless you are working within it on a day-to-day basis, it’s near impossible to keep up. Add into the mix an extremely demanding job and it’s no surprise that the police benefit from our expert guidance and support.

Domestic abuse lead for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, Detective Chief Superintendent Fiona Bitters, said: ‘This level of partnership working is imperative to tackling domestic abuse, utilising the skills of police officers alongside Aurora New Dawn’s independent victim-focused advocacy, to provide victims and survivors with unique face-to-face support when they may need it the most.’

This is a huge advantage of DVA Cars™ – we are able to take the role of signposting victims to the right place, review police forms and their grading, and be that point of support whenever they hand out one of our out of office helpline cards.

‘I’ve been working in this role for a year, and I feel now that the officers are receptive and grateful to have us on shift with them. Even if nothing moves forward criminally, we’re there to help them with safeguarding and referrals. It’s really tricky to stay on top of ‘what next’ for victims unless you are fully immersed in it, so with our help we can jointly make sure that victims have everything they need to make an informed choice,’ says Charlotte.

As a charity, we also increase shifts at times when the likelihood of domestic abuse cases is set to rise; for example, we are getting more cars out across the east and west during the upcoming World Cup, a time when police calls will sadly increase, not because football causes violence but because large male sporting events are more heavily policed and therefore reported incidents increase.

Ultimately, everything that we do with DVA Cars™ is a collaborative effort – one that shows survivors that there are options and they can take them of their own choice and with their own power. We are committed to continuing this service and working with Hampshire police officers and our partners at Paragon to ensure we can deliver the right support to those who call and report domestic violence and abuse incidents across Hampshire.

Domestic abuse lead for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, Detective Chief Superintendent Fiona Bitters, said: ‘Domestic abuse or violence, of any kind, will not be tolerated. Together, Hampshire Constabulary and Aurora strive for a safe space for victims and survivors of domestic violence and this allows victims to feel supported for when they are ready to engage with us as organisations.’

‘Remember you are not alone – we, along with Aurora New Dawn, are here to support you.’

If you would like to support the Aurora New Dawn charity and you are able to donate you can do so here:

If you would like to support our female only group work and you are able to donate you can do so here:

Aurora’s helpline – 6pm to 9am Monday to Friday and 24hrs over the weekend 02394 216 816