About Us
SAY Women offers safe semi-supported accommodation and emotional support for young women aged 16 to 25 who are survivors of sexual abuse, rape or sexual assault and who are homeless, or threatened with homelessness.
SAY Women was established in 1991 in response to CHAR research that found 4 in 10 young women who were homeless had become so due to sexual abuse. The research recognised the complex needs of young women in this position and the high risk of ongoing targeting from perpetrators due to their vulnerable circumstances.
We are a charity of women supporting women who are survivors of men’s sexual violence. Using the framework of the Judith Herman model: Establishing Safety, Mourning & Remembering, Reconnection and Move On, we operate the Social Model of support. This concentrates on the experience of abuse as the issue, and recognises that the behaviours that survivors have had to use, such as self-harm and anger, are coping strategies.
Support for the young women is offered in the form of semi-independent living in our Accommodation Project, alongside support to prepare for a more independent lifestyle, as well as looking at the difficulties surrounding their childhood sexual abuse. They work towards moving into their own tenancy, while we offer ongoing support at our Resource Service with emotional and mental health difficulties, plus groupwork, events, activities and help with practical issues.
The support we provide is flexible and varies according to what each young woman needs, so she is always in control and can access the service at a pace that suits her.
ANNUAL REPORT 2022/23
Click the link below to view our latest Annual Report.
OUR UNDERLYING PRINCIPALS
Our vision
SAY Women’s vision is of a society where homelessness and sexual abuse and all forms of Gender-based violence against women and girls is prevented and eradicated.
What do we do
SAY Women provide accommodation and support services for Young Women (16-25) who have experienced child sexual abuse, rape and other forms of gender-based violence.
Support & Development Outcomes
Power and control
Sense of identity
Emotional safety
Physical safety
Understanding of abuse
Values
The feminist analysis of MVAWC (Men’s Violence against Women and children) often referred to as Gender based violence underpins all we do at SAY Women. We work from the basis and understanding that abuse happens due to the patriarchal society we live in. It is systemic (continues through system and governments etc.) and is a long way from being eradicated. At SAY Women we actively strive to ensure and increase women's rights and women's equality socially, economically and politically - for our young women and as an employer.
SAY Women’s values run through every aspect of our attitude, approach and service provision, empowering young women, staff and those around them with:
Courage: Feeling the fear, yet choosing to act, speak out and stand up for what is right.
Compassion: Taking an understanding, kind, transparent, victim-focused approach to all we do.
Connection: Making the links, developing relationships with the Self, the community and the world around us.
MEET THE TEAM
Our Patron - Madeleine Black
We are delighted to announce that author and public speaker, Madeline Black, has become a patron of SAY Women. A true advocate of life after abuse and rape and an inspiration to us all.
Violently gang-raped when she was thirteen years old, and raped three more times before the age of eighteen, Madeleine has experienced more trauma in her life than most ever will.
Living in a state of shock and self-loathing, it took her years of struggle to confront the buried memories of that first attack and begin to undo the damage it wrought, as men continued to take advantage of her fragility in the worst possible way.
In Unbroken, Madeleine tells her deeply moving and empowering story, as she discovers that life is about how a person chooses to recover from adversity. We are not defined by what knocks us down - we are defined by how we get back up.
Our Board
Chair – Samantha Barnett
Sam has over 15 years’ experience working with organisations to facilitate and deliver positive change across corporate, public and third sectors. Sam has extensive planning, strategy, and programme management experience across complex initiatives. She is passionate about stakeholder engagement and uses an inclusive approach built on clear understanding, trust, strong relationships to develop positive partnerships. Sam established The Partnership Lab in early 2018, to help organisations deliver positive change and she has always had an interest in the third sector and helping to make a difference. Being a board member of SAY Women is a privilege and an opportunity for me to help use my skillset to help strengthen and grow an amazing organisation.
CEO – Pam Hunter
Pam is an Open University graduate with an MBA and has been working in the voluntary sector for 15 years. Her career, initially in the private sector, has moved into the areas of Learning Disability, Mental Health, Sports and Young People and Sexual Abuse. After living in Northern Ireland for 14 years she saw the light and returned to her home of Scotland. She is a keen sports fan and player, including a season ticket holder for the Glasgow Warriors and has recently completed her coaching diploma.
Co-Vice Chair - Sandra Bonilla, MBA, AMBCI
Sandra has been in the Board since September 2017. She has a strong interest in equality, diversity and inclusion. Currently working as the Corporate Planning manager at SQA with responsibilities for a wide range of Strategic Planning and Governance aspects including, under the public sector equality duty, to positively contribute to a more equal society through advancing equality and good relations in its day-to-day business. She is the Depute Chair of SQAs Women’s network which promotes gender equality at the workplace. She is also a member of the Risk and Audit Committee, to which she contributes with her extensive experience in Risk Management and Business Continuity and Organisational Resilience.
Co-Vice Chair - Fi Grimmond
As Housing Manager for Housing First at the Salvation Army, Fi specialises in the design, implementation, and development of large services for people who are experiencing homelessness. She ensures a high standard of service provision which supports people to achieve positive outcomes and ultimately to reach their own potential. She has influenced significant increases in contract value and improve stakeholder engagement by the development of progressive feedback systems.
An adaptive and passionate leader, she influences over cross-sector partnerships which has led to the development of collaborative working connections. She creates opportunities for her team to develop beyond their roles using her coaching experience which has created effective succession opportunities.
Her drive and ambition have given rise to being appointed as a non-executive director for 2 charities, including SAY Women. “I am really excited about joining the board and supporting an innovative and progressive charity. However, my greatest achievement is my beautiful family.”
Ann O’Connell
Ann is a Solicitor and Consultant with BTO Solicitors. She specialises in construction law. She formerly headed the firm’s CSR Committee. Ann has always been passionate about giving women and children a voice and providing them with the tools and skills they need to play an active part in society. She has been involved with UNICEF for many years and has represented Scotland on its UK Board.
Donna Henderson
Donna is a finance professional with over twenty years’ experience working in the charity and health sectors. As a qualified accountant she has works as part of the management team to make a difference to the organisations she has worked for by delivering a dynamic finance service. Donna passionately believes that everyone should have a safe secure environment to call a home and with that in mind she uses her drive, knowledge, skills determination to help make the aims and goals of the organisation she’s involved with a reality.
Lorna Kettles
Lorna has been working in the voluntary sector for almost fifteen years and her work has focused on policy for the majority of that time. She has, in the past, worked on women's participation in decision making processes and from this has a keen commitment to the eradication of violence against women and girls, as well as interest in women in the criminal justice system, women's participation in the labour market and the recognition of unpaid work. Lorna is currently Policy Officer for Early Years Scotland, where she is privileged to lead on policy for both the sector overall and for the children and families that her organisation works with. Lorna is a mum of two, and when she's not providing her boys with a taxi service, she is a keen sports fan, loves sweeties, and will never refuse a cup of tea.
Laura Kelly
Laura Kelly is a multimedia journalist, podcaster and award-winning columnist. She was born and brought up in Belfast and is now based in Glasgow. She has been part of the street paper movement, working to offer opportunities for the most vulnerable members of society for almost 20 years. Her passions include social justice, feminism, music and magazines. As the Culture Editor of The Big Issue she brings in leading thinkers and creatives to tell engaging and thought-provoking stories with a social conscience at their heart.
Lynne McKenzie-Juetten
Lynne is an HR professional with over 15 years’ experience working in the social housing sector, gaining sound governance knowledge during this time. In her current role as a People and Culture manager for a local Housing Association Lynne advises on all people related matters. She is passionate about staff development, mental health and wellbeing. Lynne is honoured to support the essential work of SAY Women as a member of the Board. She strongly believes that everyone deserves a safe place to call home.