An Appeal to Crowdfuelled

Is this really just pop up cupcake bakery benevolence?

Crowdfuelled markets itself on its website as

“[being] all about creating sustainable social enterprises with a focus on providing a platform for different groups of people to find paid employment, training and development of skills and above all we want to help the individuals that work for our projects, build up their self-confidence, re-gain their trust for others again and be in a safe and positive working environment”

Crowdfuelled last week were the subject of much high profile media attention because they were at the head of the queue for the new iPhone 5 launch in order raise money for a their charity, a pop up venture, “The Hope Boutique Bakery”. The link below implies in its language that the business is trading. Crowdfuelled have been asked by various parties to respond to some questions and we are all waiting for a reply.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2203098/iPhone-5-Apple-fans-start-queuing-sale-Friday.html#ixzz27E66UlgU

However, in reality, baked goods and naivety don’t solve real life problems faced by survivors of domestic violence.

It is counterproductive, trivialises the seriousness of a web of issues that need to be addressed holistically in a safe, managed, yet compassionate manner to help the client move forward on a trajectory to success.

A discussion in the office arose around Crowdfuelled yesterday.  One of our volunteers’ reaction sums up exactly why the organisation needs to clarify their aims. G, our volunteer, read the news coverage and associated blog posts and was in tears.

 http://www.2ndcouncilhouse.co.uk/blog/2012/09/21/creepy-dudez-inc/ )

G, is a 40 year old black woman who killed her white partner of 12 years having suffered domestic abuse for seven of the twelve years. Her partner was also the father of her child.  She is currently serving an eight year sentence with an IPP, which means the system can hold her well after the halfway point of her sentence and even after her tarriff has been spent, until she is considered rehabilitated, for manslaughter. 

The judge presiding over her trial at the Old bailey wanted her to be tried for murder. However, due to CPS and police objections the charge was reduced. G was well known to the police as a victim of domestic violence, had made multiple visits to hospital A & E with wounds, cuts and broken bones. 

Now considered a danger to her child, G is allowed only monthly letters and no direct contact with the child, aged 10, who lives with the paternal grandparents, well into their 70’s. The child is not allowed contact with its half sibling; G's other child aged 21. These are the consequences of DV, broken families, shattered lives, no hope of healing.
G has no fixed date for her release, she is considered a huge risk to the public, although she has no other convictions and stabbed he partner as he tried to rape her, a third time over the course of an evening. She couldn't leave; she had nowhere to go with her young toddler.

G says:

"First and foremost why are they doing this? What personal connection have they got to the issue of domestic violence? To say to someone who has experienced any form of abuse that you think that going and baking cupcakes is another reminder the abusive male power all us victims of DV have felt:

"I can do this to you, I can make it better.  Or not." 

 It’s beyond offensive for them to profess to have any real idea of the sensitivity and delicate issue on which they have tried to make a platform for THEMSELVES, they should have done some research, they can't do this to real people. It diminishes the reality of the thousands of people who have experienced domestic violence or abuse of any kind.

How dare they?"

All we ask on behalf of all survivors of violence, trauma and abuse, the women we are and those we work with and the brave women like G who volunteer with our company, who have suffered,  Crowdfuelled, please read G's statement to you.