DOMESTIC abuse survivors say they are ‘terrified of being made homeless’ following the announced closure of Bournemouth Women’s Refuge.

The refuge centre has been a safe place for victims of domestic abuse and violence, and it’s understood it currently houses 18 women and a number of children.

Individuals say they were given a 28-day eviction notice and were told to start looking for private rental properties.

Operated by the charity Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA) with support and funding from BCP Council, the facilities also employ round-the-clock staff who will also lose their positions at the refuge.

BCP Council said the closure, expected in July, is in line with government guidance and is “best practice” by an independent assessment of those facing homelessness.

Beth has lived at the refuge with her children for the past eight months.

She said: “We are all really struggling to find somewhere to rent privately.

 “We are all very scared at the moment. Some have English as an additional language, so communication can prove difficult for them. We are all just feeling unsupported and unsafe.

“We’ve got nothing, we came with nothing, and now we are being kicked out.”

Beth said she is fortunate to have a full-time job; however, she is still struggling to find a place to live.

Many of the women who are not in the same position are “terrified about what will happen to them.”

Hannah moved into the refuge in February 2023 after getting out of a controlling and abusive relationship.

She currently lives in one room, which she shares with another family who takes refuge at the centre.  She has recently discovered she was pregnant and was being supported at Bournemouth Women’s Refuge.

Hannah said: “We get a lot of support from our caseworkers and the other women who live here.

“I am just so worried. Every day, I wake up and go to sleep worried.

“I don’t feel ready to be out of the refuge, so I’m hoping they will move me to a different location, but there isn’t space for everyone.”

Hannah said it is “heartbreaking” to view houses repeatedly and not get anywhere with private properties.

She said some of the women have talked about getting back with their ex-partners out of fear of having nowhere to live.

Hannah also highlighted with the closure of the women’s refuge in Bournemouth, other women who are victims of domestic abuse will have nowhere to go and could become trapped in unsafe situations.

Grace has lived at Bournemouth Women’s Refuge for seven months. She moved to England from another country with her daughter to escape an abusive ex-partner.

After the news the building was being closed, she started looking for properties around BCP, viewing more than 60 in an effort to find somewhere safe for her and her daughter.

She said: “The council has made a lot of promises, and none of them have come true.

“We were told to move to a property which was full of mould, and my daughter suffers from asthma. “

Grace said the council has offered the women a rent deposit scheme and one-month deposit but says most the women can’t afford to pay a monthly rent.

A number of the women at the refuge struggle with language barriers, making it extremely difficult for them to get the support they need.

A BCP Council spokesperson said:

“We fully understand that this is a worrying time for some residents at Bournemouth Women's Refuge, and our priority at BCP Council remains to provide appropriate accommodation and support to people fleeing domestic abuse.

"The refuge provides temporary accommodation with support for women fleeing domestic abuse. However, the most recent Government guidance recommends that local authorities move away from traditional models of provision where facilities are shared to one of self-contained, safe accommodation with support provided.

“To help with this process, every family or individual has an allocated Housing Officer to work with them, alongside BCHA support staff, to move on to suitable alternative accommodation.

“Residents have access to assistance including rent deposits to move into private rented accommodation, support with social housing applications, and will be prioritised for alternative supported accommodation as needed.

“As of this week, we have some families that have already moved on, some that have secured private rented or social housing and have a move in date and some that are in the process of moving to alternative accommodation with support.

“The remaining families and individuals are actively being supported to find suitable long-term accommodation to move onto in a planned way ahead of the closure.”

A BCHA spokesperson added: "We are deeply committed to the well-being of our residents and are working tirelessly with BCP Council to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible. Our goal is to provide sustainable and supportive housing solutions for all affected individuals within the six-month timeline. 

All BCHA colleagues that are at risk of losing their roles are being given the option to reallocate to other vacancies across BCHA's services before any redundancy processes are followed"

The women’s names have been changed to protect their anonymity.