Last week, we had the chance to host our own BBC Radio Norfolk show, as part of their Tuesday Takeover slot every 6-8pm on a Tuesday evening.
It was a fantastic experience that allowed us to raise awareness of the excellent work that our staff get up to supporting service users and increasing public knowledge of domestic abuse.
Hope & New Beginnings
The theme of the show was Hope & New Beginnings – highlighting the journey that our service users experience when being supported by Leeway, as well as domestic abuse political developments we hoped to see in the future.
Joining Presenter Jon Wright were Leeway’s Michelle Frazer (Refuge & Safehouse Coordinator), Karen Osborne (Senior Training Officer), and Rhys Lloyd (Media & PR Officer).
Discussions ranged from what it is like at refuge and the practical and emotional support we provide, to the importance of raising awareness and how our training achieves this.
There was also general discussion around domestic abuse, as well as reflecting on the pandemic and the impact that this has had, particularly highlighting the increased media coverage we saw and the increased engagement from the general public.
In between discussions, there were powerful and uplifting songs selected by Leeway service users and staff, with a range of songs from recording artists including Aretha Franklin and Elton John.
These choices had special meaning to staff and service users, often capturing the journey that they go on when being supported by Leeway.
The Importance of Positivity
Quite often when we speak to local media it is around negative issues, whether that is an increase in the number of people needing support, or delays in the legal system.
It was good to be able to highlight the positivity around the work we do though, especially reflecting on the hard work that our staff put in to support those experiencing domestic abuse.
Not only this, but it was a great chance to reflect on the positive direction that domestic abuse campaigning has headed in the past few years.
We have covered the Domestic Abuse Act extensively on our blog over the past few years, and this is just one of the positives. During this time, we have also seen a gradual shift in attitudes towards domestic abuse, with more people willing to talk about it openly and raise awareness of the impacts it has.
There have been many positives over the past few years, and we hope that these continue in the coming years.
If you missed our show, you can listen back to it on the BBC Sounds website for a limited period of time. Jon Wright - Hope and new beginnings - BBC Sounds
