The Day for Life message stresses the importance of giving practical and emotional support to women who find themselves pregnant and alone, as Alison, 37, explains to Elena Curti

“Fourteen years ago I was expecting my first child and having a very rough time. My then partner was abusive and we were living together in a rented flat. I think he knew that I wanted to get out of the relationship and that made things worse.

“I lost a lot of friends because I didn’t want them to know what was happening. My family didn’t know the full extent of the abuse because I was covering up. I thought of going to a women’s refuge but then rejected that idea because I knew my family would start to ask questions. Then I heard about the charity Life and I approached them and explained the situation. They told me I could move into one of their houses until I had the baby and they would help me sort out my life. So, one day I just packed up my things and left.