After graduating from King's College London with a Master's in Criminology, I wrote a paper "Why Battered Women Stay" followed by "Domestic Violence in the Church". During my research, I found that although the family is meant to be a place of safety, it also poses numerous risks and it was also apparent that many children who had suffered or witnessed ill treatment and abuse inside the home, had gone on to become adult casualties coming into contact with the criminal justice system.

Victims of Child abuse:

Findings suggest women who have been through severe childhood trauma may have led to disrupted development that when left untreated can lead to repression or regression. When this is triggered in adulthood, some women may have difficulty in expressing or verbalising her their emotions and need to remain confidential while recovering from distress and any underlying causes.

Case Study:

The high profile case of Kiranjit Ahluwali, who set fire to her husband Deepak in May 1989 after suffering abuse and brutality for 10 years was charged with murder and imprisoned for life. Although the Court of Appeal rejected the grounds of provocation as a basis of her appeal, it accepted that the defence of provocation, and in particular the requirement of a ‘sudden and temporary loss of self control’ had been traditionally interpreted in ways which excluded the experiences of battered women. Kiranjit, then went on to write a book 'PROVOKED' published by Harper Collins India which was recently made into a film.

Although this is an extreme case, I was intrigued by the plight of victim offenders and penned a manuscript instead based on one woman's true story. I saw that with the stringent checks and balances that are firmly in place to protect the innocence of children, prior to these rigorous safeguarding measures being implement numerous young people who did not have access to these protection laws went on to become adult casualties coming into contact with the criminal justice system, either as victims or victim offenders.

As a result, The Healed Project is a six week business start up set within a holistic framework, that seeks to raise further awareness around the damaging effects of abuse and empower women. to release and guilt, shame and remove stigma and help women turn their lives around and move forward to become successful in business.

With your support on a continuous basis, The Healed Project Pilot will be able to help women move forward in life.

If that is something that resonates with you, your donation will help these women get their lives back on track.

With your support we can measure the outcome, publish the results that will help to fund the project long term and contribute towards healing one broken life at a time.

You hear all about the Healed Project on "She Speaks" at Wandsworth Community Radio

www.mixcloud.com/WandsworthRadio/she-speaks-with-chloe-desave-23rd-february/