Sistah Space has launched a campaign which exposes domestic abuse faced by Black women in UK. Sistah Space is the UK’s first and only specialist domestic abuse charity for African and Caribbean women. The campaign includes the release of new research which highlights the silencing of Black women survivors of abuse in the UK. A new short film has also been produced that graphically illustrates the challenges faced by black women facing domestic abuse.

To mark the charity’s 10-year anniversary, Sistah Space has released its 2025 research with data provided by more than 2,200 Black women across England and Wales. The research uncovers a consistent pattern of underreporting, repeated trauma, and institutional neglect.

Some of the key findings:

97% of Black women do not feel very confident that reporting abuse would lead to fair and supportive treatment from the police or other violence against women and girls (VAWG) agencies.
87% said that the statutory agencies were not responsive enough when they reported
their abuse.

Blackness ‘weaponised’

“They make it hard for you to get justice,” said one anonymous respondent from South East
England.

“Social services weaponised my blackness, feeding into racist tropes of emotional or aggression”, added another from London.

The campaign exposes urgent issues around trust, fear, and systemic failure, with stark findings
that reveal the unique and often invisible struggles Black women face when seeking safety and
support.

Domestic abuse

The research found 56.4% of respondents said they had personally experienced domestic abuse and 89% personally know a Black woman who has, or is, experiencing domestic abuse.
Out of the Black women surveyed, 78% have experienced domestic abuse on more than one separate occasion/period.

When it comes to reporting abuse, many Black women said they feared being judged.
According to the research, 76% did not report the abuse they experience, even though they want to, citing fear of being judged or stereotyped as a Black woman as reasons for not reporting it.

Complementing the data is Hidden in Plain Sight, Sistah Space’s new short film capturing the
isolation Black women face when navigating abuse, and the critical role that culturally competent services play in their survival.

Support Black women

To support this vital work, Sistah Space is calling on the public to donate directly through the
campaign’s dedicated webpage, as the charity is currently seeking to fundraise £350k.

The charity say £100k of this will go towards the development and opening of the UK’s first and only refuge specialising in supporting Black women that have experienced domestic abuse.

“Our services save lives, but we need the funding to expand and reach the women who need us
most,” said Sistah Space Founder Ngozi Fulani.

“This isn’t just about shelter; it’s about justice, dignity, and visibility.”

You can watch Hidden in Plain Sight – The Film here: