Welcome to Lotus Families: one-to-one & group support for women affected by domestic abuse
Lotus Families is a small, women-centred charity based in East Sussex, dedicated to the prevention of abuse and violence against women and girls (VAWG), and supporting survivors on their journey to long-term recovery. For 30 years, we have specialised in working with women and their children, delivering trauma-informed services through a team that includes practitioners with lived experience of domestic abuse.
We provide holistic, specialist support through both one-to-one and group based recovery programmes. Our approach focuses on early intervention, prevention and empowering women to rebuild their lives, strengthen resilience and create safer, healthier futures for themselves and their families.
Our mission is to break cycles of abuse and foster a society free from violence. We achieve this by offering trauma-informed prevention, recovery, advocacy, and education for women, children, and families.
We envision a world where women, children, and families can create resilient, abuse-free futures, living safely, with dignity, self-determination, and hope.
Our Services
We run various group and one-to-one services, online and in person. We're here to help you find the best way forward for you. Our services are designed with your well-being in mind.
We can also connect you with other services. Our team includes friendly dedicated specialists and trained peer supporters who are here to support you every step of the way.
Donate
We were delighted to meet Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne OBE and present her with a copy of our newly published 30 Years of Impact, marking three decades of Lotus Families’ work and more than 3,500 families supported since 1996.
Our CEO, Kate Lawrence, said: Read more“Supporting women means supporting whole families. Thirty years on from our founding, we know recovery works, and our report shows it in our families’ own words and outcomes. What we need now is investment to match the demand, because no one who finds the courage to seek help should have to wait for it.”
Katy Bourne, who wrote the report’s foreword, said: “Lotus Families’ work in the space between crisis and long-term recovery is vital. Thirty years of quiet, expert support has changed thousands of lives across Sussex.”
We are grateful to the Office of the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner for its continued support of our Recovery and Child and Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse programmes across East Sussex and Brighton & Hove.
We were delighted to meet Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne OBE and present her with a copy of our newly published 30 Years of Impact, marking three decades of Lotus Families’ work and more than 3,500 families supported since 1996.
Our CEO, Kate Lawrence, said: Read more“Supporting women means supporting whole families. Thirty years on from our founding, we know recovery works, and our report shows it in our families’ own words and outcomes. What we need now is investment to match the demand, because no one who finds the courage to seek help should have to wait for it.”
Katy Bourne, who wrote the report’s foreword, said: “Lotus Families’ work in the space between crisis and long-term recovery is vital. Thirty years of quiet, expert support has changed thousands of lives across Sussex.”
We are grateful to the Office of the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner for its continued support of our Recovery and Child and Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse programmes across East Sussex and Brighton & Hove.
On Friday 14th August, millions of phones all over the UK blared into life with an unannounced emergency alert.
For victim-survivors with hidden phones, this could have been a dangerous moment, causing abusers to find out about phones that were supposed to stay secret.
How can youRead more turn emergency alerts off?
To opt out on both iPhone and Android phones, search in your settings for 'emergency alerts'. Turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'. On some Android phones, you may instead have to turn off 'extreme threats', 'severe threats' and 'show amber alerts'.
Some phones may change these settings back after a software update, so try to check regularly if you can.
On Friday 14th August, millions of phones all over the UK blared into life with an unannounced emergency alert.
For victim-survivors with hidden phones, this could have been a dangerous moment, causing abusers to find out about phones that were supposed to stay secret.
How can youRead more turn emergency alerts off?
To opt out on both iPhone and Android phones, search in your settings for 'emergency alerts'. Turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'. On some Android phones, you may instead have to turn off 'extreme threats', 'severe threats' and 'show amber alerts'.
Some phones may change these settings back after a software update, so try to check regularly if you can.
You don't have to face it alone. 💜
Reaching out for support can feel like the hardest step, especially if you've experienced abuse or been made to feel unheard.
At Lotus Families, we provide a safe, welcoming space where women and families can begin to rebuild their Read morelives at their own pace. Through one-to-one support, recovery groups and peer support, we're here to listen without judgement and help people move forward with confidence.
#LotusFamilies
You don't have to face it alone. 💜
Reaching out for support can feel like the hardest step, especially if you've experienced abuse or been made to feel unheard.
At Lotus Families, we provide a safe, welcoming space where women and families can begin to rebuild their Read morelives at their own pace. Through one-to-one support, recovery groups and peer support, we're here to listen without judgement and help people move forward with confidence.
#LotusFamilies
Children recover too. Domestic abuse affects the whole family, including children.
That's why our support focuses not only on helping women recover, but on strengthening families and creating brighter futures for children.
In 2024–26, 92% of the families we supported Read morereported a positive impact on children affected by abuse.
Every child deserves to grow up feeling safe, secure and supported. Thank you to everyone who supports Lotus Families.
#ChildrenMatter #DomesticAbuse #FamilySupport #EastSussex #LotusFamilies
Children recover too. Domestic abuse affects the whole family, including children.
That's why our support focuses not only on helping women recover, but on strengthening families and creating brighter futures for children.
In 2024–26, 92% of the families we supported Read morereported a positive impact on children affected by abuse.
Every child deserves to grow up feeling safe, secure and supported. Thank you to everyone who supports Lotus Families.
#ChildrenMatter #DomesticAbuse #FamilySupport #EastSussex #LotusFamilies
Want to know more about what a donation to Lotus Families helps provide?
Your support helps us deliver specialist recovery groups, one-to-one support and programmes that empower women, children and families affected by domestic abuse.
Every pound stays local and helps change Read morelives.
Thank you for making our work possible.
#LotusFamilies