Panahghar

What Panahghar does

Panahghar is a registered charity (number 1007676) founded in 1980 in Coventry as a women-led specialist provider of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and gendered abuse support services for Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities. The organisation operates three live helplines — a 24-hour multilingual BME helpline (0800 055 6519), the West Midlands Forced Marriage and Honour Based Abuse Helpline in partnership with Roshni and SWAN (0800 953 9777), and the Safe to Talk helpline in partnership with Coventry Haven and Relate (0800 111 4998). Core service delivery comprises refuge accommodation in Coventry and Leicester (including the Step Forward Project with 15 spaces across 3 sites and a Respite Rooms pilot with 5 flats plus 6 transitional bedspaces), Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) services, outreach programmes, support groups, and specialist immigration advocacy for survivors with no recourse to public funds.

The business model is entirely non-commercial. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, with revenue derived from individual donations, community fundraising events (quiz nights, bake sales, sports activities), legacy gifts via wills, and grants from charitable funders. Pricing is "Freemium" in classification but operationally a pure donation-and-grant-funded model with no service fees. The go-to-market is community-led and referral-driven: clients are acquired through partner referrals from housing departments, police, homelessness services, healthcare providers, and other domestic abuse organisations, supplemented by self-referrals via the helplines. Awareness is generated through community events, educational sessions, professional training, and earned media including the May 2021 royal visit by The Duchess of Cornwall.

Operationally, there is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is human-mediated across physical refuge sites and telephone helplines. The organisation is a member of Women's Aid and accredited by Imkaan, embedding it within the formal UK domestic abuse response infrastructure. Its operating footprint is the West Midlands, with established service hubs in Coventry and Leicester.

Name

Panahghar

Legal name

Panahghar Safe House

Website

https://safehouse.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Panahghar is a women-led UK charity founded in 1980 that provides free, specialist multilingual refuge, helpline, IDVA, and outreach services for Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic victims of domestic, sexual, and gendered abuse across Coventry, Leicester, and the West Midlands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services — Domestic Abuse Support

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Housing Services (62422), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Domestic abuse support
• BME specialist services
• Refuge accommodation
• Victim helpline services
• Gender violence advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Coventry

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Panahghar relies on charitable donations from individuals and organizations to fund its services supporting BME victims of domestic abuse. Monetary donations can be made through their website, and the organization also accepts in-kind donations of household items such as furniture and electrical goods.
2. Fundraising: The organization actively raises funds through events such as quiz nights, bake sales, and sports activities. Community fundraising efforts contribute to sustaining their services.
3. Legacies and wills: Panahghar encourages supporters to leave gifts in their wills, which the organization describes as one of the most important decisions supporters can make to help change the lives of survivors of domestic abuse.
4. Grant funding: Panahghar receives funding from numerous funders and organizations that enable them to provide support to service users. The organization's work would not be possible without these funding partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Panahghar provides free, dedicated BAME multilingual support, advice, and advocacy, along with safe refuge accommodation, for victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and gendered abuse (and their families) in Coventry and Leicester. Core service lines include a 24-hour multilingual helpline, refuge accommodation, Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) services, community outreach, support groups, and specialist programmes addressing forced marriage, 'honour'-based abuse, FGM, and immigration-related barriers (including 'no recourse to public funds'). Services are delivered directly and in partnership with Roshni, SWAN, Coventry Haven, Relate, and other domestic-abuse organisations.

Product overview

Panahghar is a women-led charity providing specialist BME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) domestic abuse support services for over 40 years. The organisation operates a portfolio of integrated services centred around a 24-hour multi-lingual helpline, refuge accommodation in Coventry and Leicester, IDVA services, outreach, and support groups. Key partnership services include the West Midlands Forced Marriage and 'Honour' Based Abuse Helpline (with Roshni and SWAN) and the 'Safe to Talk' Helpline (with Coventry Haven and Relate). Leicester-specific services include the Step Forward Project (15 refuge spaces with in-house counselling and immigration support) and Respite Rooms (transitional accommodation). The organisation also provides specialist support for children, men, and professionals, and advocates on immigration issues affecting BME survivors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24-Hour Multilingual Helpline Free dedicated BME multi-lingual helpline providing support, advice, and advocacy for victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and gendered abuse (and their families), reachable on 0800 055 6519 and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
• Refuge Accommodation Safe emergency supported refuge in Coventry and Leicester providing shared accommodation and/or self-contained flats for BME survivors of domestic abuse, with emotional support, legal advice, and practical help on site.
• Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) Service Specialist IDVA service supporting survivors and their families affected by domestic violence, abuse, sexual abuse, and gendered abuse in their own environment, including advocacy on immigration issues.
• Outreach Services Community-based outreach and wraparound services across Coventry and Leicester providing safety measures and ongoing support for victims still living with abusers or not yet ready to leave.
• Support Groups Group sessions for service users covering educational sessions on domestic, sexual, and gendered abuse, creative classes, and coffee mornings for peer connection and empowerment.
• West Midlands Forced Marriage and 'Honour' Based Abuse Helpline Partnership helpline with Roshni and SWAN supporting those affected by forced marriage and honour-based abuse, available 7 days a week on 0800 953 9777.
• 'Safe to Talk' Helpline Helpline service run in partnership with Coventry Haven and Relate providing victim and family advice, community-based support, and children's and young people's provision, on 0800 111 4998.
• Step Forward Project (Leicester) Specialist BAME refuge accommodation in Leicester providing 15 refuge spaces across 3 sites, with in-house counselling, specialist immigration practitioner support, and group work delivered in multiple languages.
• Respite Rooms / Hope Project (Leicester) Pilot service providing 5 flats of women-only safe accommodation with specialised in-house support for those experiencing homelessness, violence and abuse, plus 6 bedspaces for second-stage transitional accommodation.

Quantifiable outcome

• During 2020, supported over 87 women and 74 children in refuge alone
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RoshnicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoshni partners with Panahghar and SWAN to run the West Midlands Forced Marriage and Honour Based Abuse Helpline (0800 953 9777). This partnership provides specialized support for those affected by forced marriage and honour based abuse, available 7 days a week.
• SWANcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWAN partners with Panahghar and Roshni to run the West Midlands Forced Marriage and Honour Based Abuse Helpline (0800 953 9777).
• Coventry HavencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoventry Haven partners with Panahghar to run the 'Safe to Talk' helpline service (0800 111 4998) providing victim and family advice for all members of the community, information and community-based support including children and young people's provision.
• RelatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelate partners with Panahghar and Coventry Haven to provide the 'Safe to Talk' support services in Coventry, offering a helpline, IDVA, and outreach services.
• FreevaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFreeva provides individual and group support for victims of sexual violence and abuse in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, including support with the criminal justice system and recovery from trauma. They also provide training.
• Women's Aid LeicestershireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen's Aid Leicestershire provides refuge accommodation in Leicester over two different sites, individual support and advocacy, and practical and emotional support throughout the stay and transition to independent housing.
• New Dawn New DayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Dawn New Day provides support to vulnerable women who have experienced violence and poverty, including one-to-one sessions, group support, specialist services for trauma recovery, and employment support.
• LWA (Leicestershire Women's Aid)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLWA provides individual and group support for children, young individuals, parents and adults who have experienced domestic abuse in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Imkaan: National BAME specialist violence against women and girls organization that accredits Panahghar. Directly comparable as a by-and-for BME specialist body, though operating at a federated/coordination level rather than a single-site refuge provider.
• Karma Nirvana: UK charity specializing in honour-based abuse and forced marriage support. Comparable as a specialist provider in the honour-based abuse sub-category that Panahghar's West Midlands Forced Marriage Helpline addresses.
• Southall Black Sisters: Long-established BME specialist by-and-for organization serving Black and minority ethnic women facing domestic violence, with a focus on immigration status. Highly comparable as a specialist BME advocacy and casework provider, although London-based.
• SWAN (South Asian Women's Aid Network / Southall Women's Aid): Specialist BME/Asian women's domestic abuse organization. Panahghar partners with SWAN on the West Midlands Forced Marriage helpline; SWAN serves comparable BME survivors with similar by-and-for cultural specialist model.
• Women's Aid Leicestershire: Leicester-based domestic abuse refuge and support provider. Direct peer operating in Panahghar's second city with overlapping refuge and advocacy services, though not BME-exclusive.
• Roshni: West Midlands BME specialist domestic abuse support service. Direct peer — Panahghar partners with Roshni to run the West Midlands Forced Marriage and Honour Based Abuse Helpline, and both organizations serve overlapping BME populations in the region.
• Coventry Haven Women's Aid: Coventry-based domestic abuse charity partnering with Panahghar on the 'Safe to Talk' helpline. Direct peer operating in the same city, providing refuge, IDVA, and outreach to a similar population with overlapping but broader (not BME-exclusive) remit.

Regional players

• Freeva: Leicester-based sexual violence and abuse support charity. Panahghar refers into Freeva; comparable as a regional specialist in adjacent abuse services (sexual violence rather than domestic abuse) in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Women's Aid (national federation): National federation representing thousands of UK domestic abuse services; Panahghar is itself a member. Comparable as the umbrella body coordinating the broader domestic abuse sector and providing referral infrastructure, although it is much larger and not BME-specialist by default.
• Refuge (UK national charity): One of the largest UK domestic abuse charities operating national helplines, refuges, and IDVA services. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same service category, though operating nationally rather than as a specialist BME by-and-for provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/panahghar
• Facebookfacebook.com/Panahghar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/panahghar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Panahghar