SCOTTISH Borders Safer Communities and the Violence against Women Partnership have launched their Phones for Safety 2013 Campaign.
They are calling on communities, services and staff to donate any surplus mobile phones for use by the Domestic Abuse Advocacy Support Service, Children 1st Domestic Abuse Services, Border Women’s Aid and the Scottish Borders Rape Crisis Centre.
The campaign aims to provide phones to vulnerable women who are in contact with specialist services and need access to safe phones. Often phones are required to be used as evidence in criminal proceedings, or are monitored by abusive partners, leaving women at risk and unable to get support. Access to a safe phone plays a crucial part in supporting women, providing, in some cases, a lifeline.
Phones can be any model, any age, using any network, with chargers wherever possible and SIM cards removed,.
To donate, hand in your old phone and charger to SBC headquarters, for the attention of administrator, DAAS Service, Safer Communities, email daas@scotborders.gsx.gov.uk and arrangements will be made to collect. The campaign runs until January 31.