“Protecting Yourself and Your Family”: Unseen Victims Responds to Scrutiny Over Promoting Safeguarding…
Unseen Victims urges families of those arrested or jailed to prioritise their own safety and well-being above loyalty or ill informed doubt. Our UK-based support, advice and advocacy organisation Unseen Victims has faced public scrutiny and criticism recently following on from encouraging robust safeguarding, which urges loved ones supporting someone accused or convicted of a […]
Why The Unseen Victims Project Matters: A Conversation on Support, Stigma, and Strength
🎥 Video Feature: Emma Wells and Jenny Brumby on the Heart Behind The Unseen Victims Project. 💪🧡🛡️✊🌱🔗🧠🔥🧭 Watch it here: Emma Wells discusses the Unseen Victims Project with Jenny Brumby In a moving video, Unseen Victims founder Emma Wells sits down with respected local Cumbrian businesswoman and coach Jenny Brumby to share the personal and […]
Mental Health Awareness Week 12-18 05 2025
🧠💚🤝🫂💬🌱📘✨💔➡️❤️🩹💪🌈 🧠💚🌈 When someone you love goes to prison, it doesn’t just impact them — it can have a profound effect on your own mental health too. Feelings of shame, anxiety, isolation, and uncertainty are common, yet often go unspoken. At Unseen Victims, we believe no one should have to face this alone. This week, […]
Shining a Light on Hidden Struggles: Emma Wells’ Latest Substack Article…
Exposing the Forgotten Victims: How Families Bear the Burden of Youth Incarceration In light of the new Netflix series ADOLECENCE, starring Stephen Graham, Unseen Victims is taking this opportunity to highlight the often-overlooked struggles faced by families of incarcerated individuals. The series brings much-needed attention to the emotional and social impact of youth incarceration, which […]
Sophie’s Story
Sophie was three months pregnant when her partner was arrested and sent to prison for a sexual offence. The shock and trauma of his arrest were unbearable on their own, but six months later, the pain deepened in ways she could never have imagined. Late one night, she went into labour while he was still incarcerated. What should have been a joyful moment turned into a nightmare when their baby was born sleeping.
Simon’s Story
In July 2017, Simon’s life took a devastating turn. After celebrating his birthday with a few drinks, he invited a woman who had helped him into a taxi to his flat for a beer. What began as an act of kindness spiralled into a nightmare when, hours later, the police arrived at his door. Simon was accused of a crime he did not commit—rape. He was arrested, handcuffed, and taken away in a police van as forensic officers entered his home.
Lily’s Story
Lily had always sought an escape from the monotony of her life, but her search for excitement led her into the grips of addiction. Her once-bright future was overshadowed by the allure of drugs, and her family watched helplessly as she spiralled further into darkness. Their pleas for her to seek help went unanswered, and the bonds that once held them close began to fray under the weight of her choices.
One fateful night, desperation drove Lily into the heart of a drug deal gone wrong. Violence erupted, and amidst the chaos, she was arrested. Seeing her in handcuffs, her eyes filled with regret, shattered her parents, Sarah and Mark. They had tried so hard to save her, only to feel as though they had failed.
Joan’s Story
Joan’s partner, T, was sent to prison in early 2017, already in poor health following a serious bout of sepsis in 2009. He had been told he would need to take a daily prophylactic antibiotic for the rest of his life to prevent recurrence, but prison life, with its lack of nutritional focus and poor healthcare oversight, proved to be devastating for him.
Drink Driving
Emma and Mark had built a life together, filled with love, dreams, and shared experiences. They had always believed in each other and supported one another through thick and thin. But one night, Mark’s decision to get behind the wheel while under the influence shattered their idyllic existence. Emma was a devoted wife and a pillar of strength, but her life was about to be turned upside down when her husband, Mark, was sentenced to prison for drink-driving.
Annie’s Story
A woman’s world unravels when her partner, Jamie, a devoted stepfather, is accused of historical sexual abuse by his daughter. Though she believes his claims of innocence, her life descends into isolation as family and friends abandon her. Throughout months of supporting Jamie and trusting his every word, she clings to hope that his name will be cleared at trial. But on the first day in court, she learns the devastating truth: Jamie has pled guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault against his daughters. Left reeling, humiliated, and alone, she reflects on her blind trust and warns others to question everything, advocating for using tools like Clare’s Law to prevent a similar heartbreak.