Nationwide Building Society has launched a new online tool to help domestic abuse survivors to discreetly access vital support. The “safe space” tool can be accessed through a link at the bottom of the Nationwide.co.uk webpage and gives people access to support information, emergency contacts and domestic abuse resources.
The mutual said it does this without leaving a browsing history and provides a quick exit function. The initiative follows the launch of safe spaces across more than 430 Nationwide branches and more than 40 Virgin Money branches.
Support and partnerships
Nationwide also provides access to a dedicated specialist support team and referrals to charities, including Refuge, and works with partners, including Hestia, Refuge, and Surviving Economic Abuse, to support victim-survivors. The Society said that branch staff are trained to recognise the signs of abuse and help people to access support. Safe spaces are also available to non-Nationwide customers.
Economic abuse often happens as part of domestic abuse. It involves people having their access to money or financial resources, such as a job, their savings, debts or insurance policies, controlled and/or sabotaged by another person.
Research findings
Research carried out by Nationwide found that more than a quarter (26%) of people affected by domestic abuse said they had experienced financial abuse, while more than half (53%) said access to money was being controlled.
Kathryn Townsend, head of customer vulnerability at Nationwide, said: “Domestic and economic abuse can leave people feeling trapped, isolated and cut off from the support they urgently need. Seeking help is often the hardest step, which is why it’s so important that support is easy to access and available in a way that feels safe.”
Reaction from partners
Patrick Ryan, chief executive of Hestia, said: “Nationwide’s new online safe space will complement our in-branch safe spaces, which offer a safe and discreet way to contact loved ones or specialist support services. Our lived experience panel was instrumental in shaping this new online service, ensuring that this is not simply a tool designed for survivors, but one designed with their experiences at its heart. We are pleased to work closely with Nationwide to create safer, accessible routes to support, which is an important step towards helping people experiencing domestic abuse find the safety they deserve.”
