A SURVIVOR of domestic abuse has started her own weekly support service to stop the county's most vulnerable women from being silenced.

Ruth Mojisola Obasa, from Witney, suffered mental and financial abuse for seven years and said the trauma stripped her of her confidence and left her feeling ashamed.

The mother-of-two who moved to England from Nigeria 21 years ago, wants to use her experience to help start a support system for women who are still suffering at the hands of their abusers.

The 45-year-old said: "Any type of abuse is mentally degrading.

"It strips your confidence completely, so it is important that we find a window of support to be a life line for these women.

"Domestic abuse could happen to anyone and I want to help women who were in the same situation as me to restore their confidence and to get their lives back on track."

She was forced to stay at a refuge five years ago, where she said she was inspired by the other women she met to help make a difference.

Ms Obasa added: "I used to be in a refuge a few years ago, for women and children fleeing from domestic violence. It took away my opportunity to finish studying.

"The women in the refuge inspired me to want to do something different in Oxfordshire. They were relying on their benefits and their issues were not being solved.

"I wanted to change that.

"I want to liberate woman and I want to want to provide somewhere for these women to go, where they can rebuild their confidence and rebuild their lives."

The sessions, which will run every week on Monday, will be led by Ms Obasa and will be an opportunity for women to speak out.

The first evening meeting was held this week and Ms Obasa hopes that more and more women will find the courage to attend.

She added: "In African and Asian communities it is seen as extremely shameful to speak out and talk about what has happened to you.

"I want to be there to be there for these women and show how any type of abuse to anyone is completely unacceptable.

"I know when I was going through it, what I needed more than anything was someone I could talk to about what was happening to me."

Before moving to Oxfordshire five years ago, Ms Obasa lived in Nottingham where she started Jewins Women 2 Women, which works to support and empower women from suffering from disadvantage or abuse.

She is also hoping to be able to unveil the first independent-run refuge in Oxfordshire and would like to have an awards ceremony at the end of the year to celebrate women and those who work to help support victims of domestic violence.

For more information on the weekly service contact Moji on: moji@jewinswomen2women.co.uk or call: 07950775993