Domestic abuse
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone and you can get help. In an emergency, please call 999.
If you're worried someone might see you have visited this page, the Women's Aid website tells you how to cover your tracks online.
Domestic violence, also called domestic abuse, includes physical, emotional and sexual abuse in couple relationships or between family members. Domestic violence can happen against anyone, and anybody can be an abuser.
The National Centre for Domestic Violence has compiled a non exhaustive list of national support agencies and organisations available to help anyone affected by domestic abuse. Find out more here: www.ncdv.org.uk/domestic-abuse-help
For services in the East Midlands offering practical help and emotional support, you may find these links useful:
National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 200 0247
Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327
GALOP (LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline): 0800 999 5428
Leicestershire: Freeva
Nottinghamshire: NIDAS
Derbyshire: Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Support Services
Northamptonshire: NDAS
How do I recognise domestic abuse?
Do you:
- Feel afraid of your partner much of the time?
- Avoid certain topics out of fear of angering your partner?
- Feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
- Believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?
- Feel emotionally numb or helpless?
- Have to ask for money for basic day to day needs?
Do they:
- Humiliate or yell at you?
- Criticise you and put you down?
- Isolate you from family and friends?
- Ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
- Blame you for their own abusive behaviour?
- See you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?
- Act excessively jealous and possessive?
- Control your movements?
- Control how you dress?
- Limit access to money?
- Threaten suicide if you leave?
- Threaten to harm you or your children?
- Destroy your belongings?
For further information and support visit: the NHS website here: www.nhs.uk/live-well/getting-help-for-domestic-violence
Forced marriage
Forced marriage is a form of domestic abuse and is an abuse of human rights. It could also be classed as child abuse if it affects children and young people.
Women trapped in forced marriages often suffer violence, rape, forced pregnancy, and forced childbearing. Sometimes when the victims escape, the families go to great lengths to trace them. This could lead to the victim being murdered by the family (so called ‘honour killing’) or they may subject them to further honour-based violence or abuse.
It is not just women who are subjected to forced marriage – it happens to men too. Around 15 per cent of the calls that the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) receives involve boys or men. It can also happen to women and men with a learning or physical disability. In these cases it may be less apparent and more difficult to identify.
If you're a victim of forced marriage, or know someone who is, the FMU can support you. The FMU works with other government departments, statutory agencies, and voluntary organisations to develop effective policy for tackling forced marriage.
To access the FMU public helpline for confidential advice and support:
Call: +44 (0) 20 7008 0151
Email, including for outreach work: fmu@fcdo.gov.uk