SUTDA
STILL WE RISE
Rachel’s ambition is to have a world where domestic abuse is no longer. Where those who perpetrate abuse will be frowned upon, and put in the same spotlight as sex offenders. The shame must always lie at the feet of those who perpetrate abuse and we must be strong in reflecting this going forward.
Our aims are to:
- improve the relationships between services and service users
- make sure everyone who deals with domestic abuse is specialist trained to be able to help victims and survivors in the best possible way
- to encourage services to put those with lived experience at the heart of everything they do. We are experts by experience and need to be heard.
- raise awareness of this epidemic, and progress with the petitions until the changes we are calling for are acted upon and implemented.
- hold professionals to account (if needed)
Congratulations Rachel – Winner 2020 St Davids Award
Rachel Williams is a leading advocate in the campaign against domestic violence. She is a survivor of 18 years of severe domestic abuse, which ended in 2011 when her abuser shot her with a sawn off shot gun before hanging himself. 6 weeks later her 16 year old son hung himself due to the trauma of the years of abuse and subsequent shooting of his mother. She survived by the skin of her teeth and now campaigns tirelessly to help other survivors.
She is at the forefront of pushing the domestic abuse bill through Parliament, and on 13th September 2019, hosted the first ever survivor-led domestic abuse conference in South Wales: Stand Up to Domestic Abuse (#sutda), which brought together many survivors and professionals. Rachel is brave, kind, and passionate, and has dedicated her life to helping women all over the country.
From sitting on domestic abuse project boards, to speaking to the national media, Rachel shows authenticity in every action, every word she speaks. She changes the domestic abuse sector by bringing all of these voices together, and she changes the lives of the women she is representing.
