Empowering Survivor Voices: A Conversation with Arlene from Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse

In this thought leadership piece, we reflect on an inspiring conversation with Arlene Mensah (Senior Lead for Survivor Voice, Health), a key figure at Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse (STADA). Arlene plays a vital role in amplifying the voices of survivors, offering a powerful perspective on the importance of giving survivors the space and autonomy to shape the services they receive and how these services can evolve. 

Q: Arlene, you didn’t initially set out to work in domestic abuse prevention. Can you tell us a bit about your journey? 

A: Arlene’s journey into the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) sector reflects her creative spirit and deep commitment to social justice. With a background in English, Art, and Product Design, she pursued Journalism and Media at university, drawn to storytelling and understanding people's lives. However, she quickly realised that traditional journalism didn’t align with her values. The idea of taking someone’s story and leaving them where they were felt wrong to her. 

During her studies, Arlene’s creativity flourished through projects like a hyperlocal journalism initiative, where she uncovered unique stories within a single postcode. This included profiling local residents and exploring topics like homelessness, which became the focus of her final project. Inspired by George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London, Arlene delved into the lives of those often overlooked, solidifying her desire to work in the charity sector. 

It was during my time at university that I started working on projects like creating a hyperlocal online paper and focusing on homelessness for my final project. While working with women living in a hostel, I became acutely aware of the complex intersections between homelessness, substance misuse, and abuse. Nearly all the women I encountered had faced some form of abuse—whether in childhood, from ex-partners, strangers, or random incidents. This experience profoundly shaped my understanding of these interconnected challenges and raised important questions about how best to support these women in rebuilding their lives. Arlene’s creative mindset and passion for people’s stories have shaped her approach, enabling her to connect deeply with others and champion innovative solutions to support survivors. 

Q: In your work with survivors, what has been one of the most impactful lessons you’ve learned? 


One of the biggest lessons for me came when I was working in homelessness, specifically with women in hostels. Many of them had experienced abuse, either in childhood or in relationships. It wasn’t until I personally supported a client through a traumatic experience—sitting with her through night tremors after she had been raped—that I truly began to understand the complexity of abuse. It wasn’t just about offering immediate help—it was about learning how to properly support someone emotionally and giving them the space to heal. 

The key takeaway here is that support is not just about fixing things; sometimes it’s about listening and making people feel heard. Survivors often don’t need solutions—they need to be acknowledged, validated, and given a sense of control over their journey. 

Arlene’s personal journey and faith deeply influence her day-to-day work with survivors, shaped by her desire to empower others and foster change. Her initial exposure to the complex realities of abuse came during her time in the homelessness sector, where she supported clients through profound trauma, including sitting with a client experiencing night tremors following an assault. Seeking to improve her ability to support others, she pursued further training and transitioned into the VAWG sector, driven by a commitment to compassion and care. 

In her work, Arlene recognises the lasting impact of abuse on individuals, including the experiences of family members, community members, and even strangers. She approaches her role with an ethos of “ethical journalism,” providing survivors with a platform to share their stories and drive change. Arlene also focuses on empowering young people to recognise and use their unique gifts and talents, encouraging them to contribute meaningfully to their communities. 

In addition to her work with survivors, Arlene is passionate about empowering young people—from all walks of life—to recognise and use their own gifts and talents. She encourages them to find their voice, develop confidence, and contribute positively to their communities. This focus on empowerment is also central to her work with survivors, where she creates spaces for them to rediscover their strength and potential.  

Q: You’ve spoken before about the power of survivor voices. Why do you believe they’re so important in shaping how we address domestic abuse? 

Empowering survivor voices is transformative. When survivors share their voices, it gives them agency over their own narrative. It changes the way services are delivered because survivors are actively shaping those services, ensuring they are relevant, compassionate, and effective. 

In the broader sector, we’ve seen the impact of incorporating lived experience in areas like the refugee sector and health services, and we’re starting to see the benefits in domestic abuse work as well. When survivors have the power to influence, it helps them see a future they may not have imagined before. They can become leaders in their own right, and that changes everything. 

Working with people where they are—whether they want to be heavily involved or prefer a lighter touch—is crucial. My belief in the “ladder of participation” is that every rung is valuable. Treating service users as experts in their own experiences has shown incredible results in areas like homelessness, and it’s beginning to do the same for domestic abuse. 

Q: How do you manage the emotional toll of this work, especially given its often traumatic nature? 

I’ve learned to set clear boundaries. While it may sound counterintuitive, I find that I’m able to ‘dip in and dip out’ of these difficult situations without carrying the weight of it all. I’m not a direct support worker, so I don’t take on the emotional load that those in frontline services might experience. However, I ensure I maintain balance through prayer, living out my Christian faith as a lifestyle, going for walks, and taking time for myself. 

A key aspect of this work is empowering others to use their voices, while also recognising when to step back and let them lead. 

Q: What change do you hope to see for survivors as a result of your work? 

My greatest hope is that survivors can break free from the cycle of brokenness and see a future for themselves. I want them to know that things can change—they are not stuck in a place of suffering. The adversity they have faced can become a springboard for something good. 

By treating them as whole people, we can help them rediscover themselves and work toward the goals they’ve always desired. Ultimately, I want survivors to believe in themselves again, to know that they have the strength to create change—not just for themselves, but for others too. That’s why survivor voices are so crucial: they offer a pathway not just to survive, but to thrive. 

Q: Looking at the future, what would you like to see change in how we respond to domestic abuse? 

We need to rethink support systems. It’s not just about fixing people—it’s about empowering them to reclaim their lives. 

In terms of children and young people, I believe we need to see them not only as victims of domestic abuse but also as experts in their own right. They may not have direct lived experience, but they can be powerful allies and advocates. 

The Domestic Abuse Act marked a huge step forward by recognising children as victims in their own right, but the real challenge lies in creating an integrated, trauma-informed response that sees the whole person, not just their circumstances. 

Arlene’s work with Survivor Voices is a reminder of the strength, resilience, and untapped potential within each individual who has lived through abuse. Her journey is one of compassion, empowerment, and the unyielding belief that change is possible—both for survivors and for the systems that support them. 

In listening to survivors and giving them the tools to shape the services they need, we move closer to a world where violence in all its forms is no longer tolerated, and healing is possible. 

Survivor voices are not just part of the conversation—they are the catalyst for change.