We are an independent charity providing

• specialist Outreach Services

• Independent Domestic Violence Advisor support

• counselling

• client programmes eg Own My Life, Recovery Toolkit

• associated services to survivors of domestic abuse and their children in Reigate & Banstead, Mole Valley and Tandridge

ESDAS was created in partnership with survivors and the local community in response to the injustice many adult and child survivors experienced in having to flee their homes to escape abuse and losing their support networks.

Many of our staff, volunteers and trustee team are experts by experience and are driven by the belief that abuse is not and should not be accepted as inevitable.

Domestic abuse is a crime and unacceptable to every single person who experiences it. We believe that our community should be a place where all people are free to live the lives they choose without fear of abuse or threat of harm. Too many people in East Surrey are trapped in controlling relationships with their partners, children or other family members.  
 
We are here to help all survivors regardless of sex or gender to get the support they need. We can make adaptions to our service to ensure that you are able to get what you need from us, this might include interpreters, hearing loops, an accessible and safe community venue.  

The majority of our work is delivered from a woman only single sex space, but be assured that this won’t be a barrier to you getting the help you need, if that doesn’t feel like it would work for you.    

We recognise that seeking support from domestic abuse relies on access to societal power and can be limited by identity and protected characteristics.  

Domestic abuse thrives on gendered norms and social pressures, women’s experiences of domestic abuse is both a cause and consequence of their wider experiences of gender inequality. The expectation on men from traditional or conservative forms of masculinity can make it hard to reach out to services for help. While trans and non-binary people are living in an increasingly hostile environment. Survivors tell us that they are worried people won’t believe their experiences or understand who they were before the abuse started. We will always respect you and treat you with the dignity and care you need.    

ESDAS takes a strengths-based, needs-led, trauma-informed approach for supporting survivors to build resilience and foster independence.

Founded in 1993, ESDAS has a proven track record of delivering high quality life-saving services to survivors and our work has achieved both local and national recognition including:

• 2022 Women’s Aid Federation England National Quality Standards Stage 1 accreditation

• 2019 Winners of the Glaxo Smith-Kline IMPACT Award

• 2014 Appointed Lead Provider of a partnership of specialist domestic abuse charities across Surrey

• 2005 Awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service in the Community, the highest award granted to voluntary organisations