Whole Health London Project:
A collaboration with SafeLives and supported by City Bridge Foundation
Would you like to use your voice and experience to improve access to healthcare for migrant survivors of domestic abuse?
About the project
SafeLives’ Whole Health London project began in 2020, with support from City Bridge Foundation, the funding arm of The City of London Corporation’s charity, Bridge House Estates. The project looked at how hospitals, GP surgeries and other health services in London respond to domestic abuse. From this work, SafeLives created recommendations for how the health system can better support people who have experienced abuse.
The second part of the project is now focusing on migrant survivors of domestic abuse. Many migrant women face extra difficulties when trying to get healthcare, and these barriers can make it harder to get the help and protection they need. This stage of the project aims to make lasting, positive changes so that migrant survivors can feel safer and better supported when using health services in London.
LAWRS is proud to be part of this work. We bring our experience of supporting Latin American and other racialised migrant women, to make sure that survivors’ voices and needs are truly listened to and placed at the centre of the project’s vision and delivery.
You can read more about the first stage of SafeLives’ Whole Health London project here, including its report.
For more on the wider healthcare challenges faced by migrant communities, see LAWRS’ The Right to Healthcare report, based on the experiences of the Latin American community.
Are you a migrant woman in London who has experienced domestic abuse?
Would you like to help shape the way healthcare services support migrant survivors?
LAWRS and SafeLives are creating a panel of migrant survivors of domestic abuse to lead a powerful new project focused on improving healthcare access for migrant women who have experienced domestic abuse.
Migrant survivors often face serious barriers to healthcare: language, immigration status, discrimination. The Panel will lead the project, and bring your voice to the centre of decisions that affect you and your community.
Together, we will work toward a vision of healthcare for all.
Learn more about the Panel of Migrant Survivors of Domestic Abuse:
The Panel of Migrant Survivors of Domestic Abuse will be made up of 10–15 migrant women living in London who will:
- Share their experiences to highlight the challenges migrant survivors face when accessing healthcare.
- Co-create resources and messages to influence decision makers.
- Contribute to training and guidance for healthcare professionals.
- Support and inspire other migrant survivors.
What matters is your voice, your perspective, and your willingness to create change.
The Panel will meet three times during the first year (January, February and March 2026). These sessions will give migrant women with lived experience of domestic abuse the space to:
- Share and discuss the barriers they have faced when trying to access healthcare in London.
- Decide together which healthcare access issues the panel will focus on.
- Highlight training needs and gaps in the healthcare system.
- Begin shaping advocacy messages and practical tools that will be shared with healthcare professionals and policymakers.
Panel members will be supported throughout, with their time recognised and compensated, and with access to wellbeing support.
Meeting details:
- When: January, February and March 2026 (exact dates will be confirmed with you)
- Where: In-person, in Southwark, London
- Language: No matter what language you speak, your voice is important. We welcome women from all communities to register their interest in joining the panel. Please let us know if you’d like to take part – we will provide interpretation so that everyone can contribute fully in the language they feel most comfortable with.
- Duration: 3–4 hours, including a lunch break
In Years 2 and 3, there will be 6 additional meetings to:
- Attend training sessions
- Develop and deliver advocacy activities
- Advise decision makers on improving healthcare for migrant survivors
We hope that those who join in Year 1 will continue to be part of the panel in the following years.
- London Living Wage stipend
- Travel costs covered
- Creche/childcare available if needed
We welcome applications from migrant women who:
- Are over 18 years old
- Live in London
- Have experienced domestic abuse (you must no longer be living with the perpetrator or in a high-risk situation)
- Are a migrant (this includes people with any experience of the immigration or asylum system)
- Can commit to attending three in-person meetings per year
By joining the panel, you will:
- Build confidence, skills, and leadership through training and collaboration
- Gain valuable experience to include in your CV
- Meet other migrant women and build a strong, supportive community
- Be part of real advocacy and change-making work that brings your voice directly to decision makers
- Help ensure other survivors can access healthcare, safety, and support
- We will provide a small financial compensation for contributing with your time and expertise.
How to apply?
Find the application form here!
Before applying, we encourage you to reflect on these questions:
- What are my reasons for wanting to participate?
- Am I ready to talk about my own personal experiences?
- How will I feel hearing about other people’s stories?
- Have I considered how hearing other people’s experiences affects me, and what I’d need to feel safe and supported?
Share Your Voice
We would love to hear from women with lived experience of domestic abuse from migrant communities in London. There are two ways to take part:
- Application Form (for the Survivors’ Panel)
This form collects some basic information about you (such as demographics and accessibility needs) and is for women who would like to be part of the Survivors’ Panel. - Survey (open to everyone)
The survey asks about your experiences of barriers to support and protection in healthcare settings. It can be completed by women who want to join the panel and by those who cannot or do not wish to take part in the panel.
Even if you’re unable to participate in the panel, we still want to hear from you. Your responses to the survey are very valuable and will help us build evidence to improve support for migrant survivors of domestic abuse across healthcare services in London.
Contact:
If you need help with your application, we’re here to support you.
If you have any questions or would like help completing your application, please contact:
📧 keila@lawrs.org.uk
