Sarah's Story

 

She arrived at the refuge with nothing but a plastic bag. Her little boy, just five years old, was fast asleep on her shoulder – wrapped in the only warm thing she had to give him. 

 

Sarah had been living in fear for years. It didn’t start with bruises. It started with silence, with shouting, with things broken in anger. With money controlled, phone calls checked, and being told again and again that everything was her fault. She kept hoping he’d change. But when the fear spread from her to her son, she knew she couldn’t wait any longer. 

 

She didn’t know where they were going. She just knew that they had to leave. 

 

That’s when she found the refuge. 

 

 

Inside there was care and warmth. A calm voice. A safe room. Clean clothes, toothbrushes and food. Her child was given fresh pyjamas, and a cuddly teddy bear. A support worker knelt down to her son and said “you’re safe now”, and for the first time, Sarah believed it. 

 

Over the next few days, she rested. Her body. Her mind. She didn’t have to explain everything, she was allowed to just breathe. And slowly, she began to feel more human again. 

 

The refuge helped with the hard things – the paperwork, school transfers and finding a new routine. There was quiet conversations, cups of tea and reminders that she mattered. 

 

It wasn’t just a place to stay. It was care. A chance to start again. 

 

A few months later, Sarah moved into her flat with her child. The flat was small, and the mis-matched furniture was donated. But there was love and there was laughter. Her son played more. Sarah began to look to the future, and make plans. She finally had peace.