It’s with great delight that we welcome and add Veterinary Woman to the ever-growing list of veterinary bodies adding the Safe Spaces portal to their website, in collaboration with The Links Group and Hestia.
Veterinary Woman offers a community where members can share their experiences or seek advice or inspiration. Created by women for women, and inclusive of those of all genders who share the ethos, Veterinary Woman’s slogan – aspire, inspire, grow – is embodied in their message of helping veterinary women to develop the confidence to overcome challenges and follow their passions in all aspects of veterinary life and influence.
The Safe Spaces portal provides an online safe space for any member of the veterinary community who may be experiencing domestic abuse, or are searching for resources to support those who might be.
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 left of the Veterinary Woman 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 work.
Having Hestia’s Online Safe Spaces scheme available on the Veterinary Woman website will offer another route for the veterinary community to access reliable support across the UK. This will include pet fostering schemes for those fleeing domestic abuse.
Jenny Langridge, editor of Veterinary Woman, said: “As a resource dedicated to empowering women, we strongly support The Links Group and Hestia with their Online Safe Spaces scheme to provide a safe way to access support for anyone experiencing domestic abuse. 1 in 4 women experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, so it is an issue that all of us in the veterinary professions should be aware of and working together to address.”
The Links Group is delighted that Veterinary Woman has joined other veterinary professional associations in the UK to support our colleagues and our professions through this scheme. Adoption of Hestia’s initiative will help ensure that trusted veterinary community websites can effectively signpost to reliable resources under difficult circumstances.
Enjoy reading positive news? To mark International Women’s Day on Saturday 8th March 2025, Veterinary Woman have brought together the second collection of ‘Champions for Change’ profiles into a free, downloadable eBook featuring exclusive stories of inspirational people who are making a difference and creating positive change for women in the veterinary sector.
There are more profiles available on their Inspired Vet section too.
Some great reading to ease your way into the new week. Thank you for all your support, Veterinary Woman!
If your organisation, clinic or business would like to find out more about being part of the Online Safe Spaces scheme, please contact info@thelinksgroup.org.uk.
