Victory for survivors of domestic violence in Bristol

“We did it! We bloody did it!”

That’s the response of 38 Degrees member Mehala when she found out she’d won her campaign for survivors of domestic abuse in Bristol to be given top priority to be rehoused. The victory means people fleeing violent relationships will have a safe place to live much faster.

Mehala, a survivor of domestic abuse and all round amazing woman, has been tirelessly campaigning for months to secure this win for the people of Bristol. She’s built relationships with politicians, met with fellow campaigners, grown a huge petition on the 38 Degrees Campaigns By You website and splashed her story all over the papers.

Her breakthrough came when she persuaded a Bristol councillor to put forward a motion that put survivors of domestic violence into the highest priority group for social housing.

That’s when 38 Degrees members stepped it up a gear. Yesterday, before the motion was debated, hundreds of us in Bristol wrote to our councillors, urging them to vote it through. And it worked – the motion was passed unanimously.

So let’s notch up another win for people power – and end with a message from Mehala:
“Thank you all so so much for your support. Can’t quite believe it, hasn’t sunk in yet.”