Camilla Supports Domestic Abuse Victims in Her First Major Solo Engagement as Queen Consort
Since marrying into the royal family in 2005, Camilla has used her profile many times to speak out on behalf of and highlight the plight of the victims of domestic violence. And today, she gave a clear indication that this will remain a central part of her work despite her change in status to Queen Consort.
Camilla visited London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital today to highlight the work of independent domestic violence advisors (IDVAs) and other staff working to help the victims of domestic violence. During the visit, she had a touching encounter with a three-week-old baby, Jeremy, whose mother, Shana Begum, is a Pioneer of charity SafeLifes, which Camilla has been Patron of since 2020.
“I think that’s an incredible statement of intent, I really do, we don’t underestimate that,” Suzanne Jacob, CEO of SafeLives, said about the fact that the Queen Consort had chosen to highlight this issue on her first major solo visit since her husband became king. “So many pressures, so many choices, so many things that people will be asking her to engage in, but she’s made this a priority.”
She added about Camilla’s approach to the role, “For anybody who’s experienced domestic abuse, they can tell the difference between somebody who’s talking to them because it’s a thing they’re supposed to do and somebody who’s talking to them because they really, really want to hear and understand what their experience has been. And all the survivors have relayed back to us what their experience has been in meeting Her Majesty is that second element, which is really feeling like she understood, like she was hearing me. People who met her more than once said she remembered all the parts of my story and were very touched by the fact that she’s taken that to heart on an individual level as well as looking at it as this big national issue.”
One woman Camilla had met previously and spoke with again today was 38-year-old Shana Begum. She was pregnant with her fourth child when she met with the then Duchess of Cornwall at an event in Manchester in May. Today, she introduced Camilla to three-week-old baby Jeremy as the Queen Consort praised Shana for the work she does as a Pioneer for SafeLives. Shana was forced into two marriages, the first when she was 17, and her father tried to kill her. “I was born and raised in domestic abuse, it was normalised,” Shana said today. “I didn’t know it was domestic abuse, it wasn’t taught in schools…I just wanted to be free.”
After fleeing a second forced marriage, Shana says her life changed in 2018 when she was educated around domestic abuse and healthy relationships.
Shana said that the fact Camilla has used her profile to highlight the victims of domestic violence, makes her feel “as though you’re not alone.” “You do have people who are from the royal family, who back the cause as well. So just it gives you more confidence that what you’re doing is right. Some people will say it’s dangerous, why are you putting your head above the parapet trying to make changes in the systems, just be quiet, it’s a human issue, don’t tackle it…it’s good to see her again today.”
Whenever SafeLives has an event with Camilla they experience a ripple effect of interest and enquiries in the organisation, Suzanne Jacob said today. The Queen Consort has previously given passionate speeches on the subject. In a February 2020 speech, she said, "I visited SafeLives for the first time in 2016 and, as I have said on numerous occasions, that memorable day fired my interest in domestic abuse. I did know of people who had suffered from it, but I was both shocked, and horrified by just how many thousands of people across the world live with it. I had the privilege of hearing incredibly brave women (some of whom are here today) standing up to tell their stories. Harrowing stories that reduced many of us listeners to tears. But with each story that is told, the taboo around domestic abuse weakens and the silence that surrounds it is broken, so other sufferers can know that there is hope for them and they are not alone."
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