19 December 2012 Lighthouse visit sheds light on domestic abuse Today, (December 12) Tim Passmore met with Sally Winston and her team at Lighthouse Women’s Aid in Ipswich. Tim said, “Lighthouse provides a crucial support role to women experiencing domestic abuse. Over the past 14 years the organisation has provided refuge, accommodation and support to over 3,500 women and 5,000 children, which gives some idea of the extent of the challenge they face. “This is a serious issue for us in Suffolk and one that needs to be dealt with. “In this new role I need to see first hand the issues that are affecting the vulnerable in our communities, so I will be meeting with organisations such as Lighthouse to discuss the difficulties they, and the people they support, encounter on a day to day basis”. He added, “I was extremely impressed by the good work being carried out at Lighthouse. They provide emotional support to women and their children in Suffolk experiencing domestic abuse in their personal or family relationships”. Lighthouse also offers temporary accommodation in safe and supportive refuges where women and their children can recover from the traumatic effects of domestic violence and make informed choices.