Helping-Hand 2022

Through the 2022 Helping-Hand Appeal, you can support The Salvation Army’s work with women and take a stand to ensure gender justice is a reality for all people.

Humankind was created in God’s image – men and women equal in the eyes of God. Yet women are disproportionately affected by poverty, the climate crisis and gender-based violence.

Domestic abuse is a universal issue, not bound by social status, wealth or gender. However, the majority of victims are female, with one in three women around the world experiencing intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.

In Tres Arroyos, Argentina, The Salvation Army supports women who have experienced or are currently experiencing domestic abuse. In this safe space women are welcomed, listened to and supported through their journey. The Salvation Army facilitates group therapy sessions with the support of a psychologist. Women are invited to share their experiences in a supportive and non-judgemental setting and have the opportunity to collectively find personal solutions and ways of breaking the cycle of abuse they are in. Here, women have found solidarity and sanctuary.

One of the women who has been part of the group is Elena*.

Elena was born and raised in Tres Arroyos and had a difficult childhood. Elena became estranged from her father when she was six years old after he and her mother separated. When she was older, Elena’s mother started a relationship with a man who did not treat Elena or her mother well.

In later life Elena married and had two children, a boy and a girl. Though the marriage started well, over time her husband became verbally abusive. He began to become controlling and, having moved the family out to the countryside, he restricted where Elena could go. She was prevented from seeing her friends and family and was often only allowed to travel with him.

On one occasion Elena travelled to the city to run some errands and visit her daughter. Elena explained that her daughter had pleaded with her to get away from her father. ‘She said to me, “I shouldn’t say this, but I want you leave him. I see that dad is not treating you well. Please, don’t tell him I said that, but I know you can move forward without him.”’ Elena found it difficult to recognise the abuse in her own life. She said, ‘At first, I didn’t realise he was treating me badly. People would notice the yelling and the abuse, but I would not acknowledge it. To me that was normal.’

Eventually, Elena listened to her daughter and made the decision to leave. Elena’s husband had told lies about her family and made her believe they did not love her and would not want to see her. Despite this, she reached out to her mother who welcomed her into her home. Elena had only her clothes with her when she left her husband and was able to stay with her mother until she could afford a place of her own.

Elena worked seven days a week to earn enough money to afford to rent her own place. She said, ‘I was working a lot. For months I didn’t take a day off. I wanted to build my life.’ It was during this time that an acquaintance of Elena’s invited her to join the group at The Salvation Army. ‘I was feeling bad, alone. So, I decided to go. “Let’s try it,” I thought to myself.’ As part of the group Elena was able to tell her story and recognised the importance of sharing her experience with others. ‘Before the group,’ she said, ‘I felt alone, I was crying all the time and I kept wondering if I was the one who did things wrong. I wasn’t the kind of person that would go to someone and talk about what was happening. I tried to sort all that on my own, so that made it worse.’

In the group Elena found friendship and the encouragement to keep moving forward. She now tries to support other women who are in a similar situation to her. ‘I tell my story to others and try to help, and I invite others to the group.’

This project falls within our ‘Gender Justice’ area of work. Through this thematic area we support projects which aim to address domestic abuse or sexual exploitation through the prevention of violence, supporting victims out of that violence and/or responding to the recovery needs of survivors. We also work to ensure gender equality and equity is mainstreamed throughout all the projects for which we provide technical and financial support.

The current Helping-Hand Appeal, Feeding Hope, which is supporting our Food Security projects, will run until the end of this year. The Appeal will then move its focus to Gender Justice at the beginning of 2022. For more information please visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/helpinghand2022

How can I help?

• £10 could provide functional education classes for women in Bangladesh so they understand their rights and can protect themselves from exploitation.

• £25 could buy materials for Tres Arroyos Salvation Army’s ‘learning through play’ sessions for children who are exposed to violence at home.

• £60 could set up eight child marriage prevention committees in Bangladesh, helping to challenge this practice which violates girls’ human rights.

How can I donate?

• Give a donation to your local Salvation Army corps or Family Ministries group

• Donate online: salvationarmy.org.uk/helpinghand2022

*Name has been changed