We are delighted that the National Association of Veterinary Physiotherapists, in collaboration with The Links Group and Hestia, is providing an online safe space for colleagues, members and clients who may be experiencing domestic abuse, or are searching for resources to support 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 NAVP 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.
NAVP is celebrating 40 years of promoting the professional practice of veterinary physiotherapy. Working together with veterinary surgeons, members deliver veterinary physiotherapy care to animals, often in their own home. This means that veterinary physiotherapists may be ideally placed to recognise signs of non-accidental injuries in animals, which might also raise concerns about domestic or child abuse in the household. The often-longer term nature of care, and the relationship built up between the veterinary physiotherapist and the carer or the pet, may mean that people talk to these professionals about abuse. Veterinary physiotherapists may be self-employed lone workers with limited access to guidance and support.
Having Hestia’s Online Safe Spaces scheme available on the NAVP website will offer a route for members to use, or to enable them to signpost clients to use, to access reliable support across the UK.  This will include pet fostering schemes for those fleeing domestic abuse.  The Links Group is working to develop further free training materials for NAVP members, and we are delighted to been asked to be part of the programme at NAVP Congress on 26th September 2025 at Hinckley Island – keep a check on their events pages here for more information. Â
NAVP Chair, Pippa Winkworth, says ‘The National Association (NAVP) is proud to support this multi-disciplinary project and recognises the importance of human and veterinary professionals, working together. Many of our Veterinary Physiotherapy members have suspected or witnessed non-accidental injury in animals and understand the high risk associated with all members of the household. We are passionate about sharing information and knowledge with our members and the public to help those who need it’.
The Links Group is delighted that NAVP has joined other veterinary and animal care professional associations in GB and NI to support their colleagues and all our professions through this scheme. Adoption of Hestia’s initiative help ensure that trusted veterinary and animal care websites can effectively signpost to reliable resources under difficult circumstances.
Thank you to NAVP for your support in raising awareness and helping us all to play our part in protecting animals and protecting people.
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.
