A domestic abuse survivor who fled a violent home with her child has said specialist housing support in North Yorkshire helped them reach safety, avoid homelessness and start rebuilding their lives.
The woman, who is speaking anonymously, said she left with just GBP60 and a car packed with essential belongings after deciding that staying would put her life at serious risk. After an assessment, she and her child were placed in temporary accommodation and supported through the housing system, highlighting the importance of safeguarding awareness around abuse concerns.
Her case has been highlighted as North Yorkshire Council expands domestic abuse housing support across the county, backed by nearly GBP600,000 of government funding over two years through the Domestic Abuse Grant.
A safe route away from abuse
The survivor said leaving home was the only way to protect herself and her child from the perpetrator.
“I knew that staying would have put my life at serious risk,” she said. “With a young child to protect, I understood that true safety meant creating distance from the perpetrator. With just GBP60 to my name and a car packed with the bare essentials, I fled.”
She initially stayed with others before seeking help from the council. Following a housing assessment, she was placed in temporary accommodation and given support from a homelessness support worker.
That support, she said, helped her secure a private rented home and access essentials needed for day-to-day life. “That support gave us a safe, stable place of our own and the chance to rebuild our lives,” she said.
Specialist housing roles across the county
North Yorkshire Council says the work forms part of a wider programme led by its community safety team to meet duties under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
Two domestic abuse housing coordinators now work across the county, supporting housing teams, improving links with partner agencies and helping prevent homelessness connected to abuse. They are supported by four specialist domestic abuse housing practitioners, delivered in partnership with commissioned service IDAS.
The practitioners provide frontline help for people in temporary or emergency accommodation and support survivors as they navigate the housing system.
Council staff have also been invited to become domestic abuse champions, with 32 people signed up so far after internal training sessions aimed at improving knowledge and confidence among frontline teams.
Cllr Heather Phillips, executive member for corporate services, said too many people are forced into homelessness because of domestic abuse, while refuge spaces do not always meet every need.
“By strengthening our housing offer, we are giving victims and survivors greater choice, quicker access to support and safer places to live,” she said.
Rural isolation can make leaving harder
The council says North Yorkshire’s rural geography can make it more difficult for people experiencing abuse to seek help or leave safely. Some homes are far from neighbours, services and specialist support, increasing the practical barriers facing survivors.
National figures underline the scale of the issue. Nearly 60,000 households in England were made homeless or faced homelessness because of domestic abuse between 2022 and 2023, according to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government data cited by the council.
Recent statistics from the National Police Chiefs’ Council also show that 150 victims of domestic abuse were suspected of taking their own lives in the year to March 2025, up from 98 in the previous 12 months.
The North Yorkshire work contributes to the North Yorkshire and York Domestic Abuse Strategy 2024-2028 and the council’s wider efforts to improve housing services. Similar regional strategies, including a five-year plan to combat domestic and sexual violence, show how local authorities are trying to coordinate prevention, housing and victim support.
Confidential help for people at risk
Anyone experiencing domestic abuse, or worried about someone else, can seek confidential help and advice. Independent Domestic Abuse Services provides specialist support across North Yorkshire, including safety planning and help to find accommodation.
Support is free and confidential. People in immediate danger should call 999. Anyone feeling overwhelmed or in distress can contact Samaritans at any time on 116 123.
Source: North Yorkshire Council
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This report is based on North Yorkshire Council's published account and keeps the survivor anonymous as in the source material.
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- North Yorkshire Council
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- 2026-06-09 18:39
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