Mum who fled honour-based domestic violence with three children says St Helens community has been her 'lifeline'

The mum, who wishes to remain anonymous, was scared and alone after leaving her home.

She was living in a women’s refuge in a bid to have a better life away from domestic violence.

It was then she was rehoused in part of Moss Bank.

The mum said: “I fled honour based violence from my old town and was rehoused in St Helens last December, just before Christmas.

“I carried with me nothing but the trauma, the fear and pain. I moved into an unknown area where the town’s demographics was mainly white.

“I was scared. I fled from one abuse and might land into another form of abuse. I was very anxious for my family. I even warned them that people might say things to them, but we took a leap of faith. And I have to say this community have become my lifeline and I’m now proud to always call St Helens my home.”

She says from “the moment we arrived with nothing but a pram” the community of St Helens have been “nothing but kind” to her and her children.

The 35-year-old added: “We settled in this amazing town with amazing people and nearly a year on no one has said one unkind word to me or my children. I have been offered help from services yes, but also ordinary people.

“My eldest daughter is succeeding at secondary school, who have been so amazing with her. She even said last week that ‘I will never leave St Helens mum, this is our home’ and she is right.

“I have heard things that people have said about St Helens, but that is not the St Helens I know.

“Maybe you can’t appreciate what you have if it’s all you’ve ever known, but as someone from elsewhere moving here, I can tell you, this is a town to be proud of.

“The kindness and goodness in this community is what we have experienced, you might have an issue with empty shops right now, but St Helens is not what people say and we can work together to better it not tear it down with words.”

She is now hoping to help others who have experienced domestic violence and volunteer in the community she says became her lifeline.

She added: “Even though we have services to tackle suicide and domestic violence on paper, it seems not all of the organisations can provide high marketing campaigns to tackle the ‘keep your problems to yourself’ culture in St Helens.

“I am a mum of three, we have had a difficult and upsetting journey to get here, but now I’m here I want to give back and make it my personal responsibility to tackle this.

“The people who have helped me, are the everyday people of St Helens. Domestic violence isn’t an Asian issue it’s a people issue and we as a community need to work together to tackle these mindsets and help each other, even if it’s just one person.

“Just like this community helped a mum and her three children who were scared, in a different place, with nothing but a pram. This town is our lifeline.”