Who we are

AVA is a second tier organisation; our service users are other agencies that develop policies around, and/or provide services to women, children and men who experience or perpetrate different forms of violence against women and girls.

As well as undertaking work for individual agencies, which might include training, carrying out evaluations or helping to draw up a local strategy, we also work in local areas to develop improved partnership work.

We currently employ 5 full time staff as well as 12 associate trainers and consultants. We are based in London but do work all over the U.K.

Underlying our approach are the following beliefs/principles:

• Violence against women and girls is not inevitable and can be prevented

• Gender inequality is both a cause and consequence of violence against women and girls

• Violence against women and girls is a gross violation of human rights and everyone is entitled to live free from violence and abuse
• Violence directed at someone because of gender is often mediated by the victim's experience of sexuality, disability, ethnicity, religion, gender identity and age
• Challenging attitudes amongst individuals, agencies and wider society is key to ending gender-based violence
• Coordinated, consistent and holistic interventions are the most likely to be effectivePrevention work should be given as much attention as service provision
• Survivors are the best judge of what services are needed and can offer useful insights on how these should be delivered
• Policy and practice should be inclusive of all women and children; respecting diversity and complexity of needs
• People, including abusers, have the capacity to change.