Wild Swans author recalls screams of girl next door beaten by father as she backs Brick by Brick campaign

Individual donors have generously given more than £36,000 to The Independent’s campaign just days after it launched

Worldwide best-selling author Jung Chang has backed The Independent’s Brick by Brick campaign after recalling horrifying memories of domestic abuse just a few doors away from where she lived.

Just days into the campaign to build a safe haven for victims escaping their abusers, £36,085 has poured in from generous readers and supporters, as well as famous faces.

Jung Chang, author of the iconic memoir Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China which traces the lives of three female generations in China but was banned in the country, has announced she is backing the campaign.

Be a brick, buy a brick and donate here or text BRICK to 70560 to donate £15

Describing her personal connection to domestic abuse, she said: “I once lived a few doors away from a family in which the father beat up his little girl frequently at night.

“Even in China in the middle of the violent Cultural Revolution, her screams stood out and affected me deeply. I remember wishing fervently for a refuge for her, and today I whole-heartedly support The Independent’s move to give girls and women like her a sanctuary.”

Wild Swans has sold 15 million copies worldwide since it was published in 1991 and Ms Chang recently revealed that more than three decades on, she is writing a sequel. Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and Ms Chang has won many awards, as well as receiving a CBE for services to literature and history.

Author Jung Chang has spoken out in support of The Independent’s Brick by Brick campaign (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

Actor Joely Richardson and Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha also announced yesterday that they are supporting the campaign.

“I’m beyond pleased that The Independent is trying to do its bit, brick by brick, by partnering with Refuge to help those who are so vulnerable,” said Ms Chadha.

“Safety and a safe house is a crucial place for survival. Terror and abuse are the horrific symptoms of men who are destroying women’s lives. It is a tragedy that in 2024, women are having to flee their homes often with their children to protect them, and themselves, from harm and often, death.”

Across the nation, thousands of women every year desperate to move to a safe refuge are turned away due to a chronic lack of spaces.

This is why The Independent has joined forces with leading domestic abuse charity Refuge to raise £300,000 to build a haven for women escaping their abusive partners.

A place where they can find safety and freedom to rebuild their lives - brick by brick.

In this year alone, the charity’s abuse helpline has been contacted 49,787 times, with 75 per cent of calls coming from survivors of domestic abuse. Every two minutes, someone turns to Refuge for support.

So what is the £300,000 for and what will your generous donations go towards?

The project is ground-breaking because this is the first time a house has been built from scratch directly to accommodate survivors of domestic abuse - with full support from Refuge, to get their lives back on track.

What will the house look like?

The spacious property will be semi-detached with an open-plan kitchen, dining room, living room and a private garden. It will have two double-sized bedrooms, a downstairs bathroom and abundant storage space.

Although the home will not have a garage, it will have a private driveway with off-road parking. It will look the same as all the surrounding homes to ensure victims do not feel isolated from the outside world.

Actor Joely Richardson has backed the campaign (Ian West/PA)

Every last detail has been carefully thought through, with the walls painted in a “psychologically informed colour palette”. Refuge has picked the fixtures and fittings, opting for calming, soothing colours for the kitchen and bathroom.

Transport links and amenities will be close by to enable the survivor and her children to rebuild their lives free from abuse as smoothly as possible. The home will have solar panels and will be 30 per cent more energy efficient than older properties.

A computer-generated image of the house The Independent and Refuge will build (Persimmon)

The house, which will be the first company Persimmon Homes has ever built for domestic abuse survivors, will also contain toys for children who may have been forced to flee suddenly and are without their usual possessions.

How will the house stay safe?

The house will be built with the latest stringent security measures including a fire-proof letter box, CCTV, and enhanced locking features on windows and doors.

It will be flagged to the local police to ensure officers can travel there rapidly in the rare instance a woman’s abuser discovers where she is living.

Refuge operates many safe houses across the UK for women and children escaping domestic abuse. The addresses of these are confidential.

The homes are much more than a roof over a woman or child’s head – they are where the charity’s specialist staff provide residents with the building blocks they need to begin a new life, free from fear.

A £15 donation from our readers can lay a brick to start building the house.

Refuge and The Independent are working closely with housing firm Persimmon to discuss plans for building the home with the money raised.

First floor plan of the house (Persimmon)

Who can go to a refuge and what can they help with?

Any woman experiencing domestic abuse who needs a place of safety for herself can go to a refuge, with or without children.

Refuge staff are on hand to support each resident with her individual needs. This might include providing legal advice, supporting women with safety planning, budgeting, finding a safe new home, discussing debt and welfare benefits, accessing health services, and finding nurseries and schools.

Dedicated, hard-working staff will also be able to help with local community and cultural services, as well as civil and criminal remedies, training, education and employment.

Importantly, refuge staff will provide women with emotional support. They will not judge or tell a woman what to do. Staff give women time and space to make their own decisions.

Ground floor plan of the house (Persimmon)

Women stay in refuges for as long as they need. Some women stay for a few days, but others stay for months while they wait for accommodation in a new community. 

Often women arrive at the refuges with very few possessions or nothing at all. Refuge provides women with basic supplies such as food, nappies and toiletries. Its staff help women secure welfare benefits so they can live independently.

Please donate now to the Brick by Brick campaign, launched by The Independent and charity Refuge, to help raise £300,000 to build a safe space for women where they can escape domestic abuse, rebuild their lives and make new futures.