CarmDAS specialises in providing support to women and children experiencing Domestic Abuse across Carmarthen. We believe the roots of domestic abuse lie in a culture of gender inequality.  We are a charity run by women for women.

History

CarmDAS has delivered a range of services to those subjected to Domestic Abuse since 1978.  We grew out of the feminist movement, when the first refuges ran by women activists were the only safe place for women and children escaping violence in their own homes.

CarmDAS believes that Domestic Abuse touches all of our lives  and is rooted in gender inequality.  We exist to support people to be free of abuse and choose their own journey.  We currently provide a range of refuge and community services to support you to be free of abuse.

We believe that domestic abuse is a social issue that is caused by gender inequality, a sense of entitlement, ownership and control.  Women and girls are disproportionately affected by violence and inequality in our society.

Our approach to providing support is grounded in the belief that our clients are their own experts.  Our services are led by the clients, it is trauma informed and focused on strengths and solutions.  We treat people with dignity and respect,  and support the whole person in a non judgemental way.

Our Vision

We believe that everyone has a right to live free from abuse

Our Mission

We know that domestic abuse touches all our lives and is rooted in gender inequality.   CarmDas exists to help people become free to choose their own journey.

"I am not what happened to me.  I am what I choose to become." - Carl Jung

Our Beliefs and Values

• We believe domestic abuse is unacceptable
• We believe that domestic abuse is a gender based issue and is a cause and consequence of gender inequality
• We believe men experience domestic abuse
• We believe children experience domestic abuse, they are not passive witnesses
• We listen to our clients
• We believe them
• We don't judge
• We believe every individual is their own expert and are entitled to respectful and confidential support
• We believe in a solutions focused, trauma informed approach
• We value all our people - our volunteers, team and clients
  

  Our Ambition

We want the individuals we support to:

Feel Safer

Be Confident

Have improved skills

Be better connected in their communities

Trust in their own decisions

Embrace their resilience

Our Strategic Aims

To achieve our ambitions we will:-

Develop our services to meet the needs of the people we support

Invest in our team to ensure they have the most up to date knowledge and are equipped to support our clients

Involve our stakeholders and work in partnership to develop opportunities that make a difference

Manage our organisation to ensure we protect the charity and ensure it is fit for purpose

Raise our profile, fundraise, develop new income streams

Our Services

We are continually developing our services based on what our clients tell us.  We currently provide

• "The Stepping Stone" Accommodation - providing 24 hour a day, 365 days a year access to emergency, safe accommodation 
• Support to women living in their own homes 
• Support for children and young people to make sense of what is happening around them

Our Promise to our clients

• To treat you fairly, with respect and not to judge you
• To be open and honest with you
• We won't tell you what to do with your life
• Through talking and looking at the possibilities we'll help you find out what the choices are and support you to make your own decisions about:
  • The Short term - practical things that need to be done now
  • The future - what you want to do in the long term
  • Stumbling blocks that can feel scary and complicated
• We'll make sure that together we find a way through and that we have all the information so that you feel OK and in control of what happens next
• If we don't have the information you need - together we'll find someone who does
• We will work together to make things happen
• We will respect your decisions and support you in choices you make
• What you tell us will remain confidential. The only time we might break this is if someone is as significant risk of harm.  We have a Confidentiality Policy which you can look at for more detail.
• We will allocate you one person who will be your main point of contact