WISH London: Shattering the Silence of DV Survivors

It was an evening that went far beyond raising awareness; it called for deep reflection, accountability, and meaningful action.

Shatter the Silence: How the Housing Sector Can Lead the Fight Against Violence

The session was led by psychotherapist, writer, and campaigner Farah Naz, whose advocacy is deeply personal. In 2022, her niece, Zara Aleena, was murdered in a violent, preventable attack. Zara’s story, and the silence that enabled it, formed the heart of this powerful and emotional event.

Farah began by challenging the audience to reflect on collective responsibility when women are harmed. This was not a presentation about statistics or data it was a deeply human narrative about what happens when systems, cultures, and individuals stop asking questions. She spoke about Zara as a young woman who believed in fairness and justice, someone who was driven by a desire to make a difference. Her ordinary day and her tragic fate served as a stark reminder of the consequences of systemic failings.

Zara’s killer had been known to multiple agencies, including probation, the police, and mental health services. His violent history was well documented yet fragmented across disconnected systems. Farah highlighted that the tragedy was not the result of a single mistake but of multiple failures; a collapse of curiosity, care, and joined-up working. She also explored the toll that systemic pressures take on professionals, many of whom are overworked, overstretched, and emotionally exhausted. These are people who often enter their fields with compassion and dedication but find themselves operating within bureaucratic systems that risk losing sight of the human beings they serve. Farah observed that when services stop engaging with people face to face, they risk overlooking trauma, which often hides behind behaviour such as irritability, withdrawal, or over-confidence.

The discussion then turned to the culture of silence that surrounds violence against women. Farah addressed the myths, biases, and victim-blaming attitudes that perpetuate harm, along with society’s tendency to focus on perpetrators rather than the women whose lives are lost. She described how silence embeds itself within everyday spaces; workplaces, homes, and even casual conversations and emphasised the importance of being an “upstander” rather than a bystander, choosing courage and accountability over comfort and complicity.

One of the most moving moments of the evening came when Farah reflected on the vigil held for Zara. Hundreds of people gathered to walk her home in a collective act of solidarity and remembrance. For Farah, this moment symbolised the essence of prevention; people showing up for one another, creating safety through community and connection.

She drew a clear link between Zara’s story and the experiences of women living with domestic abuse. The underlying patterns control, entitlement, and silence remain the same. For those working in housing, this message resonated deeply. Farah reminded the audience that housing professionals are often the first to notice when something is wrong: the late rent, the nervous tone, the closed door. These subtle signs, she explained, are often the first indicators of danger, and the curiosity and compassion of frontline staff can make a life-saving difference.

Drawing on her background as a therapist, Farah introduced the S.A.F.E.R. Framework - Safety, Awareness, Fairness, Empathy, and Reflection. This model helps professionals recognise trauma and respond with structure and compassion. It is not about therapy, she explained, but about humanity, about creating safe and respectful spaces for people to be seen and heard.

Throughout the event, Farah emphasised that real change cannot rely solely on policy or government intervention. Transformation begins with individuals, managers, officers, neighbours, and colleagues who choose to act rather than stay silent. Daily acts of care, consistency, and compassion, she said, are what build culture. True culture change is not achieved through slogans but through behaviours that reflect humanity, respect, and courage.

Farah also spoke about the qualities required for effective allyship: courage, clarity, and community. Courage to speak out even when it feels uncomfortable; clarity to recognise bias and systemic barriers; and community to sustain energy and hope. She described how small ripples of curiosity, empathy, and action can gather momentum and become waves that shift entire systems.

Her reflections concluded with the idea that justice is not something that can be passively achieved through systems and rules; it is something that requires active participation and shared accountability. If society wants to see a different reflection, it must collectively repair what is broken.

The event closed on a hopeful yet deeply reflective note, underlining that professionals in the housing sector are not bystanders in the fight against violence. They are allies, protectors, and often the first line of defence. Silence, Farah reminded the audience, is not neutral it is a choice. Housing, she observed, is frequently where early signs of danger appear and where prevention can begin. Every safeguarding conversation, tenancy visit, or welfare call represents an opportunity to make a difference. The sector, she concluded, holds far more than the keys to homes; it holds the potential for safety, dignity, and hope.

The evening was co-hosted by WISH London and WISH South East, with the support of board members Anneka Gill and Naureen Ullah, and was generously sponsored by JLL and Sureserve. It served as a powerful testament to the importance of collaboration, compassion, and collective action proving that even in the face of tragedy, voices united in purpose can spark lasting change.

Hony Premlal, WISH London Chair