To mark International Women’s Day on Wednesday, 8^th March, Tottenham Community Reporter Olivia Opara sits down with the founder of a pivotal service for women in Haringey

Women with a Voice founder — Credit Natasha Johnson

A Tottenham woman who experienced a decade of domestic abuse is rallying for a change in services for victims of domestic violence in Haringey.

Natasha Johnson had reached her breaking point when she called the police to report her abusive exhusband for the final time eleven years ago. Expecting to finally be free from her abuser, Natasha would instead be arrested and rendered homeless.

“He got his stepdaughter to lie against me,” said Natasha. “I couldn’t go home to my two sons.”

Natasha’s ex-husband manipulated police into making them believe she was the abuser, in order to take out an injunction against her. She was arrested and spent the night at Edmonton Police Station. Natasha was released the next day and sofa surfed for a while in Northumberland Park before coming across an acquaintance who let her stay in their home.

“[My ex-husband] has a history of partners leaving him and he was terrified that I was trying to do the same. He did not want that to happen,” she added.

Natasha’s ex-husband was financially, physically, emotionally and psychologically abusive. He would control every movement Natasha made, who she spoke to and where she could go – even isolating her from friends.

“He would sabotage everything I tried to do,” said Natasha. “I couldn’t work, study or socialise. It was crazy.”

She added: “I tried to tell social services and the police many times before, but they wouldn’t believe me.”

When Natasha took her ex-husband to court, he “dragged it out” by refusing to show up. “He was trying to seize this opportunity to destroy me,” said Natasha. “And I was fighting to clear my name, my reputation.”

Natasha eventually won the case against her ex in 2012 and was finally able to see her sons again – but the whole ordeal traumatised her. “You worry about keeping your sanity intact. You have to struggle to find yourself, to heal,” she said.

Following this, Natasha started attending services and women’s groups for domestic violence and found them to be re traumatising and insensitive. She felt they left women feeling worse than when they came.

“I just wanted to go to a positive place where women can do wellbeing activities and leave feeling empowered.”

So, in 2013, Natasha set up her own weekly peer-to-peer support group for women, Women with a Voice (WWAV). WWAV is volunteer-led and supports women who are victims of domestic violence and abuse, female genital mutilation, modern day slavery and other sexual offences. It provides counselling such as art therapy, group outings and similar wellbeing activities to help women forge links, rebuild and heal. WWAV also helps women who struggle with food insecurity by providing fifty food parcels each week and hosting a monthly ‘multicultural kitchen and cafe’ for women to share cooking skills and tips on how to further get help. WWAV is now based at the Eric Allen Community Centre in Northumberland Park.

Since founding WWAV, Natasha discovered that there is a lack of cultural-specific support for victims of domestic violence, explaining that religion and cultural customs often make it harder for women to leave their abusers. She also noted that this is worsened by lengthy referral times, exclusive criteria for services, and authorities which, she claimed, “look down on you”.

“The shame our communities put on domestic violence survivors is rife,” said Natasha.

Natasha said that she wants to see a change in domestic violence services especially for children who can become abusers themselves.

She concluded: “There needs to be early intervention with an emphasis on a holistic approach so that victims can see a way out.

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