East London safe space for women and girls opens

A safe space for women and girls has opened in east London, acting as a "one-stop shop" for help and support.

The Bloom Hub, for 13 - 25 year olds, is similar to a community centre, but is exclusively for women.

It is run by charity Advance, which works with survivors of domestic abuse and women and girls who are in contact with the criminal justice system, and is funded by London's Violence Reduction Unit and the Ministry of Justice.

Dali Kaur, director of services at Advance, believes the hub will help girls who - due to their culture - are not allowed in spaces with boys.

The hub offers everything from counselling to coffee. There are private rooms and places to do homework after school, as well as the opportunity to grab a snack and a new outfit from a donated rail.

Billie, 22, who is one of its visitors, was referred to Advance due to her struggles with anxiety.

She said: "My mum and my dad were in a relationship that involved domestic violence, I guess from when I was born, to when I was 16, when they finally split up. That was my life.

"I don't think you realise how much it affects you until you're older."

The hub was named and designed by the women and girls Advance already works with and is staffed entirely by women.

Ms Kaur said: "There has been a large number of cases where girls from different ethnic cultures will come and say that they're not allowed in spaces where boys are.

"What they can only attend is a place which is run by women for women.

"What individual young women and girls turn to the hub for will vary depending on how they're feeling and what is going on in their lives.

"It might be just somewhere to hang out and chat with peers, or it could be that it's somewhere they feel safe to disclose any form of abuse."

Lib Peck, director of London's Violence Reduction Unit, said: "Listening to young people is and has to be at the very heart of our approach to tackling violence against women and girls.

"The hub is a new dedicated space in east London that has been developed by young people through our mentoring programme with Advance.

"It provides girls and young women with a space where they feel safe, supported, and somewhere they can build friendships.

"It meets them where they want to be and crucially provides access to trusted mentors who we know can provide life-changing support when young people need it most."

Advance had more than 1,000 referrals into its young women and girls services between October 2024 and February 2025.

Of those, 33% of girls were victims of a sexual offence, 32% were victims of a violent crime and 20% were victims of stalking and harassment.

Jasmine, 20, was abused at home for years but said she felt immediately at ease at Bloom Hub.

"They make you forget what you're feeling," she said.

"You're probably upset and then you come here and you feel more happy with yourself. They understand you and they know what you're going through."

The centre is open five days a week and after someone has been referred once they can drop in anytime.

Future plans for the hub include onsite homework tutors and nearby childcare provision for young women who are parents struggling to access support due to the lack of childcare.

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