THROUGH HER EYES: BRIA’S STORY

Through her eyes tells the story of a woman supported by Advance through the Diversion scheme. Bria had experienced abuse from her partner, including financial control, restricting what she could purchase leading her to steal resulting in a police caution. This led to an upturn in her drinking, and later a conditional caution from the police for drunk and disorderly. To meet her conditional caution, she would have to attend two appointments and the Advance Women's centre through Advance's Diversion service. She was allocated a keyworker who supported her into counselling, and referred her into a service to help stop her drinking.

Bria's Keyworker helped her at every stage; listened, supported and encouraged her to attend a group session around employment. Two years on she is now in employment, in safe accommodation and has not reoffended since.

London’s Women Diversion Service was launched in September 2019 led by Advance and in partnership with Women in Prison, Hibiscus Initiatives and Pecan, across four London boroughs. The Service aims to work with women who have committed lower-level offences in London at point of arrest and is funded by MOPAC, delivering on London’s Blueprint for Women in the Criminal Justice System. The London Diversion Service was based on a successful delivery of the 2015/16 Diversion pilot developed by Advance and delivered within Westminster and the Diversion pilot developed by Women in Prison in 2017 delivered within Lambeth.