BARONESS Corston will open the new ISIS Women’s Centre in Victoria Road on Friday to offer victims of domestic violence a safe haven.

ISIS is a partnership between Wiltshire Probation Trust and Gloucestershire-based charity The Nelson Trust, which has almost 30 years’ experience of working with people with complex problems, including drug and alcohol addiction, offending and domestic abuse.

Staff from the two agencies will work side by side to support women offenders across the county, with probation staff providing supervision and ensuring women comply with their court orders.

ISIS keyworkers will help women to address a wide range of problems including substance misuse, homelessness, domestic violence and mental health problems.

Baroness Corston authored a report highlighting the plight of many vulnerable women in the prison system and called for a radical change in working with women offenders in order to change their lives and reduce their offending.

Rose Mahon, who manages the Gloucester and Swindon services, said: “We found a huge number of women who had very complex needs and very little support in their lives.

“We offer them a welcoming, all-women space where they can find the right kind of professional support.

“We can help with drug and alcohol problems, training and education, housing and benefits, family and relationship problems and help to address deeper problems resulting from trauma and abuse.”