Latest news with #JewinsWomen2Women
BBC News
14-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Charity leader helping to tackle domestic violence in Witney
A charity leader from Nigeria wants to help the police and councils overcome cultural barriers when tackling domestic Mojisola Obasa, who now lives in Witney, set up Jewins Women2Women in 2012 following her own experience of being in an abusive faced years of financial and emotional abuse during her marriage but struggled to seek help - which she attributes to her the charity is offering cultural training to councils, the police, faith leaders and other organisations to help them support victims. 'Patriarchal culture' Ms Obasa said: "I had internalised financial, psychological and emotional abuse for seven years."In my case, [my husband] was diverting funds back to Nigeria and we never had a plan as a husband and wife. It was a singular marriage and he made all these decisions with his parents, excluding me and the children."Because I was a pastor at the time, I had to endure, because in my African culture domestic abuse is seen as a cultural thing. It's patriarchal, so women are seen and not heard, and if you speak out you are ostracised and shamed."The abuse she experienced culminated in Ms Obasa and her two children staying at a women's refuge in Banbury. Jewins Women2Women provides coaching, counselling, advocacy and cultural support to women in the UK – and is now extending its offering to include training for other her time leading the charity, Ms Obasa found that many UK services lack the knowledge required to fully support women from different ethnic and faith said: "A few years ago the police contacted us and said they were struggling with ethnic minority women [suffering abuse]."When they call them for help, they remove the abuser. But they don't understand why the women don't make a statement."The reason they don't make a statement or follow through the process has to do with culture and faith."The training will be officially launched during an event at the Saïd Business School in Oxford on in four women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, according to charity Refuge. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nationwide BAME domestic abuse training programme to be launched in Oxford
A therapy centre for ethnic minority domestic abuse victims is set to launch a nationwide training programme. Jewins Women2Women, Oxfordshire's first Black, Asian, and minority ethnic therapy centre, has developed the programme to educate social services, police, and local authorities on the cultural and faith-related factors contributing to domestic abuse in ethnic minority communities. The launch event at Saïd Business School, to take place on March 15, will be attended by the Lord Mayor of Oxford, the Lord Lieutenant of Oxford, the Chief Imam of Oxford, and Canon Dr Charlotte Bannister Parker, among other faith leaders. The charity, based in Witney, has supported more than 170 women and girls from ethnic minority backgrounds over the past 13 years. It provides a range of services including pastoral and cultural support, court representation, mediation, employment, child abduction and immigration assistance, alongside personal development coaching and counselling. However, the charity recently had to cease operations at its Templars Square Shopping Centre location due to a lack of funding and is now looking to relocate its services to London and South Africa. The charity also wants to set up a safe house and a retail branch in South Africa in memory of one of its patrons who died from domestic abuse and is fundraising for its therapy centre in Witney. Jewins has established a sister social enterprise - a charity shop focused on products from Africa.
