From Chris Ashton.
"At 2am this morning I was subject to a vindictive attack by the user @pen_jones who "outed" me on Twitter for stuff that I would normally keep anonymous, namely the financial support I give out of my personal finances towards alleviating domestic violence and abuse. Ms Jones then took the opportunity to impose upon this a false narrative. I have given her plenty of time in which to remove the comment, she has not, so I will respond.
Here goes
I have a company (shock, horror)that does all the stuff that you can find on my bio on twitter @apurrpurr , if anyone wants to know more feel free to contact me.
I worked in the domestic abuse sector in Wigan for 30+ years running refuges, helplines, MARACS and IDVA services, developing DV courses, drop in centres, educational back to work programs, supporting women through family courts,(yes we have been battling the family courts for this long) gaining protection orders and more I could go on but it would take me too long and I really can’t be arsed.
Those who know me and those who need me will know the work I do.
I opened 'End Abuse' last year, and yes my name is the only one on the documents, but you should have no doubt that other very passionate campaigners are involved. End Abuse is a service delivery organisation not a training group. The accounts are not yet due, but will be freely available to anyone who wants to see them via Companies House. The intention is to register with the Charity Commissioners, and had COVID-19 not reared its ugly head, it more than likely would have been completed by now, but our priority is the work we do with victims and their children.
At the moment because of the increased risk they need us more than ever and is more important than the completion of registration documents. The women we work with really don’t give a monkeys how we are registered so long as we can support them into safety.
I have, since it opened financially, supported the work done there using my own personal finances. This is not something that I would normally make public, I really don't need or covet the adulation or the glory.
Just the knowledge that I am doing what I can to protect victims and their children is enough for me. Always has been.
The reason I opened End Abuse was initially to fill the gaps in service provision, you know, not just sitting there and moaning about it, but actually finding solutions, campaigning for fairer treatment for victims and to develop services directly for children.
These are solutions that have actually worked so well that we are inundated with referrals from larger agencies who are funded to provide services and women needing the support and services they cannot find elsewhere. This is why End Abuse is fundraising for additional funds.
Being unfunded by statutory bodies means that we can challenge those purporting to work with victims whether that be Local authorities, social services, or the multitude of agencies who have recently become involved in the sector.
This does not make us popular, but hey, if you don't protect victims and are on occasion complicit in their abuse then we will call you out and intervene. Whomever or however powerful you think you are.
Just to clarify you do not need to be a charity to be a frontline service. Being a frontline service means being on the frontline doing battle for your cause which is exactly the work we do at End Abuse.
I will not apologise for personally funding this work or supporting our volunteers in carrying out the role. If this makes me a bad person then shoot me now because I ain't never going to stop till every woman and every child is safe.
Chris Ashton, "
