Beira [pronounced By-ra] is the Scottish goddess of winter. She rules over the dark part of the year, handing over to her sister, Bride, when summer comes again. Beira represents female wisdom, power and regeneration. Hers is a strength that endures during the difficult times, but her myth contains the promise that they will not last forever.
Beira’s Place is women’s sexual violence support project based in Edinburgh, covering the whole Lothian region.
We deliver a confidential trauma informed service to women survivors of sexual abuse from aged 16 years, no matter when that sexual violence or abuse has happened in their lives.
Beira’s Place staff are a highly trained team of practitioners,offering a trauma informed support service which is unique in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
The service is a single-sex, women-only environment for staff and service users alike. All our staff have extensive expertise in supporting women survivors of all forms of violence, abuse, and exploitation.
We offer person-centred approach using counselling skills, and tailoring support and advice to each woman according to her individual needs.
Beira’s Place has been set up in response to evidence that many female survivors prefer a women-only service to safely address and recover from their trauma.
Beira’s Place is a women-only service, which means that any contact you have with us, will be from a woman and you can be guaranteed that when you visit our city centre venue, everyone in the building will be women.
Our new outreach services are discreetly co-located within well-established community health initiatives across Edinburgh and retain our women-only ethos with private and confidential support offered in quiet parts of the building separate from other service users, which however, cannot be guaranteed as women-only spaces. All survivors will be offered a choice of venue to suit their needs and well-being.
Workers at Beira’s Place and the Board of Directors all have a long history and commitment to supporting survivors and women impacted by abuse. Any woman seeking support is assured that all decisions about the running of the centre have been made by women, including those with a history of delivering direct services and listening to the voices of women.
Our support staff have many years’ experiences working with women’s organisations and come from a background in supporting women and girls who have experienced sexual violence, domestic abuse, addiction, mental health and other forms of vulnerability.. Our staff also have experience in supporting women abused in prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation and harassment.
Beira’s Place is committed to challenging misogynistic and patriarchal power structures that, through the abuse of, and threatened abuse of women and girls, prevents many from reaching their full potential.
We recognise that responsibility for any act of violence against women and girls lies with the perpetrator: it can never be excused, justified, or explained away and there is no context within which it is acceptable or valid.
Beira’s Place recognises that effective sexual violence and abuse services must be survivor and needs led, providing flexible and responsive woman centred services to support the recovery and healing process. The support is free, confidential and accessible to female survivors.
We understand that as well as being women, factors such as race, disability, sexual orientation, class, ethnicity, religious belief, and experience of previous trauma, can affect and compound women’s experience of sexual violence.
Beira’s Place understands that from the early days of women led support services for survivors of male violence, single sex services have been at the forefront of developing innovative ways of working with survivors through their healing journey. We are committed to continuing and expanding this work to respond to the stated needs of survivors.
Beira’s Place aims to challenge the myths surrounding sexual violence and abuse by promoting the understanding that all forms of sexual violence are acts of power and control and are preventable.
Beira’s Place also understands that all forms of commercial sexual exploitation constitute abuse of women and girls and support the Nordic Model approach which “decriminalises all those who are prostituted, provides support services to help them exit, and makes buying people for sex a criminal offence, in order to reduce the demand that drives sex trafficking.”[1]
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive: and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style.”
JK Rowling is an author, campaigner, and philanthropist with a longstanding interest in supporting women’s and children’s issues. As a survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault, she understands the critical importance of female-centred, female-delivered support for women seeking to rebuild their lives after sexual trauma. JK Rowling is the founder and funder of Beira’s Place.
Rhona was a nurse and advisor at Scottish Government and then a Prison Governor. She has worked with and campaigned on issues affecting women & LGB people all of her adult life.
Johann Lamont is a former teacher who is still passionate about education. She is a former Labour and Cooperative MSP and has been a lifelong campaigner for equality and justice, and for the rights of women and girls.
Susan is a co-director of For Women Scotland, the largest grassroots women’s organisation in Scotland set up to strengthen and protect women’s rights. She has served on the boards and committees of various children’s charities and organisations and has a background in finance.
Dr Margaret McCartney is a GP, academic, freelance writer, and broadcaster.
Tess White served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament between 2021-26. Before entering politics, she had a 30-year career in senior HR and international leadership positions.
Isabelle Kerr was the first CEO of Beira’s Place. She has worked in frontline community organisations for over four decades, in roles which seek to address the epidemic of violence against women and girls.
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