Our Own Words Survey
A new survivor-designed survey putting lived experience at the centre of domestic abuse research
A new initiative called Our Own Words 2026 is attempting to shift how domestic abuse research is carried out - by placing survivors at the centre of the process.
The project has been developed by survivors Saskia Lightburn‑Ritchie and Samantha Billingham, working with organisations including MyCWA and SODA - Surviving Domestic Abuse. What makes the project different is its starting point.
Most domestic abuse surveys are designed by researchers, policymakers or institutions collecting data about survivors’ experiences. Our Own Words flips that model. Every question in the survey was written by survivors themselves, shaped by lived experience rather than professional assumptions.
The aim is not simply to gather statistics, but to build a survivor-led body of evidence that reflects the realities people have navigated - from abuse itself to interactions with police, courts and support services. As the organisers emphasise, numbers alone rarely tell the full story.
That is why the survey is only the first stage of the work. Survivors who take part are already being invited into deeper conversations, helping researchers explore the experiences behind the data.
Together, the findings are expected to inform future reports, advocacy work and national conversations about how domestic abuse is understood and responded to. At its core, the project is about something simple but often overlooked in research: listening to the people who have lived it.
For those who have experienced domestic abuse and feel able to take part, the survey is open until 31 March 2026 and takes around 20–30 minutes to complete. Participation is anonymous, and respondents can skip questions or stop at any time.
