Our CEO, Natalie Collins, reflects on last week’s roundtable that we organised to consider how best to support women in the workplace who have or are being subjected to abuse by a partner. Victoria opening the roundtable. Look at that room! Light streamed through the roof as we gathered in beautiful London Scottish House on the last day in April. A building made before London square footage was too valuable to allow for any efficiency could be allowed. An expansive space,

Our CEO Natalie Collins reflects on attending the Be Bold Now conference in London last week. Natalie speaking at Be Bold Now I generally avoid women’s events. I know that’s an odd thing to say given that I’ve dedicated my life to making women’s lives better. However, women’s events have this tendency to reduce women to a particular notion of femininity; beauty products and Prosecco abound, and women’s roles as intimate partners and mothers may feature in ways that suggest

Speakers at our Survival, Not Disorder event This week Own My Life was delighted to host Survival, Not Disorder: Applying The Power Threat Meaning Framework To Women’s Survival Of Men’s Domestic Abuse. The Power Threat Meaning Framework is an incredible resource developed by the British Psychological Society as a response to the ways human distress is being severely pathologised across the UK (and the West more generally). The process was led by the Framework’s Lead Co-auth

Our lovely April training participants! Last week was our April Facilitator Training and what a marvellous week we had! Don't just take our word for it though, here's what our training participants said: "It is something every woman should do in their life!!" 🚺 "What a treasure! I know it will change so many lives." ❤️‍🔥 "I have never been this much awake on a zoom training. Brilliant." 💥 "I personally think this course should be mandatory for everyone in domestic abuse se

Our Safer City and Own My Life are proud to announce their new partnership, joining a growing network of organisations committed to ensuring that women and girls across the City of London are safe from violence and are supported, and empowered. This milestone builds on Own My Life’s impactful work with the Metropolitan Police, where female officers, staff, and volunteers have accessed Own My Life courses after being subjected to abuse by a partner. Through this collaboration,

Emma Chandler The first episode of the Economic Justice Monitor ’s new podcast, hosted by Nicola Sharps-Jeffs, delivers a powerful and deeply necessary conversation about the intersection of fraud and domestic abuse. Featuring Own My Life Queeeeen (she is our Business Development Consultant), Emma Chandler, alongside Sam Beckinsale, the episode (available HERE ) challenges the way systems currently understand, and often misunderstand, how abusers financially harm their part

We are delighted to see the new Before and Beyond report from Davina James-Hanman and Yasmin Rehman, which sought the expertise of campaign group Killed Women and others in the Violence Against Women and Girls Sector at roundtable events. The report considers how to make the biggest difference to women lives and brings together their combined eighty years’ experience of responding to men’s violence towards women and girls. After benefitting from strong government investing

Look at all our participants' joyous faces! Whew! It was another joyous Own My Life training week. And what glorious comments from participants! Very informative and life changing. 🤓 It was one of the best online training I've been on.🥇 It has revolutionised the way in which I am going to support women. Ripped up the rule book. ✊🏽 Single most important training I've done, not just as a practitioner but as a human being and citizen of the world. 🌍 We already have great fee

We are excited to introduce you to our * new * Development Lead for Northern Ireland, Victoria Gordon. We sat down with her to find out more about her passion and brilliance. Victoria's face! Tell us a bit about yourself… I’m Northern Ireland born and bred - and yes, the fair skin gives it away! I’m a total people person and love nothing more than a good belly laugh and genuine connection. I’m a mum to three amazing girls and married to my husband Ric. Family life is always a

Our CEO Natalie Collins reflects on being ill recently. I lost my voice this week. It started with a sore throat, a mild flu-like thing. I persevered through meetings. ‘I’m not over exerting myself, I’m just sat at a desk.’ Reader, I was over exerting myself. Apparently. My voice gave up. I’ve been almost totally silent since Thursday evening. It’s now Monday morning. For awhile I have been reflecting on how physical ill health can mimic the felt experience of tra

Part of Baroness Hyde's speech We were deeply honoured to hear Own My Life featured in the maiden speech of Baroness Sara Hyde in the House of Lords for International Women’s Day 2026. In her speech, Baroness Hyde celebrated the work of women making a difference; firstly Karolina Bober and Catherine Bridie’s pioneering work in the London Borough of Islington to make women safer and we were incredibly proud that she also chose to highlight the work of Own My Life. She spoke

Our CEO Natalie reflects on her visit to London this week. Today I met Larry the Cat in 10 Downing Street. Never in my life did I imagine that I would type those words! But here we are! The Northern contingent of the meeting! Courtesy of the brilliant Agenda Alliance , of which Own My Life is a member, I was part of a badass contingent of women from across England discussion with Jess Phillips and civil servants how to get more women into positions of power. I didn’t

We are delighted to be running an important free online event on 27 April 2026, 1pm - 3pm (BST): Survival, Not Disorder: Applying the Power Threat Meaning Framework to Women’s Survival of Men’s Domestic Abuse . This event brings together experts in trauma, men's violence, and psychology; including Professor Mary Boyle , co-author of the Power Threat Meaning Framework, Natalie Collins , founder of Own My Life, Jan Bostock , Power Threat Meaning Framework working group member,

What a marvellous training we finished last week! And what amazing feedback from the participants... 🏆 "The most amazing course out there!" 🏆 🚺 "Own My Life is a must have for every woman and girl." 🚺 💡 "The training has left me really inspired and curious to learn more." 💡 🤩 "The best training I have attended, up to date, informative and joyful." 🤩 ❤️‍🔥 "Incredible course. Uplifting but really honest and pragmatic. Full of joy." ❤️‍🔥 🧦 "Commit & clear your diary.

Our CEO Natalie reflects on the last week since Lover Liar Predator, the documentary she is in with Jenni, Shannon and Robyn, was released. What a week! Lover Liar Predator arrived on TVs across the land this week, and each day has been a whirlwind of comments, emails, direct messages and magnificent film reviews. “The best thing on TV.” The Express “Forget Adolescence...this film should be shown in every school.” “A powerful indictment.” The Herald “Enraging and ins

Tonight (Sunday 1st) at 9pm on BBC Scotland and iPlayer , and tomorrow (Monday 2nd) at 9pm on BBC Two , the documentary Lover, Liar, Predator will be broadcast to audiences across the UK. It’s a powerful and emotional film; one that sheds light on manipulation, coercive control and abuse, but also on hope, healing and the possibility of transformation. We know that many of you are watching alone, with friends, or as part of watch parties and group discussions, and we’ve been

On 1st February , a new BBC documentary will be released on iPlayer: LOVER LIAR PREDATOR This extraordinary film tells the story of four courageous women — all harmed by the same dangerous man — who refuse to stay silent. Together, they join forces to hold him to account, take him to trial, and ultimately bring him to justice. At the heart of this documentary are the women’s voices, their truth, and their strength. And we are incredibly proud to share that Own My Life

Training participants! It was a BEAUTIFUL facilitator training event last week (look at those SMILES!). Women joining us from all four UK nations; women's centre staff, IDVAs, police officers, addiction specialists, early help workers, a health visitor team, those supporting women who were sexually abused as children and domestic abuse outreach and refuge staff. WHEW! Each woman will take the Own My Life sisterhood back to their work and lives. What a magnificent movement to

As part of our girls course project, Hannah Gardner writes about becoming our freelance co-trainer! We shared the news about securing funding for that HERE . We introduced Hannah Shead, our new project manager for the course HERE . When I heard the news that Own My Life was rolling out a pilot for a girls’ course, I was over the moon. And I remember thinking, ‘God I wish this course existed when I was in school’. School is an insane time in life. It’s been 10 years since I le

We are incredibly grateful to Amazon for making a generous £12,000 donation to support Own My Life’s work resourcing police forces across the UK. This funding will help us better serve female officers and staff who have been subjected to abuse by a partner or ex-partner; an area where specialist, sensitive support is urgently needed. As we have previously shared HERE , women working within policing face unique and often complex barriers when seeking help due to their partner