Eaves Housing for Women (Eaves) was a

charitable The practice of charity is the voluntary giving of help to those in need, as a humanitarian act, unmotivated by self-interest. There are a number of philosophies about charity, often associated with religion. Etymology The word ''charity'' or ...

company based in London. It provided support to vulnerable women, including female victims of

domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...

sex trafficking Sex trafficking is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. It has been called a form of modern slavery because of the way victims are forced into sexual acts non-consensually, in a form of sexual slavery. Perpetrators of the ...

, or domestic servitude, and campaigned against

prostitution Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...

. The organisation also conducted

research Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...

and

lobbying In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agency, regulatory agencie ...

. Eaves was the

umbrella organisation An umbrella organization is an association of (often related, industry-specific) institutions who work together formally to coordinate activities and/or pool resources. In business, political, and other environments, it provides resources and ofte ...

for a number of projects, including: "The Poppy Project", "The Scarlet Centre", "The Serafina Project", and "The Lilith Project". The charity closed in October 2015.

History

Eaves was founded in 1977 as "Homeless Action and Accommodation".

Objectives

Eaves had three main objectives: to provide accommodation, support, and advice to women and children fleeing domestic violence, prostitution, domestic servitude, and sexual violence. Secondly, the charity lobbied and responded to relevant government papers. Finally, it conducted research into prostitution, trafficking, and domestic violence. In the longer term, the aim of the organisation "is to be recognised as one of the leading agencies on violence against women issues in the country".

The Poppy Project

In 2003, Eaves received government funding for a service to assist women trafficked for sex and domestic servitude; it was called the POPPY Project and based in London. It was the only UK Government-funded dedicated service for trafficked women. The POPPY Project provided accommodation and support services such as legal advice for the women it housed, and also outreach services for others. In its first six years, it housed 215 women and helped a further 208. The project was committed to ending all

on the grounds that it "helps to construct and maintain

gender inequality Gender inequality is the social phenomenon in which men and women are not treated equally. The treatment may arise from distinctions regarding biology, psychology, or cultural norms prevalent in the society. Some of these distinctions are empi ...

". In April 2011, it was announced that Eaves had lost its central government funding for the POPPY project, with the contract for helping victims of trafficking going to the

Salvation Army Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...

instead. The reason given by government for the change of service provider was that the Salvation Army was able to offer "victims a more diverse range of services". Former Labour Party MP

Vera Baird Dame Vera Baird, (''née'' Thomas; born 13 February 1950) is a British barrister and politician who has held roles as a government minister, police and crime commissioner, and Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales. A Labour Party Mem ...

criticised the decision suggesting women would not seek help from "uniformed male Christians".

Lilith Research and Development

Eaves' subsidiary "The Lilith Project" campaigned to stop violence against women, studying issues such a lap dancing. A 2003 study of lap dancing and

striptease A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner. The person who performs a striptease is commonly known as a "stripper" or an "ex ...

in the

London Borough of Camden The London Borough of Camden () is a London borough in Inner London. Camden Town Hall, on Euston Road, lies north of Charing Cross. The borough was established on 1 April 1965 from the area of the former boroughs of Hampstead, Holborn, and St ...

by the organisation linked the opening of new lap dancing venues with an increase in reported

rapes Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, Abusive power and control, ...

, and stated that reported rapes near to lap dancing venues were three times the national average. The study and its conclusions were widely quoted by opponents of lap dancing venues. Other researchers, including Dr Brooke Magnanti, asserted that the Lilith study was "flawed", and Magnati published a study that concluded that there is no "causal relationship" between such venues and an increase in sex attacks.

Funding

Eaves Housing for Women received funding from a variety of sources, including the Home Office, London Councils, and a number of local authorities In 2010, it had an income of over £5 million.

References

External links

Eaves
*{{EW charity, 275048 1977 establishments in England 2015 disestablishments in England Anti-prostitution feminism Charities based in London Feminist organisations in England Organizations established in 1977 Organizations disestablished in 2015 Women's organisations based in England Women's organisations based in Wales