Help for nurses experiencing domestic violence

A Zimbabwean nurse has launched a campaign alongside a nursing charity to highlight domestic abuse in the nursing profession.

Rhoda Chiyabi, aged 61, has started working with the Cavell Nurses’ Trust to publicise the Abuse At Home campaign, following their welfare team’s findings that domestic abuse in the nursing profession is rising.

In her case, the Cavell Nurses’ Trust have been able to provide Rhoda with grants and a weekly stipends to help pay her bills – extremely useful, given that her husband who has left her deaf in one ear and HIV positive before returning to Zimbabwe, also left her and her children in debt.

Another nurse, Susan Hallam, who is also in her sixties, was forced to leave her home after discovering her husband was having an affair.

Things were extremely strained for a while and eventually came to a head when her husband head-butted her three times in the face.

He was arrested for grievous bodily harm and she moved to a refuge.

Cavill Nurses' Trust was able to provide her with a weekly grant and £400 to buy household essentials.

This money was incredibly important to Susan’s wellbeing – as she had a small NHS pension, she wasn’t entitled to any benefits beyond rent and council tax assistance.

The Abuse At Home campaign is running for three months initially and is hoping to partner with other organisations, such as refuges and shelters, to provide more effective support.

If you think the Cavell Nurses’ Trust is an organisation that could help you, please do consider them.

The Trust is able to help any registered nurse, healthcare assistant with five years’ experience or more, retired healthcare professionals or student healthcare professionals in exceptional circumstances with savings of less than £4000.You don’t have to be currently employed.

If you want to talk to them, ring them now on 01527 595 999.