Domestic Abuse
💬 WhatsApp Chat for Domestic Abuse 💬
Link Drop
Got another link for this section? Please put it here.
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In an emergency:
Please dial your national emergency number.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emergency_telephone_numbers
Quick access non-emergency numbers (freephone 24hr confidential):
🇬🇧 08082000247 (National Domestic Abuse Hotline)
🇺🇸 18007997233 (National Domestic Violence Hotline)
🇩🇪 08000 116 016 (National Women’s Helpline)
🇨🇦 See below for helplines by state
🇦🇷 144 (Gender Violence Hotline)
🇪🇺 Directory of National helplines from 46 European countries: https://ec.europa.eu/justice/saynostopvaw/helpline.html
Safety Warning: While you browse, please keep your safety in mind.
Women's Aid has some advice for how to do these things (https://www.womensaid.org.uk/cover-your-tracks-online/) - copied and lightly edited below.
How can an abuser discover your internet activities?
As a rule, internet browsers will save certain information as you surf the internet. This includes images from websites visited, information entered into search engines and a trail (‘history’) that reveals the sites you have visited. If you are concerned about this, please follow the instructions below to minimize the chances of someone finding out that you have visited this, or any other website.
If you know what browser you are using, then skip to the relevant instructions below. If you do not know the type of browser you are using, click on Help on the toolbar at the top of the browser screen. A drop down menu will appear, the last entry will say About Internet Explorer, About Mozilla Firefox, or something similar. The entry refers to which browser type you are using – you should then refer to the relevant instructions below.
Exit site button
Sites related to this often have Exit Site buttons that allow you to quickly exit.
Private browsing
All leading web browsers have a “private browsing” mode that, once enabled, stores nothing about your activity on your computer in that browsing window. This won’t stop online services from seeing what you get up to, but it won’t leave any traces of your activity on your computer (no history, web cache or anything else) and so it’s always a useful first step to take.
Internet Explorer: Go to Safety – Tools – “InPrivate Browsing”.
Firefox: Click the Menu button with three horizontal lines – “New Private Window”.
Chrome: Click the Menu button with three horizontal lines and select “New Incognito Window”.
Similar options can be found in Opera and Safari.
It is also best to double check that nothing has been stored by following the steps below.
Internet Explorer
Click on the Tools menu and select Internet Options. On the General page, under Temporary Internet Files, click on Delete Cookies and then OK. Click on Delete Files, put a tick in the box labelled Delete all offline content and click OK. Under History, click on Clear History and then OK. Now look at the top of the window and click on the Content tab, select AutoComplete and finally, Clear Forms.
Firefox
Click on Tools and then Options, then click on Privacy. Click on the Clear button next to Cache and Saved Form Information.
Deleting your browsing history
Internet browsers also keep a record of all the web pages you visit. This is known as a ‘history’. To delete history for Internet Explorer and Firefox hold down the Ctrl key on the keyboard, then press the H key (Ctrl, Alt and H for Opera). Find any entries that say include the website you don't want recorded e.g. https://www.womensaid.org.uk/, right click and choose Delete.
If an abuser sends you threatening or harassing email messages, they may be printed and saved as evidence of this abuse. Any email you have previously sent will be stored in Sent Items. If you started an email but didn’t finish it, it might be in your Drafts folder. If you reply to any email, the original message will probably be in the body of the message – print and delete the email if you don’t want anyone to see your original message.
When you delete an item in any email program (Outlook Express, Outlook, etc.) it does not really delete the item – it moves the item to a folder called Deleted Items. You have to delete the items in deleted items separately. Right click on items within the Deleted Items folder to delete individual items.
Toolbars
Toolbars such as Google, AOL and Yahoo keep a record of the search words you have typed into the toolbar search box. In order to erase all the search words you have typed in, you will need to check the individual instructions for each type of toolbar. For example, for the Google toolbar all you need to do is click on the Google icon, and choose “Clear Search History”.
Don’t forget to log out
If you use our Survivor’s Forum, don’t forget to log out of your account when you have finished your browsing session so no one else can log in as you.
General security
If you do not use a password to log on to your computer, someone else will be able to access your email and track your internet usage. The safest way to find information on the internet, would be at a local library, a friend’s house, or at work.
All of the above information may not completely hide your tracks. Many browser types have features that display recently visited sites. The safest way to find information on the internet, would be at a local library, a friend’s house, or at work.
Further information and support about online and digital abuse
Support for Victims and Survivors
International
European Commission SAY NO! STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
🇪🇺🔗https://ec.europa.eu/justice/saynostopvaw/helpline.html
Directory of helplines of 46 European countries.
Chayn
🌍🔗https://chayn.co/
❓Advice, Signposting
Want to get out of an abusive relationship? Don’t know your legal rights? Want to find support? If you’ve thought about any of these questions, you’re in the right place. Resources in English, Arabic, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Farsi, Pashto, Urdu, Russian, and Italian. List of digital services 🔗(https://chayn.co/projects/).
United Kingdom
National DA Helpline
🇬🇧🔗https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/Contact-us?
🔗(https://www.refuge.org.uk/).
📞 0808 2000 247 (freephone; 24 hour helpline; confidential; many languages)
❓Helpline; Find a Refuge Vacancy; Discuss Options
Also advice from the perspective of "I am still living with my abuser", "I am planning to leave my abuser", "I have already left my abuser". Run by Refuge
UK Government: Guidance Domestic abuse: how to get help
🇬🇧🔗https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help
❓Signposting; Advice
List of support organisations; advice on recognising domestic abuse, getting help as a victim, for children and young people, and as a perpetrator; support for employers and professionals.
NHS
🇬🇧🔗https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/getting-help-for-domestic-violence/
❓Signposting; Advice on recognising DA; Advice on Supporting a Friend
Men's Advice Line
🇬🇧🔗https://mensadviceline.org.uk/
📞 0808 8010327 (freephone 9am - 5pm / 8pm depending on the day)
✉️ [email protected]
❓Helpline; Advice; Emotional Support; Signposting
✅Men
Repository of digital services in the domestic abuse sector (2019)
🇬🇧🌍🔗https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EilGvCxSrj69irn86L_ll2TGVc8g5PbZyuSysTBACJI/edit#gid=0
❓Signposting
GoogleSheet of online toolkits and apps.
Hestia (London)
🇬🇧🔗https://www.hestia.org/domestic-abuse
❓Refuge
📞 0808 2000 247 (National Domestic Abuse Helpline who can help you find a refuge vacancy)
Hestia refuges continue to take referrals and accept women fleeing domestic abuse. They have also partnered with Boots and Superdrug to provide safe spaces for victims of domestic violence to access support in pharmacy consultation rooms.
Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline
🏴🔗https://sdafmh.org.uk/
📞 0800 027 1234 (24 hour helpline)
✉️[email protected]
❓Helpline
Live online chat: https://sdafmh.org.uk/contact-us/
Scottish Women's Aid
🏴🔗https://womensaid.scot/
❓Information; Support
Website with information resources and tool to locate local services
Scottish Women's Rights Centre
🏴🔗https://www.scottishwomensrightscentre.org.uk/blogs/covid-19coronavirus-info/
❓Information; Advice
Up-to-date information on the impact of coronavirus on contact arrangements, court cases, support for those experiencing domestic violence.
Police Scotland
🏴🔗https://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/advice-for-victims-of-crime/domestic-abuse/
Police Scotland advice for victims of domestic abuse
Health in Mind (Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian, West Lothian, Scottish Borders)
🏴🔗https://www.health-in-mind.org.uk/news_and_blogs/i2267/covid_19_update_march_2020.aspx
❓Support; Information
Health in Mind are making as many counselling services as possible available online and on the phone
Follow it App (Stalking)
🏴🔗https://followitapp.org.uk/
❓App
An app for women in Scotland experiencing stalking to log the stalking incidents. It is tailored to Scottish Law. It is provided by the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre.
Lifelink
🇬🇧🔗https://www.lifelink.org.uk/news/2020/march/coronavirus-update/
❓Counselling; Self-Help Materials
Lifelink moved all one-to-one counselling sessions to online and telephone
Refuge
🇬🇧🔗https://www.refuge.org.uk/our-work/forms-of-violence-and-abuse/tech-abuse-2/resources/
❓ Refuges, Support in the Community, Advocacy, Support for victims of gender-based violence, Child support workers, Support for victims of human trafficking and modern slavery, Empowering victims of tech abuse.
Women's Aid England
🇬🇧🔗 https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/
❓ Information; Signposting
✉️[email protected] (response within 5 working days)
Instant messaging: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/
Women's Aid Wales
🇬🇧🔗https://www.welshwomensaid.org.uk/information-and-support/
📞0808 80 10 800 (Freephone, confidential, 24 hours)
❓ Signposting, Safety Planning, Legal Protection
Boots and Superdrug consultation rooms become safe spaces for victims of domestic abuse
🇬🇧🔗https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/may/01/boots-to-provide-help-for-domestic-abuse-victims-coronavirus-lockdown ; https://www.hestia.org/news/superdrug-join-safe-spaces-scheme-for-victims-of-domestic-abuse-almost-a-quarter-of-all-uk-pharmacies-now-taking-part
❓Safe space
Consultation rooms offered as a safe space where victims of domestic violence can contact specialist domestic abuse services for support and advice.
Al-Hasaniya Moroccan Women's Centre (London)
🇬🇧🔗www.al-hasaniya.org.uk
📞 020 8969 2292
[Website not working - difficult to identify work ongoing during COVID-19.]
Asha Project (London?)
🇬🇧🔗http://www.ashaprojects.org.uk
📞 0208 696 0023
❓Refuge
✅Offers secure accommodation to women and their children who: are threatened with or experiencing domestic and / or sexual violence; are of South Asian origin; have recourse to public funds; are 18 years and over. They do not offer support to women with high support mental and physical health needs, or those dependent on drugs and alcohol.
Ashiana
🇬🇧🔗www.ashiana.org.uk
📞 WhatsApp link: https://web.whatsapp.com/send?text=Specialist%20Advice%20and%20Advocacy%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ashiana.org.uk%2Fservices%2Fadvice%2F
❓Advocacy, Advice, Counselling, Training, Support Groups, Violence Prevention, Community Outreach, Refuge
✅Culturally-specific support for women of South Asian, Turkish and Iranian backgrounds. Some beds also reserved for women with no recourse to public funds.
Bede Starfish Domestic Abuse Project (Southwark, London)
🇬🇧🔗https://bedehouse.org.uk/programmes/starfish/
📞 0207 237 9162
✉️ [email protected]
❓Telephone / Email Support
Befriendings
🏴🔗https://www.befriending.co.uk/resources/covid-19-support/
Befriending offers supportive, reliable relationships through volunteer befrienders to people who would otherwise be socially isolated. Around the UK, there are befriending projects which organise effective support for children and young people, families, people with mental ill-health, people with learning disabilities and older people, amongst many others.
🇬🇧🔗www.east-living.co.uk/blh [Link broken]
Ireland
Women's Aid Ireland
🇮🇪🔗https://www.womensaid.ie/help/
📞1800 341 900 (National Freephone Helpline)
✉️ [email protected]
❓Helpline, One-to-One Support (including Legal), Court Accompaniment Service
United States
National Domestic Violence Hotline
🇺🇸🔗https://www.thehotline.org/
📞 1-800-799-7233 (24 hour freephone, confidential); text LOVEIS to 22522. Spanish freephone available 12pm-6pm central time.
📞1-800-787-3224 (TTY) (especially for those who are deaf or hard of hearing; video phone: 1-855-812-1001)
✉️ [email protected] (for deaf or hard of hearing)
❓Helpline, Safety Planning, Legal Help
Crisis Text Line, which addresses a range of issues, can be reached by texting HOME to 741741 and via Facebook Messenger from the organization's website. It is available in more than 200 languages.
National Sexual Assault Hotline
🇺🇸🔗https://hotline.rainn.org/oonline?_ga=2.1272049.1121455869.1584120887-1734706098.1584120887
📞800.656.HOPE (4673) (24 hour freephone, confidential)
✅Survivors of sexual assault and those supporting them
The Network: “The Network/La Red’
🇺🇸🔗http://tnlr.org/en/24-hour-hotline/
📞617-742-4911 (voice) or 800-832-1901 (freephone, confidential).
❓Emotional Support, Information, Safety Planning, Crisis Intervention
✅LGBQ/T folks, as well as folks in SM/kink and polyamorous communities who are being abused or have been abused by a partner.
SafeHorizon (New York)
🇺🇸🔗https://www.safehorizon.org/emergency/
📞Domestic violence: +18006214673 (24 hour freephone, confidential)
📞Rape and sexual assault: +12122273000 (24 hour freephone, confidential)
Available in English and Spanish.
Anti-Violence Project
🇺🇸🔗https://avp.org/
❓Counselling; Safety Planning; Signposting to Resources
📞2127141141 (24 hour; English / Spanish hotline)
✅ L.G.B.T.Q.+ experiencing abuse or hate-based violence.
Helpmate (North Carolina)
🇺🇸Buncombe County, North Carolina. 🔗https://helpmateonline.org/
📞8282540516
❓Free emergency shelter, Counselling
Alternative Justices
🇺🇸? 🔗https://www.alternativejustices.com/victim-of-assault
✉️️[email protected]
📞747444ALTJ
❓Listening, Emotional Support, Mediation
Family Violence Prevention Services
🇺🇸🔗FA
lts services will be available throughout the crisis. Crisis Hotline: 210-733-8810. [website is currently unavailable]
Germany
National Women’s Helpline
🇩🇪🔗https://www.berlin.de/willkommenszentrum/en/everyday-life/support-for-women/ [Berlin website linking to the national website]
📞08000116016 (freephone; multilingual)
?
🇩🇪🔗https://www.dw.com/en/german-states-announce-new-hotline-for-male-victims-of-domestic-violence/a-53209399 [Blog article, no link to initiative website]
📞+498001239900
✅Male victims of domestic abuse
Canada
Unsafe at Home Ottawa
🇨🇦Ottawa 🔗 https://unsafeathomeottawa.ca
📞6137045535 (text 7 days a week 8:30am - midnight; French and English)
❓Counselling
Assaulted Women's Helpine
🇨🇦Ontario 🔗http://www.awhl.org/
📞18668630511(24/7 freephone; >200 languages)
📞186668637868 (24/7 freephone TTY)
❓Counselling, Emotional Support, Information, Referrals
SOS Violence Conjugale
🇨🇦Quebec 🔗http://www.sosviolenceconjugale.ca/
📞18003639010 (24/7 freephone, confidential, bilingual)
VictimLinkBC
🇨🇦British Columbia 🔗https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/victims-of-crime/victimlinkbc
📞18005630808 (24/7 freephone, confidential, multilingual including many North American Aboriginal languages)
✉️️[email protected]
❓Information, referral
Alberta Family Violence Info Line
🇨🇦Alberta 🔗https://www.alberta.ca/family-violence-prevention.aspx
📞3101818 (not clear whether 24/7, freephone, confidential)
Other support services listed here: https://www.alberta.ca/family-violence-find-supports.aspx
Manitoba Stop the Violence
🇨🇦Manitoba 🔗https://www.gov.mb.ca/stoptheviolence/index.html
📞 18779770007 (confidential; not clear whether it's 24/7 and freephone)
📞 18889872829 (TTY, confidential; not clear whether it's 24/7 and freephone)
❓Information and support
Island Help Line
🇨🇦Prince Edward Island 🔗https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/family-and-human-services/emergency-services-victims-family-violence
📞 18002182885 (24/7 freephone, confidential)
❓Information; support; active listening; criss counselling
Argentina
Línea 144 - Atención a víctimas de violencia de género
🇦🇷📞 144 (24 hour, freephone, confidential)
🇦🇷📞 1127716463 (Whatsapp, for those who cannot talk openly due to the presence of their abuser)
🇦🇷✉️️[email protected]
🇦🇷🔗https://www.argentina.gob.ar/generos/linea-144 (general information, in Spanish)
🇦🇷🔗https://www.argentina.gob.ar/aplicaciones/linea-144-atencion-mujeres (app)
❓ Help, counselling and support for gender violence victims
Línea 137 - Atención a víctimas de violencia familiar o sexual
🇦🇷📞 137 (24 hour, freephone)
🇦🇷📞 1131331000 (Whatsapp)
🇦🇷✉️️[email protected]
🇦🇷🔗https://www.argentina.gob.ar/atencion-victimas-de-violencia-familiar-linea-137 (general information, in Spanish)
🇦🇷🔗https://www.argentina.gob.ar/justicia/violencia-familiar-sexual (general information, in Spanish)
❓ Help, counselling and support for domestic violence victims, general information, denouncing cases
Medidas en materia de género y diversidad en el marco de la emergencia sanitaria (Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity)
🇦🇷🔗https://www.argentina.gob.ar/generos/medidas-en-materia-de-genero-y-diversidad-en-el-marco-de-la-emergencia-sanitaria
Measures taken and recommendations concerning gender and minority issues throughout the quarantine (in Spanish)
Guides for Victims and Survivors
Creating a Safety Plan from the National Domestic Violence Hotline
🇺🇸🔗https://www.thehotline.org/help/path-to-safety
Covers different types of Safety Planning: While Living With An Abusive Partner, Children, Pets, Pregnancy, Emotional Abuse. There is also a section on leaving a relationship including what to do when preparing, doing so, and afterwards. At the end, you can find legal information on restraining orders/protective orders.
National Network to End Domestic Violence Resources on the Response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
🇺🇸🔗https://nnedv.org/latest_update/resources-response-coronavirus-covid-19/
A compilation of recommendations and resources by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV).
Safety Tips from Women's Law
🔗https://www.womenslaw.org/about-abuse/safety-tips/domestic-violence-victims/safety-abuser
Suggestions for during the violence, what to tell your children, and ways to get help
Safelives Guide
🔗http://safelives.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/Safety%20planning%20guide,%20victims%20and%20survivors,%20COVID-19.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3uWOREkSelhJvAHuhyfDbvVwtsaBeMu3gZs-kBNKq6NdZRZLpwH3hxpLo
Staying safe during COVID-19
Women's Aid Covid-19 Resource Hub
🔗https://www.womensaid.org.uk/covid-19-resource-hub/
Practical support and guide for women
Surviving Economic Abuse
🇬🇧🔗https://survivingeconomicabuse.org/economic-abuse-and-the-covid-19-outbreak/
Economic abuse and the COVID-19 outbreak
For Professionals Working with Victims of Domestic Abuse
🔗https://www.techsafety.org/digital-services-during-public-health-crises
Examples of technology that can be used to communicate with survivors remotely. Recommendations for how to approach remote work. Additional related resources here: https://www.techsafety.org/digital-services-toolkit
How to Operate as a Remote Workplace During a Public Health Crisis with Survivors of Violence in mind
🔗https://www.techsafety.org/remote-work-public-health-crisis
Recommendations on how to approach remote work as someone who works with survivors.
Resources on Best Practices When Using Email, Mobiles Phones
🔗https://www.techsafety.org/resources-agencyuse
If domestic violence shelters and anti-abuse advocates consider moving their services to mobile, remote or tech-based services, this is a useful resource. The Digital Service Toolkit is available in English and Spanish.
Tech vs Abuse: Research Findings
🔗https://www.techvsabuse.info/research-findings
Analysis of potential for tech in domestic abuse space (2019)
How SafeLives uses tech to tackle domestic abuse during COVID-19
🔗https://medium.com/wethecatalysts/how-safelives-uses-tech-to-tackle-domestic-abuse-during-covid-19-46603818254c
Checklist on adapting domestic violence services to digital.
Joint Statement from VAWG sector on Covid 19
🇬🇧🔗https://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/joint-statement-from-vawg-sector-on-covid-19/
Requests that funders don't impose any necessary burdens during coronavirus, encourages government to end the hostile environment and the no recourse to public funds and proposes actions on contingency planning, guidance, awareness, equal representation, monitoring and action.
Evidence Review: Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes
🇬🇧🔗https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/evidence/evidence-store/intervention/domestic-violence-perpetrator-programmes/
What Works for Children's Social Care reviews the evidence on perpetrator programmes. There is limited evidence for the effectiveness of perpetrator programmes (which isn't the same thing as saying there's evidence that they don't work).
Evidence Review: Interventions for Women Parenting in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence
🇬🇧🔗https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/evidence/evidence-store/intervention/interventions-for-women-parenting-in-the-context-of-intimate-partner-violence
What Works for Children's Social Care reviews the evidence on interventions for Women Parenting in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence. The Project Support program and the Child-Parent Psychotherapy interventions focus on mother’s mental health and parenting behaviours, aimed at improving coping strategies and reductions in conflict between the mother and child. Both Child-Parent Psychotherapy and Project Support showed promise in reducing maternal distress and improving parenting, although findings are mixed. Results are promising for interventions that include individual and combined sessions for mothers and children and which focused on enhancing the mother-child relationship.
Yuanzhong Family and Community Development Service Center
🇨🇳🔗https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/qSp14zOcFHLgiCMKxsXQTQ
How to respond to family conflict during the pandemic. In Chinese.
Trends and News
Boots and Superdrug consultation rooms become safe spaces for victims of domestic abuse
🇬🇧🔗https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/may/01/boots-to-provide-help-for-domestic-abuse-victims-coronavirus-lockdown
[1 May 2020]
Women are using code words at pharmacies to escape domestic violence during lockdown'
🔗https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/02/europe/domestic-violence-coronavirus-lockdown-intl/index.html
[6 April 2020]
Increase in domestic violence feared during virus lockdown
🇺🇸🔗https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-domestic-violence-de98b402-51f2-49ec-919c-c70052e29eef.html
[2 April 2020]
France to put domestic violence victims in hotels as numbers soar under Coronavirus lockdown
🇫🇷🔗https://www.france24.com/en/20200330-france-to-put-domestic-violence-victims-in-hotels-as-numbers-soar-under-coronavirus-lockdown
[30 March 2020]
