The BVNA, in collaboration with The Links Group and Hestia, is providing an online safe space for colleagues, employees, and employers who are experiencing domestic abuse and the colleagues and employers supporting them.
The Online Safe Spaces initiative was created and launched in 2020 by Hestia, a charity that supports adults and children in times of crisis. It provides a portal of information, resources, and discreet pathways to specialist support on company websites for people experiencing domestic abuse. Many businesses have adopted Online Safe Spaces, which has been accessed over 1.5 million times.
This unique widget, located at the bottom of the BVNA homepage, opens as an untraceable pop-up window, leaving no internet history and providing quick exit options for the person seeking help.
This safe online access to advice and help is critical.  Victims of domestic abuse may have their physical and online movements tracked by their abuser.  However, they may be ‘allowed’ to visit certain websites, for example, to pay bills or book appointments or those associated with their job. Â
BVNA, as the professional association for registered and student veterinary nurses in the UK (and more!), has added Hestia’s Online Safe Spaces widget to their website as part of their commitment to supporting members of the veterinary nursing profession. BVNA President Lyndsay Hughes says,
“BVNA strongly supports Safe Spaces as an accessible route for those experiencing domestic abuse to be able to safely access the help they need. It is important to recognise that both those identifying as male and female may be affected by domestic abuse. However, given that a high majority of the veterinary nursing profession is female, and that gender-based violence may affect 1-in-3 to 1-in-4 females over the age of 16, this will no doubt sadly be a relevant issue to our profession. We are pleased that the Safe Spaces widget available via the BVNA website can now be used as a discreet tool for any person affected by domestic abuse to seek support.”
The Links Group is delighted that BVNA has joined other veterinary associations in GB and NI to support their colleagues and the professions through this scheme. Adoption of Hestia’s initiative help ensure that trusted veterinary websites can effectively signpost to sources of support.
Thank you to BVNA for your long-standing support!
Find out more about Hestia’s UK SAYS NO MORE national campaign, focused on raising awareness of and preventing domestic abuse and sexual violence. No More Week runs from 2nd-8th March 2025 and you can download your No More Week Partner Toolkit here.
