EVA Women’s Aid is a woman-only organisation working with women and children who have been affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence and societal oppression. In order to challenge the oppressive beliefs, we work from a feminist and empowering framework that embraces inclusiveness, diversity and equality and is survivor centred. This means recognising that domestic abuse and sexual violence is a crime, committed predominately by men against women and children. We strive to eradicate domestic and sexual violence and oppression in all of its forms.
Our values define who we are as an organisation and shape our organisational behaviour, decision-making and business plan. They influence all our actions and interactions when dealing with both internal and external contacts.
Our values are part of the standards against which people’s performance is appraised, and what we look for when recruiting.
Definitions
Empowering
EVA Women’s AID want all those we work with – survivors, colleagues, trustees and volunteers – to fulfil their potential. We believe in the strengths of survivors, creating and promoting tools and services that work for survivors, led by the expertise of survivors.
Feminist
At EVA Women’s Aid we recognise that while domestic abuse can be experienced by a range of people, it is gendered and is most frequently perpetrated against women by male perpetrators.
We are a feminist organisation and recognise that sex and gender based oppression intersects with other systems of oppression and that power and control underpin all forms of oppression.
Inclusive
EVA Women’s Aid recognises that it is essential to provide equal opportunities to all persons without discrimination of any form: this statement applies to staff, volunteers, trustees and service users.
Women’s Aid supports women and children who have survived domestic abuse/sexual violence and the staff, volunteers and trustees who support them. We understand that abuse and lack of access to support is compounded by racism, homophobia and disability. We work to promote and deliver safe and inclusive services.
Social Oppression
Social oppression refers to oppression that is achieved through social means and that is social in scope—it affects whole categories of people. This kind of oppression includes the systematic mistreatment, exploitation, and abuse of a group (or groups) of people by another group (or groups). It occurs whenever one group holds power over another in society through the control of social institutions, along with society’s laws, customs, and norms.
Survivor-centred
We place survivors at the heart of everything we do. This means that:
- We promote and deliver a needs led, trauma-informed and strength based response to survivors.
- We provide a platform for survivors’ voices to be heard.
- We understand the diversity of survivors’ needs and to take an intersectional approach, we proactively seek out voices and experiences that are not present in our organisation.
.Safeguarding Adults Policy & Safeguarding Children & Young People Policy