Our History

Stockport Without Abuse has been around for over thirty years. In the sixties and seventies there was a huge drive by the women’s liberation movement to recognise and combat the issue of domestic violence and abuse, which was largely ignored by the police and courts, and accepted by society with the attitude ‘it’s only a domestic’.

Heaton Moor Women’s Group tried to find out what service provision was available in Stockport to help women and protect them from violence. This group formalised itself in 1975 to become Stockport Women’s Aid and opened the first refuge for women and children in Stockport.

Over the years, we have grown considerably and developed a whole range of services. Attitude to domestic abuse has changed considerably and we now work in close and strong partnership with our statutory, private and voluntary sector partners to keep victims safe and challenge public awareness of domestic abuse. 

In 2011, we changed our name to Stockport Without Abuse to reflect the support we offer to male victims and children as well as women.