'Pure brilliance': Duchess of Cornwall praises innovative scheme helping victims of domestic abuse
Domestic abuse victims are able to go into their local pharmacy and use the codeword "Ani" to seek help.
Friday 12 February 2021 07:00, UK
The Duchess of Cornwall has praised the "brilliance" of an innovative new scheme providing help for victims of domestic abuse.
During a video call with representatives of SafeLives, of which she is patron, Camilla was given an update on the Ask for Ani (Action Needed Immediately) scheme.
The project was first launched in mid-January and operates in more than 2,000 pharmacies, which offer a private space for people when they mention the codeword "Ani".
A trained member of staff will provide a phone and ask if a person needs help from the police or other domestic abuse support services.
Talking about the project to SafeLives pioneer Rachel Williams and chief executive Suzanne Jacob, Camilla said: "It's pure brilliance because it's so simple, yet it's so effective."
She added: "My heart is well and truly in it so I'd really like to do anything to help all these wonderful people."
Explaining how the idea came about, Ms Jacob said: "One of the things that Rachel and the other SafeLives pioneers were talking about right at the start of the first lockdown is, 'How do we open up new spaces for people to access support?'
"And from there came the Ask for Ani scheme, which is now in over 2,500 Boots stores and over 200 independent pharmacies.
"All of those places opening up their doors, training their teams to be able to just have an initial conversation with somebody."
It was set up after growing concerns about the increase in cases of domestic abuse being reported during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since it was launched, nearly one person a day is accessing the service and one of the people to ask for Ani had been in an abusive situation for 20 years.
Rachel Williams suffered domestic abuse from her husband for 18 years before he shot her after she filed for divorce.
She now works to help others and has written a book about her experiences.
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Talking to Rachel, Camilla said: "You have been such a wonderful spokesman, because, you know, you've suffered this terrible abuse and yet you're prepared to get up and talk about it - and I think that is what is needed."
She added: "I think you ought to have an army of Rachels."
Labour MP Yvette Cooper, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, warned last week that a "deeply troubling" rise in reports of domestic abuse has continued throughout the pandemic and "shows no sign of abating".
Calls and contacts logged by the National Domestic Abuse Helpline increased by 34% to 114,986 between April and December, compared with 85,771 for the same period in 2019, figures provided to her committee suggested.