The Duchess of Cornwall, recently, opened Clarence House to victims of domestic violence for the 15th anniversary of SafeLives. As host of the event, Camilla spoke about a personal connection to this very important issue by revealing that some people close to her are also victims.
Camilla said that domestic violence "affects everybody," regardless of who they are or their status in life. She said that there are organizations like SafeLives where victims can turn to for help, regardless of where they come from.
The Duchess of Cornwall said that someone close to her, whose daughter was in a bad relationship, once confided about domestic abuse, which happened in a foreign country. She immediately got her friend in touch with people who can actually help via SafeLives.
The wife of Prince Charles also said that she knows of some people who are afraid to speak up or who may feel guilty and ashamed about admitting their harrowing experience. The duchess said that they must be convinced to believe that being a victim of domestic abuse is not their fault, and that's what SafeLives is also doing.
Camilla said that she took interest in this issue after hearing accounts of brave women, whose stories reduced her to tears. She said she is "both shocked and horrified" to learn that there are thousands of people, including children, who live with domestic abuse.
The Duchess of Cornwall has been involved in charities helping domestic abuse victims for over a decade. However, she first learned of SafeLives in 2016 following a visit to a charity. Since then, she has supported the organization.
At the SafeLives 15th anniversary event, Camilla was reunited with Rachel Williams, whose story she heard in 2016. Williams said that she truly appreciates the Duchess of Cornwall for supporting the cause. She also shared that Camilla had no judgement during their first meeting and she was clearly interested in hearing the stories of the victims from the get-go.
The Duchess of Cornwall and Williams remain in touch over the years. They have written each other letters and they have also appeared together at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
SafeLives was founded by Baroness Diana Barran MBE in 2005. In 2019, the organization helped and protected over 65,000 adults and 85,000 children from serious harm or murder. The organization has over 11,000 professionals and trained staff working round the clock, while SafeLives is also in touch with 27,000 policemen and staff across the U.K.
