Saje Scotland works with women have experienced, or are experiencing domestic abuse and controlling relationships.

Our aim is to:

• Motivate, encourage and enable survivors of domestic abusive to live independently without fear of abuse, harm and coercion.

• Provide them with the knowledge they need to achieve this.

We do this primarily through our unique, bespoke programme that we deliver, the Freedom Programme. The course is a structured programme of 10 -15 women, running for 12 weeks, 2 hours per week, 3 times a year in 6 locations across Fife and wider Scotland. From the start of our project in May 2014, 350 + have completed the programme. Presently, 70 women are attending groups.

Freedom Programme enables women to come together to discuss their experiences and to start the healing process. Women who complete the course will:

• Recognise abusive and domineering behaviour from their current or previous partners

• Have explored the impact of abuse on themselves and their children

• Develop ways of thinking and behaving to protect themselves (and their children) from harm

• Be able to spot early warning signs of abuse and know what a good relationship looks like

• Be more able to take control of their lives, as confidence and self-esteem improve

• Be less isolated, more involved with their community and know who can help

• Increase their belief in their own potential to return to work, education or training opportunities

Our service is open to any woman; whether they’re living with a partner or not; whether they fully acknowledge they are living with or have lived with abuse; fully recognise their relationship is harmful but don’t know what to do. Some come along because it has been suggested to them; others because they want to know how to avoid abusive relationships.

Money raised would go a long way towards helping run the Freedom Programme.