Our View: We love Billie Piper’s film with domestic violence group Refuge because it shows abuse takes so many forms

Billie Piper has teamed up with domestic violence charity Refuge to create a compelling short film which uses survivors’ testimonies to illustrate the many faces of abuse.

Billie reads the words of real women who had been subjected to physical violence, coercion, financial exploitation or control through technology.

We are happy to share Make The World A Refuge – which can be watched here – because we admire its makers’ ambition to amplify survivors’ voices.

We hear similarly harrowing accounts from women who come to us, particularly those who turn to our counselling service for help dealing with their trauma and those who use our drop-in facility.

Billie, who is an ambassador for Refuge, said: “Domestic abuse can happen to anybody. It does not discriminate, and it can leave survivors questioning themselves and their reality.

“Reading the words of survivors who have experienced such sinister forms of abuse was truly harrowing, but it is vital that more people are made aware of the many signs of abuse so that abusers can be held responsible.

“While it is horrific to know just how common domestic abuse is, speaking up is crucial in helping survivors realise that it is never their fault, and that Refuge is here to offer support.”

So many of the women who turn to The New Futures Project for support will recognise the experiences Billie describes, according to our director Della Kagure Brown.

Della said: “The stories Billie is telling in this wonderful film are the same ones we hear every day from women we see.

“She puts these stories of domestic abuse in all its forms across in a very moving way, but even that does not do justice to these women.

“We hear these stories at first hand. It is horrifying just how much violence women and girls are being subjected to.

 “The reason we have expanded the project over the years was a recognition that exploitation has so many faces.”

Last year, Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline supported people 49,787 times via phone, live chat, email and our British Sign Language interpretation service.

Three quarters were survivors of domestic abuse, while 8% were concerned friends, family members, neighbours or colleagues and a further 8% were professionals including police, social workers and healthcare staff.

One in four women in England and Wales will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime.

Abigail Ampofo, interim CEO of Refuge, said: “As this film shows, so many forms of domestic abuse are insidious, and a perpetrator’s actions may appear subtle at first, which means some of the warning signs can be hard to spot.

“Patterns of behaviour can escalate over time, and the impact on survivors should not be underestimated. 

“Billie’s invaluable work with Refuge will help us to show survivors of domestic abuse that they are not alone, and we hope it will allow more women to be able to spot the signs.

“For all the ways in which abuse and violence against women can show up, Refuge will show up for survivors.”

Director Georgi Banks-Davies said: “It is vitally important to shine a light on the many ways women and girls are being subjected to coercion and control.

“The testimonies in the film aren’t scripted or made up, they come from survivors of domestic abuse, the voices of real women that have been supported by Refuge.

“If this film helps one woman understand that she is in an abusive relationship and where to go to find support, then it’s job is done.”

The New Futures Project offers a comprehensive welfare and counselling service for women and young people dealing with sexual abuse or exploitation, domestic violence, trafficking, poverty and debt, substance use or mental ill-health.

Call us on 0116 251 0803 or send us a message at: info@new-futures.org.uk

You can find us at 71 London Road, Leicester, LE2 0PE.

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