Help in an emergency

If you think you are in immediate danger then call 999 for the emergency services

Covering your tracks

Online services and social media should be open and safe for everyone to use. We know that perpetrators of domestic abuse often use online tools to abuse their victims.

Below is information about how to keep yourself safe online and cover your tracks.

Covering your tracks

Latest

Lorna's Interview for International Women's Day!

What better way to celebrate IWD 2021 than by sharing some amazing stories and information from our staff. Please click to read Lorna's, our Refuge Accommodation & Complex Needs Manager, interview to find out what made her want to work supporting victims of domestic abuse!
Women Who Kill

As the culmination of 4 years of research by the Women's Centre for Justice into the criminal justice response to women who kill abusive men, this offers thought provoking insights into how the law, and how it is applied, prevents women from accessing justice...
Sexual Abuse in a Relationship

It is so important to raise awareness of sexual abuse, the many forms it can take and why many women subconsciously accept the abuse as normal in their relationship.
Sexual Abuse Awareness Week

Rape and sexual assaults do happen in relationships and if something isn’t comfortable or not wanted then regardless of relationship status should not happen.

Sexual Abuse in a Relationship

It is so important to raise awareness of sexual abuse, the many forms it can take and why many women subconsciously accept the abuse as normal in their relationship.
Sexual Abuse Awareness Week

Rape and sexual assaults do happen in relationships and if something isn’t comfortable or not wanted then regardless of relationship status should not happen.
A Story from a Survivor

I had to leave as a duty of care to my children and for the fact I couldn’t take anymore and believed I was insane. I went to the council for help and they put me in touch with Next Chapter. Amber was my first support worker and she was the light in a terribly dark time. I doubted myself often as emotional abuse is so hard to prove and is so subjective. But she was with me the whole time when I eventually managed to move out.
New Year ... New You?

A few months ago, there was a serious incident whereby the police were called, the abuser was taken into custody. Dawn was relieved but at the same time terrified of what the implications would now mean for her and the kids. Thankfully, Dawn was referred to our services by the Police Officer who had attended that night. Dawn knew deep down that she had no choice but to face this now, head on, she was sooooo brave in doing so.
12 Days of Success

One of my real highs was with a client who had endured abuse for 18 years, to ensure her safety and anonymity, I will be calling her Rebecca. Rebecca’s abuse took the form of coercive control, isolation from friends and family, manipulation, and physical abuse. She had already taken a major step in her journey before coming into our service, by splitting up with her perpetrator. The outstanding abuse and issues that needed to be resolved mainly occurred through child contact, which is sadly the
Reaching Out

Annie referred herself to our service earlier this year for support and advice around leaving a relationship, and most importantly safeguarding herself and her daughter. Reaching out for support was a major milestone for Annie, this was something she had thought about several times before but for many reasons was unable too. On some occasions, the perpetrator would talk her out of ending the relationship by minimising or denying the abuse, and for others Annie doubted whether she had the streng
My abuser has given me…. Trauma Bonding

Jane struggled to understand why it happened to her, what was wrong with her and how to break the emotional ties to her abuser. Sharing a child with Toni made it even more difficult as he would often accuse her of preventing him from being a father as a further way to manipulate her and play on her emotions. Jane has found herself torn between being told not to go back for her safety and the safety of her child and feelings of love and the believe that she needs to help Toni.
Here to help

After she was assaulted by her partner, Emily ended her relationship. After her partner left, she tried to make sure that their children still had a good relationship with their dad. This was not easy because he used the fact that he had contact with the children to be verbally abusive to Emily and to make unreasonable demands about contact. He also made promises to the children which he did not keep. This left them upset and meant Emily had to deal with the fall out.
Anne's Story

Anne and myself have been working together through her trauma, in this time I have seen her go from strength to strength. On the tough days we have spoken things through, re-assuring her that she did deserve a life without abuse, she wasn’t overthinking things and she was believed. On the good days we have celebrated her milestones together, cheering and clapping reflecting back on her progress.
A Positive Story

For Christmas, this year we have decided to focus on the positives that we have achieved as a team and the successes that our clients have achieved with our support. 2020 has been a strange year for everyone – to say the least! But instead of focusing on the bad, let me tell you about a recent client I worked alongside to leave her abusive relationship.

How to move forward from loss and grief

These are all perfectly natural feelings and reactions to loss and grief and some may even compare it to a bereavement. Even if you don’t feel that way at all you may have been left feeling empty and confused or angry. We might constantly be bargaining with ourselves still or find that depression has taken over. We all deal with loss in our own individual ways and this is what makes each of us so unique. This is perfectly normal too.
How does domestic abuse differ in other cultures?

The actions of individuals are influenced by the norms, values, language, and other cultural factors that are like the dust in the air that surrounds everyone. These cultural factors are ingrained in us from the day we are born, and can play a role in either ending or perpetuating domestic abuse.
Sexual Abuse Awareness Week

Rape and sexual assaults do happen in relationships and if something isn’t comfortable or not wanted then regardless of relationship status should not happen.
Special Place in the Home

So, you survived Monday! Well done. One of the things that I am really missing is seeing my friends and family – we know that ‘being connected’ is really important for our mental health and emotional wellbeing. Having close positive relationships gives us a purpose and a sense of belonging. During this lockdown many of the ways we are usually connected to people – friends, family, work colleagues, school chums – have changed beyond all recognition.
The Role of an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor

So, imagine for a moment that you’ve summoned up the courage to finally leave, you’re feeling vulnerable and afraid and understandably really nervous about what the future might hold –you have to try and find your way through all that…. that's if you even knew half of it existed in the first place or where and how to start to getting in touch with them… So that's where we IDVA’S come in.
Safety begins at home.....?

We know from speaking to our clients, that the lockdown has meant that some perpetrators may not be able to feed their addictions, or they may be over feeding their addictions due to boredom or frustration and this in turn will be affecting their mental health. There is so much research about the dangerous cocktail of this ‘toxic trio’ (the combination of domestic abuse, substance misuse and mental health issues) as it leads to emotions being intensified which in turn drives behaviours.
Covid-19 - what are we doing?

As part of our commitment to individuals experiencing domestic abuse and their families who are worried about them - we’re doing our very best to make sure that we are always available to respond and help. Your safety and wellbeing is of paramount importance to us and we are prioritising our services in relation to safety and support above everything else.
Me, Myself and Abuser….

Slowly I started to realised that this would never change. That my prince charming doesn’t exist, it was just a mask and a trap to lure me in. I started looking for a way out. I couldn’t tell my friends and family the truth, they would judge me. They would ask me questions like “why didn’t you leave before?”, “why did you stay?” and “why did you have a baby with him?”. They would never understand that the hope my prince charming would return was stronger that any rational thinking.
Help in an emergency

What to do in an emergency. If you think that you are in immediate danger then you need to call 999 for the police.
My abuser has given me…. Trauma Bonding

Jane struggled to understand why it happened to her, what was wrong with her and how to break the emotional ties to her abuser. Sharing a child with Toni made it even more difficult as he would often accuse her of preventing him from being a father as a further way to manipulate her and play on her emotions. Jane has found herself torn between being told not to go back for her safety and the safety of her child and feelings of love and the believe that she needs to help Toni.