Funding has been awarded to a pilot programme in Northamptonshire to help victims of physical and sexual violence, and perpetrators of domestic abuse, towards recovery.
The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has given a £10,000 grant to the Creating Change project, run by Michelle Christie of ALTR IMPACT CIC, as part of Danielle Stone’s mission to reduce violence against women and girls in this county.
The project aims to ease post-traumatic stress and rebuild a sense of safety for victims with lived-experienced of violence while focusing on addressing behavioural patterns with perpetrators to reduce reoffending.
The sessions will start on a one-to-one basis with each of the 24 participants, followed by a six-week course of structured group classes for each cohort, including trauma-informed yoga.
The classes are free to access when a client is referred via either family court or a domestic abuse service.
Participants will be left with digital resources and practical tools they can continue to use independently.
Danielle Stone said: “Tackling violence against women and girls is one of my top priorities.
“I’m proud to be supporting the Creating Change project that’s breaking cycles of aggression among perpetrators who have caused undue harm while supporting safe spaces for victims where healing can begin.
“I want to support projects that identify the sticking points in our system, and I am committed to promoting prevention, supporting survivors, and holding perpetrators accountable.”
The programme, which starts in March, will be delivered by Michelle, a family law barrister and yoga teacher.
Michelle (pictured with Danielle) said: “My experience as a barrister highlighted a clear service gap. Victims of serious crime, and those who have caused harm, often receive little or no specialist aftercare to support healing or to break entrenched patterns of behaviour.
“Emotional regulation is a skill like any other, yet many people have never been taught how to develop it. After trauma, many victims feel disconnected from their own bodies. This programme helps people rebuild safety from the inside out.
“Through yoga, breathwork, nervous system regulation techniques, grounding practices and guided relaxation, participants learn practical, embodied tools they can use for life.
“Together, these approaches support survivors to heal and perpetrators to change, creating the conditions for long-term safety, accountability and freedom from the past.”
