Sharing Domestic Abuse Stories

Our website statistics show us that quite a lot people are looking at the Forum website late at night when it's likely to be for personal reasons. We want to make our website more useful for local women and men experiencing abuse and are asking people to share their own experiences of domestic abuse to help others who are going through it. Personal stories make domestic abuse seem more real than facts and figures and can help us show that anyone can find themselves in abusive relationships and how difficult it can be to get out of them. We would keep them anonymous and change any details which might identify you.

If you would like to write about your experiences for others to read, 100 words would be great or up to 500 if you would like to write more. We’re planning to wait until we have lots of stories before we add them to the website, probably at the end of the year. Please send them to Rebecca on training@sdaf.org.uk or post them to us at Knowle House, 4 Norfolk Park Road, Sheffield S2 3QE or phone Rebecca on 0114 213 0580 or Tracy 0114 275 0101 to tell us about the experiences you want to share.

All Sheffield Stories: ‘In My Shoes’, a Council event to promote community cohesion

As part of its community cohesion strategy Sheffield is launching an important initiative aimed at getting people to understand each other better.

On the theme ‘In My Shoes’, the initiative will encourage people to think about what it is like to ‘stand in someone else’s shoes’. People will be encouraged to tell a brief story about themselves, so others can read and learn. We are looking for people to write things that are surprising, eye-opening, or memorable. We are particularly interested in stories that challenge stereotypes and are happy for people to write anonymously.

In My Shoes takes place in the week beginning 6 July. There will be a keynote event in the Peace Gardens on Wednesday 8 July, 5.30-7.00, events in various district centres through the week, and an opportunity to place stories on the website from 17th June www.inmyshoes.co.uk.

We are also anticipating that local radio will give coverage through the week, which will give individuals the chance to tell their own stories.

If everyone can spend a few minutes contributing their story, we will have a fine legacy of material to showcase in exhibitions, libraries, or maybe a book, as well as on the website. If you would like to write a brief story about yourself then please keep it to 100 words or less.

In My Shoes encourages us to understand what it is like to see things from another person's point of view 'to stand in their shoes'. Everyone has a story to tell and everyone’s story is interesting. This is your chance to tell your story so that other people can understand what it's like to stand in your shoes. It's also a chance to read or hear other people's stories - to understand their point of view.

"The more we understand each other, the harder it is to be intolerant and the easier it is to work together on the things we all care about"
Council Leader, Paul Scriven

There are several ways to tell your story:

• Visit one of the road shows being held in shopping centres and supermarkets in the week beginning 6th July.
• Come to the In My Shoes event at the Peace gardens on Wednesday 8th July 5.30 - 7.00pm. Meet people, swap stories, be entertained!
• Put your story on our website from 17th June and read other people's stories there too: www.inmyshoes.co.uk (Please write no more than 100 words)
• Visit Sheffield Town Hall foyer from 26th June - 10th July to read other people's stories and leave your own.
• Send your stories to the Council on the publicity leaflet FREEPOST form. There will be no postage to pay.

The council will make the stories widely available for other people to read for example in exhibitions and on the website.

For more details please ring Ruth Bell and Marie Birks on 0114 2734152