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Greenwich Safeguarding Adults Board Collaboration with Healthwatch

Raising Awareness of Abuse: Strengthening Community Safety in Woolwich

In April, Healthwatch Greenwich partnered with the Greenwich Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) to run an awareness session with the Muslim Women’s Group at a local community centre. The session aimed to open up conversations about abuse and safeguarding in a way that felt respectful, relevant, and culturally appropriate.

Recognising that different communities face different barriers to accessing safeguarding information or services, and that culturally specific dynamics will affect how abuse is understood, experienced, or reported, we worked closely with Muslim volunteers from our Healthwatch team to co-develop the content. Their insights into cultural and religious context helped us avoid assumptions, use language that resonated, and explore safeguarding concerns respectfully.

The session was delivered by one of our trained volunteers who shared the group’s cultural background. Her presence played a key role in building trust, helping women feel safe enough to ask questions and share their views. Feedback from the session made it clear that having someone who understood their values, practices, and lived experiences made a real difference to how the information was received.

Breaking the Silence, Building Confidence

For most, this was the first time they had been invited to learn about abuse and safeguarding in a structured and supportive way. In this safe space, a range of concerns surfaced. Women shared worries about what happens if abuse is reported. Questions like “Can I report abuse without giving my name?” and “Will social services take children away if I report something?” reflected both confusion and fear. These questions were shaped not only by a lack of information but also by previous negative experiences with services and mistrust in the consequences of asking for help.

There was also strong interest in recognising abuse in everyday situations, especially in close or trusted relationships. Women asked, “Is it abuse if it happens within marriage?” and “Who can I speak to if I’m unsure whether something is abuse?” While all the women found the session helpful, they also said they wanted more. More opportunities to ask questions, increase their understanding, and begin to build greater trust in the services there to support them.

 

 

A Shared Priority

This work is a high priority for the Greenwich Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB), which is committed to making sure that safeguarding information and support reaches every part of the community. SAB recognises that improving understanding of safeguarding, tackling misinformation, and breaking down barriers to support are essential to protecting vulnerable adults and strengthening safety across the borough.

At Healthwatch Greenwich, we see firsthand how people’s experiences, fears, and concerns shape whether they seek help or feel able to speak out. Our involvement in this work is grounded in our mission: to make sure that everyone in Greenwich can access safe, respectful, and inclusive care. Together with SAB, we’re helping make safeguarding not only available, but visible, trusted, and understood.

 

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Next Steps

We follow up on all concerns or issues raised.

We work with commissioners, providers, regulators, and service users to understand where services are working well and where there needs to be further development.

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