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Penny Mordaunt has revealed her experience of being stalked as an MP as she backed The Independent’s campaign to build a home for domestic abuse victims – and says she cannot not imagine the horror of being targeted in her own house.
The former equalities minister said she had always had the privilege of feeling safe at home, as she stressed the importance of creating a safe space for women fleeing domestic abuse.
She is the latest prominent figure to throw her support behind The Independent’s Brick by Brick appeal, launched alongside the charity Refuge to build a safe space for women fleeing abuse.
“Whatever I might have to deal with outside my front door, I had sanctuary,” she said. “Unfortunately though, so many families dealing with and escaping domestic abuse have no such place.
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“Everyone needs a secure and safe home, children especially. I know from working with many people fleeing domestic abuse that there are an enormous number of obstacles that tie them to an abusive partner.
“Having an alternative place to be – and the means to achieve it – is fundamental and foundational.”
Across the UK, thousands of women are desperate to find safety from the danger in their own homes, but figures show one woman is turned away from a refuge every two hours due to a lack of space or capacity.
This is why The Independent has partnered with charity Refuge to raise £300,000 to build a home for women escaping abusive partners, and any child or pet they bring with them.
Here they can find safety and freedom, and rebuild their lives – brick by brick.
“Refuge has someone call for help every two minutes,” Ms Mourdant added. “It estimates that one in four women will be affected by these issues at some point in their lives.
“Despite my experiences, I cannot imagine how drained and desperate it must feel to have nowhere safe to be.
“Once you have that, so many other things become possible. Your health improves. You can start to think about the future. Your energies and faculties can be channelled into something life improving, as opposed to simply surviving.”
The Independent’s campaign has raised more than £130,000 of its £300,000 target, which has allowed the foundations to start to be built, but needs more support.
Ms Mordaunt said: “Once built, this home will help many families, for decades to come. I believe it will also provide a legacy for similar projects to spring up across the country. Your donation will be the gift that keeps on giving. It will help banish fear from thousands of young lives.
“I was lucky. I had a place to go. Most don’t. That’s why we need to make this happen.”
