While the first step is escaping the abuser, a holistic approach to helping women rebuild their lives can prove deeply effective. “Lots of organisations provide the practical things but the funding isn’t there for wellbeing support,” says Jones, adding that she joined the Sisters Uncut march on Sunday to raise awareness of the difficulties charities face. “Many women enter refuges with limited confidence, so our sessions are centred around building self-esteem and making them feel empowered. There’s something raw and powerful about the early part of their journeys when they’re coming out the other side of abuse.”Involving the public through the exhibitions has a strong positive impact on the women that Little Paper Slipper helps. “Domestic abuse is the act of silencing another person’s voice, so survivors really get something out of others engaging with what they have to say,” Jones says. The first exhibition was held in 2014, with a second, featuring 112 slippers, taking place in September. Now, the charity is looking for a place to display a permanent collection ahead of their third chapter launch on International Women’s Day next March and, depending on funding, hopes to expand from 2018 onwards so that more women can access the workshops.Other survivors have been exploring their rediscovered identities through art with Solace Women’s Aid , an independent pan-London charity providing lifesaving support to over 11,000 women and children who have escaped domestic and sexual violence every year. Facilitator Anat Toffell recently ran the Blue Skies photography project in partnership with arts charity Spare Tyre. Survivors were encouraged to experiment with painting and drawing before being sent off with cameras to explore the themes of hope, transformation and aspiration. “The impact of abuse is a real attack on a woman’s sense of self, so part of their recovery involves trying to work their way back to remembering who they were,” says Toffell. “Through art they’re able to explore their feelings and rediscover what they’re interested in without an abuser dictating their lives.”