Black Country Women’s Aid (formerly known as Sandwell Women’s Aid) is an independent charity which has supported survivors of abuse and exploitation in the West Midlands for 30 years.
Our sensitive and holistic support helps over 8000 victims of abuse each year to escape from violence, cope with trauma and rebuild their lives. We believe that no-one should have to live in fear of violence and abuse. We listen, we support, we care.
Our domestic abuse refuge and community services hold the Women's Aid National Quality Standards. We hold the Limeculture Quality Standards for our sexual violence services for adults and children (ISVA and CHISVA), and for our Ask Marc project supporting men and boys.
BCWA won Investors in People’s One to Watch Award and the Black Country Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year in 2015. BCWA was nominated for a Human Trafficking Foundation Award in 2017 for our outstanding contribution to the fight against modern slavery.
Our diverse range of services include: domestic abuse refuge and community support; rape, sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse support; forced marriage and honour based violence support; children and young people’s services; therapeutic services; and support for female offenders and women with complex needs.
Please click below to find out more.
BCWA offers a range of services for survivors of abuse in the West Midlands. These are based in our four welcoming Cedar Centres across the region. Please click the links below to find out about services in your area.
BCWA’s services are headed up by a management team with a diverse range of skills and experience, working together to ensure that victims of abuse get the best support.
Sara joined BCWA in 2000 and has overseen its growth from a small refuge provider to a dynamic regional charity. She takes on the overall management of all services and leads on strategic development and financial management.
Sara works tirelessly to develop and improve services for victims, working with local authorities and strategic partnerships across the region. Sara is a member of the West Midlands PCC’s Victims Commission and has been involved in the development of regional VAWG consortia. Sara was voted one of West Midlands top 100 Inspirational Women in 2010.
Our annual reports are our chance to look back and review our year – celebrating stories of survival from people we have supported and our achievements working with partners and funders.
View reports“BCWA has given us our lives back and the belief that we are in control of our own futures. We have always felt listened to, believed, supported, guided, not judged and been allowed to make decisions about our own lives in our own time. We have been inspired to believe in and respect who we are as individuals.
Black Country Women’s Aid’s Client Forum”
“In October, I visited a Black Country Women’s Aid refuge to hear about the experiences of women who had fled domestic abuse and so-called honour based violence and I was impressed to hear about the work Women’s Aid do to support victims of these appalling crimes.
Amber Rudd, UK Home Secretary, October 2016
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“[BCWA]’s inspirational entrepreneurial and excellence-driven approach sets this small organisation ahead of many global corporations in their culture, leadership and breadth of transformation. All of this they have achieved in just a few years. If leadership is about making a difference and transforming lives then this surely is an example of excellence.
Chris Roebuck, Visiting Professor of Transformational Leadership, Cass Business School”
“Modern Slavery is one of the West Midlands PCC’s priorities and we are working with partners across the region to develop a support service for victims. As such we are indebted to [BCWA] for sharing [their ] expertise with us as we work towards this objective. BCWA has demonstrated its commitment towards supporting victims through its NRM work but its passion and skill in tackling modern slavery is demonstrated through its ability to empower others to tackle this crime.
Jo Barber, Policy Officer Victims Services, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner”
“BCWA…have been overwhelmingly responsive and helpful, often going above and beyond what might be expected. They…work sympathetically with clients, providing exceptional support…communicate clearly which helps things run smoothly, and are flexible, with an understanding of the challenges of working with the media but without at any time compromising the safeguarding and wellbeing of their clients.
Isobel McFarlane, PR Department, The Salvation Army”