THE Women’s Centre Cornwall, in Bodmin, with the support of Safer Cornwall, has launched an innovative project aimed at breaking down language barriers for women whose first language is not English and who may be experiencing domestic abuse.

The charity believes that all women should be safe from domestic abuse and sexual violence. It wants to remove the barriers of language and culture so that women can access their services. This initiative comes in response to the identified need for more effective communication tools tailored to non-English speaking women in Cornwall.

Upon reviewing existing resources, it became clear that traditional communication methods, such as leaflets, were ineffective. Many services were underutilised due to language differences, and some women were found to be illiterate in both English and their native languages.

To address these challenges, The Women’s Centre Cornwall has developed a series of videos, believing that visual and auditory content will be more accessible than written materials. This approach was validated by the charity’s International Women’s Group, which includes women from Romania, Bulgaria, Portugal, and Ukraine. The group provided critical insights into how information should be communicated to improve accessibility.

Engagement with these migrant women revealed a strong preference for online videos in their native languages. Consequently, the project produced a suite of animated videos available in multiple languages, including Arabic, Bulgarian, English, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, and Ukrainian. This collection is continuously expanding to include more languages.

Annemarie Bala, the International Women’s Group coordinator, emphasised the importance of this project: “International women’s voices and experiences are central to the design and delivery of our services. This is crucial for engagement, inclusion, and empowerment. We’re aiming to create a safe, supported, and confidential space where women can be themselves and together.”

Cllr Carol Mould, Cornwall Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods, including community safety and the Safer Cornwall partnership, said: “One of the council’s four key priorities is to create and maintain vibrant, safe and supportive communities and this means ensuring all women who suffer domestic abuse are treated equally and with the utmost compassion, regardless of their background.

“That is why this project from The Women’s Centre Cornwall is so important; it aims to reach all women and ensure their voices are heard. I know it will play a crucial role in the design and delivery of future services to keep all women safe from domestic abuse and sexual violence.”

For more information about the International Women’s Group, visit the link below: www.womenscentrecornwall.org.uk/international-womens-group