Fleeing violence at Christmas

This Christmas, all any parent wants is to give their child a magical experience, but, for some, 25 December offers no respite from domestic abuse. This Christmas morning, a lucky few will wake up in a refuge. In September 2020, mothers Ruby*, 33, and Zoe*, 24, escaped to a refuge with their children in fear for their lives.

For Ruby, this will be the first Christmas where she isn’t terrified of her husband harming their three children, Zac*, seven, Daniel*, five, and Lila*, one. ‘There is nothing in this world I love more than