Held By Grace

A woman sitting on the sill of a huge industrial window, looking out, black and white.

a life beyond survival.

life after domestic abuse.
connection · culture · change.

for victim-survivors building what comes next.

A hand holding a set of keys on a keyring printed with the word GRACE, black and white.

a letter from grace.

Despite everything that was happening to me, I knew I was fortunate.

I had people who loved me, friends who held me together when I couldn’t do it myself, and people who understood just how much domestic abuse had taken from me.

I was struggling more than I knew how to explain. But having people around me made some of the hardest days a little less lonely.

And I kept thinking about those who didn’t have that.

Particularly those of us who have had to leave behind our homes, our communities and everything familiar, moving somewhere new just to be safe from the people who hurt us.

Because sometimes escaping means losing almost everything else, too.

I wanted the support, connection and kindness I’d experienced to exist beyond crisis services. Somewhere to meet people, have new experiences and slowly begin to feel part of the world again.

That’s why I started Held By Grace.

We create opportunities for victim-survivors to connect and heal. Alongside that, we challenge systems, advocate for change and work towards better outcomes for those who come after us.

Because getting someone safe should never be where our responsibility ends.

No victim left behind.

If I deserve the chance to heal, so do you.

grace, founder

what we’re here for

what we do

community
Creating connection, friendships and a sense of belonging. Because nobody should have to rebuild their life alone.
culture
Creating meaningful experiences informed by peer-reviewed research, designed to support healing, wellbeing and connection, and help victim-survivors rediscover life beyond survival.
research
Bringing together academic research, specialist knowledge and lived experience to better understand domestic abuse, its lasting impact and what needs to change.
advocacy
Challenging the systems that fail victim-survivors. Using lived experience and evidence to influence policy, improve practice and create meaningful change.