Rachel Williams

Rachel is a leading advocate in the campaign against domestic violence. She is a survivor of 18 years of severe domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour which ended in 2011 when her abuser shot her with a sawn off shot gun before hanging himself. 6 weeks later her 16 year old son Jack hung himself due to the trauma of the years of abuse and subsequent shooting of his mother. She survived by the skin of her teeth and now campaigns tirelessly to help other victims and survivors.

She was at the forefront of pushing the domestic abuse bill through Parliament, and also played a key role in getting Non-Fatal Strangulation added as a standalone charge.

On 13th September 2019, she hosted the first ever survivor-led domestic abuse conference in South Wales: Stand Up to Domestic Abuse (SUTDA), which brought together many survivors and professionals. Over 300 delegates attended the event which was opened by Wales First Minister.

Rachel is brave, kind, and passionate, and has dedicated her life to helping women all over the country and during the pandemic reaching further afield, South Africa, Australia, Italy, Russia and New York.

She brings heart, honesty, bravery and absolute expertise to her work, which includes delivering ‘Lunch & Learn’ to professionals who want to gain a deeper understanding and knowledge of domestic abuse and coercion. Only recently Rachel spoke to the entire Lancashire & Blackpool police force and the feedback is evident to the impact she brings to those who attended.

From sitting on domestic abuse project boards, to speaking to the national media, Rachel shows authenticity in every action, every word she speaks. She changes the domestic abuse sector by bringing all of these voices together, changing the lives of the women she has the pleasure of meeting, speaking with and advocating for.