Affected by domestic abuse?
Domestic abuse is defined as an incident or a pattern of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimated that 5.0% of adults (6.9% women and 3.0% men) aged 16 years and over experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2022; this equates to an estimated 2.4 million adults (1.7 million women and 699,000 men).
A largely hidden crime which goes unreported to the police, abuse can take on many forms including domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse, so-called ‘honour’-based violence, human trafficking and modern slavery, prostitution, female genital mutilation (FGM) and other frightening behaviours.
If you are concerned about your safety and you’re experiencing domestic abuse or you are worried someone you know might be, then it is important to understand that you are not alone and help is available.
No matter what your abuser may suggest, there is help available, you do not have to continue to suffer. Here are some helplines you might want to consider approaching:
Firstly, if you believe you are in danger, you should call your local emergency services i.e. 999/911 etc
Women’s Aid – a national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. As well as chat, email and forum services they provide a free ‘Survivor’s Handbook’ where you can get help on housing, safety planning, dealing with police and more.
Refuge provides support for women and children against domestic violence. UK National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247
Respect works to stop perpetrators of domestic abuse and also provides support to male victims of abuse. Freephone 0808 8010327
The ManKind Initiative helps men escape domestic abuse. Freephone 0808 800 1170
Childline – children may also directly experience domestic abuse, as well as witnessing it happening to an adult in their home. Either way this can be traumatic. Freephone 0800 1111.
If you identify as LGBT+ you can call Galop on 0800 999 5428 for emotional and practical support
Gov.UK website has advice on a range of issues relating to domestic abuse and how to get help. Check out the website here.
Call Karma Nirvana on 0800 5999 247 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) for forced marriage and honour crimes. You can also call 020 7008 0151 to speak to the GOV.UK Forced Marriage Unit
If you are a male experiencing domestic abuse by your partner, then we would also recommend you watch this TedX talk and hear Andrew Pain’s story – Andrew was abused by his female partner for many years before seeking help. He is now a regular speaker, as an expert by experience, talking about gaslighting, domestic abuse, parental alienation, safeguarding, gender bias and the family courts, and in his spare time he supports male victims of domestic abuse.
Have you been bereaved by losing someone as a result of domestic abuse? Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) are a Centre of Excellence for Reviews after Fatal Domestic Abuse and for Expert and Specialist Advocacy and Peer Support. By drawing on personal and professional experience of major criminal justice processes like Domestic Homicide Reviews, and other related inquiries, the AAFDA provide emotional, practical and specialist peer support to those left behind after fatal domestic homicide. To find out more and what support is available by visiting the AAFDA website here.