Advice and Support

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing domestic abuse and need help or support you can find support through your welfare service, via the Police or from specialist organisations, whose details are provided below, who exist to support anyone experiencing domestic abuse.
If you need help in an emergency, if you fear for your safety or that of someone else you should always call 999 or the relevant emergency number if overseas.

National Domestic Violence Helpline
www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk - 0808 2000 247

The Freephone 24 Hour National Domestic Violence Helpline, run in partnership between Women’s Aid and Refuge, is a national service for women experiencing domestic violence, their family, friends, colleagues and others calling on their behalf.
For advice in Northern Ireland: 0800 917 1414, Scotland: 0800 027 1234 or Wales: 0808 80 10 800.

Refuge
www.refuge.org.uk - 0808 2000 247

No matter what your experience – domestic violence, sexual violence, ‘honour’ based violence, forced marriage, FGM, human trafficking or modern slavery – Refuge are there to support you. Refuge run a range of specialist services to help survivors access safety and rebuild their lives.

Women’s Aid
www.womensaid.org.uk - 0808 2000 247

Women’s Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. They empower survivors by keeping their voices at the heart of their work, working with and for women and children by listening to them and responding to their needs.

SSAFA the Armed Forces charity
www.ssafa.org.uk – 0800 731 4880

SSAFA provides lifelong support to anyone who is currently serving, or has ever served, and their families including those experiencing domestic abuse. Their Stepping Stone Homes are a safe place to stay for women and their children experiencing domestic abuse.

Men’s Advice Line
www.mensadviceline.org.uk - 0808 801 0327

Men’s Advice Line is a confidential helpline for men experiencing domestic violence from a partner or ex-partner or from other family members.

Mankind Initiative

www.mankind.org.uk - 01823 334244

This confidential helpline is available for all men across the UK suffering from domestic violence or domestic abuse by their current or former wife or partner (including same-sex partner).

Galop
www.galop.org.uk/domesticabuse - 0800 999 5428
Galop offers emotional and practical support for LGBT+ people experiencing domestic abuse.

Respect
www.respect.uk.net - 0808 802 4040

The Respect Phoneline is for anyone who is concerned about their own behaviour towards their partner (male,
female, in heterosexual or same-sex relationships

For more information, pleasevisit:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/725400/Domestic_Abuse_MOD_booklet_Digital.pdf

There are sources of help, advice and support available to people with concerns about child sexual abuse. These links are some of the organisations and agencies you can contact for information and is continually updated.

Stop it Now! UK and Ireland
www.stopitnow.org.uk  
Helpline - 0808 1000 900
Email help@stopitnow.org.uk
Stop it Now! UK and Ireland is a useful website for anyone with concerns about child sexual abuse. The Stop it Now! campaign operates a confidential Freephone helpline for any adult with concerns including those worried about the sexual behaviour or another adult towards children, those worried about their own thoughts or behaviour towards children and those concerned about the worrying sexual behaviour of a child or young person (0808 100 900 or help@stopitnow.org.uk).

Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre
www.ceop.police.uk
The CEOP Centre is the UK's national police agency set up to tackle child sexual abuse. If you are worried about someone's behaviour towards a child, online or offline, you can report this at www.ceop.police.uk. You can get help, advice and support on all issues related to internet safety for young people by visiting www.clickceop.net.

Childnet International
www.childnet-int.org
Childnet International is a non-profit organisation working with others to help make the Internet a great and safe place for children.

Internet Matters
www.internetmatters.org
An intenet portal which aims to direct parents and carers to credible information on how to keep children safe online.

Childline
www.childline.org.uk
0800 1111
Get help and advice about a wide range of issues, talk to a counsellor online. You can also send ChildLine an email or post on the message boards.

Parentline Plus
www.parentlineplus.org.uk  
Helpline: 0808 800 2222
Parentline Plus is a national charity that works for, and with, parents. It works to offer help and support through an innovative range of free, flexible, responsive services - shaped by parents for parents.

NSPCC Helpline
www.nspcc.org.uk
NSPCC Child Protection Helpline - 0808 800 5000
The NSPCC is a UK charity dedicated to stopping child abuse. You can call their child protection helpline or contact them via email at help@nspcc.org.uk.

Samaritans
www.samaritans.org.uk  
08457 90 90 90
Samaritans provides confidential emotional support 24/7 to those experiencing despair, distress or suicidal feelings.

Victim Support
www.victimsupport.org.uk  
Supportline: 0845 30 30 900
Victim Support is the national charity for victims of crime in England and Wales.

Citizen’s Advice Guide
www.adviceguide.org.uk  
Adviceguide provides information on your rights, including benefits, housing, family matters and employment, and on debt, consumer and legal issues. Produced by Citizens Advice, you can get information for all four UK countries - England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

www.chatdanger.com  
www.chatdanger.com  
A site all about the potential dangers on interactive services online like chat, IM, online games, email and on mobiles.

Kid Smart
www.kidsmart.org.uk  
Teaches children and adults about the internet and being a SMART surfer.

Barnardo's
www.barnardos.org.uk  
A children’s charity working to improve the lives of children.

Action for Children
www.actionforchildren.org.uk 
A children's charity that supports and speaks out for the UK's most vulnerable and neglected children and young people.

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation
www.lucyfaithfull.org.uk 
The Lucy Faithfull Foundation (LFF) is the only UK-wide child protection charity committed solely to reducing the risk of children being sexually abused. LFF’s staff work with all those affected by abuse including adult male and female sexual abusers; young people with inappropriate sexual behaviours; victims of abuse and other family members.

The Home Office Disclosure Scheme
Keeping children safe: your right to ask for a police check
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Yourchildshealthandsafety/WorriedAbout/DG_189569?CID=Parents&PLA=url_mon&CRE=keepingchildrensafe
If you are worried about someone in your child’s life, you can get them checked by the police to see if they have a record of child sexual offences. Find out what you need to do to get someone checked.

MOSAC (Mothers of Sexually Abused Children)
www.mosac.org.uk
MOSAC is a voluntary organisation supporting all non-abusing parents and carers whose children have been sexually abused. They provide advocacy, advice and information, befriending, counselling, play therapy and support groups following alleged child sexual abuse. Visit their website or call their national helpline on 0800 980 1958. 

NAPAC
www.napac.org.uk/
NAPAC is the National Association for People Abused in Childhood. It is a registered charity providing support and information for people abused in childhood. 

SURVIVORS UK 
www.survivorsuk.org/
Helpline: 0845 1221201.
Survivors UK provides information, support and counselling for men who have been raped or sexually abused. Thousands of men contact them each year.

The Safe Network
www.safenetwork.org.uk/Pages/default.aspx
Run by NSPCC, Children England & Child Accident Prevention Trust, the Safe Network works with voluntary and community organisations to help keep children and young people safe when taking part in activities.  There is a wide range of free information and advice available, access to safeguarding standards, training materials and other vital resources.

The Internet Watch Foundation
You can report child sexual abuse images hosted anywhere in the world, criminally obscene adult content hosted in the UK and non-photographic child sexual abuse images hosted in the UK, to the Internet Watch Foundation at www.iwf.org.uk.

Parent Port
www.parentport.org.uk
Parent Port is a website that has been set up to help parents, grandparents, guardians and carers make their voices heard in relation to media content they find inappropriate for children.

Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation (Pace)
www.paceuk.info
Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation (Pace) works alongside parents and carers whose children are or are at risk of being sexually exploited by perpetrators external to the family. They also offer guidance and training to professionals on how child sexual exploitation affects the whole family. They were formerly known as CROP. 

Lifecentre
www.lifecentre.uk.com/index.html
Lifecentre is a UK based charity that supports survivors of rape & sexual abuse. It offers a national helpline and a counselling team based in Sussex, England.

CCPAS
http://www.ccpas.co.uk/
CCPAS (The Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service) is the only independent Christian safeguarding charity which provides a 24 hour confidential helpline; Safeguarding policies; Professional training and advice; Disclosure checks; Breaking news updates and Support and resources. We exist to safeguard both children and vulnerable adults throughout the UK. We also work to help those throughout the UK who are, or have been, affected by child abuse and similar issues. They also produce literature for parents. Subjects include the development of children’s personal safety skills and helping children who have been abused. For more information, see their range of free downloadable Help! leaflets: http://www.ccpas.co.uk/InformationHelp.html.

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
www.bacp.co.uk
Provides a list of counsellors and psychotherapists and professional bodies offering therapy.

The Blast Project
http://mesmac.co.uk/blast
The Blast project is a the UK’s leading male only sexual exploitation project supporting and advocating for boys and young men. They deliver 1.1 emotional and practical support, group work in educational settings, and training and support for professionals. They also offer an anonymous reporting mechanism on their website for anyone concerned about a boy being sexually exploited (see http://mesmac.co.uk/report-now) in addition to online and phone support. Face to face is available in Leeds and Bradford and other services are available nationally. More information is available on their website.

Source:  https://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/useful_links.htm

Please visit https://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/home.htm for more information

Silent Solutions

The Secret Emergency Services Number That You Need To Know

Natalie Gil

‎13‎ ‎January‎ ‎2017, ‎10‎:‎29

 

 

Photo: Alexandra Gavillet

What would you do if you were in danger? Call 999, we'd hope. But what if talking or making a noise could put you or those around you in even more danger? What would you do then?

You might not know it, but emergency services in the UK have a special procedure in place for this very situation.

Usually, if you call 999 and are silent, the operator will ask you to make a noise, such as a cough. But if you're unable to make a sound?

You'll be put through to an operator and the best thing to do is dial 55, otherwise the call will end and the police won't attend, reported the Express & Echo.

Police have admitted in the past that they don't automatically investigate every silent 999 (or 112) call, because there's a chance someone may have mis-dialled the number.

They've recently issued a reminder to the public that the 55 feature, known as Silent Solutions, exists – it is little known and could save women's lives.

“Please do not think that just because you dial 999 that police will attend," a police spokesperson told the Express & Echo.

“We totally understand that sometimes people are unable or too afraid to talk, however it must be clear that we will not routinely attend a silent 999 call.”

So, if you were as clueless about this as we were, why not help spread the word?

 

Source: http://www.refinery29.uk/2017/01/136061/emergency-services-phone-number-55

This app covers a majority of the frequently asked questions received by the Police. It is free and can be downloaded from the Apple Store. 

Useful Police–led  websites  offering advice are:

http://www.safe.met.police.uk/

http://content.met.police.uk/Site/Advice

Useful contact details for victim support:

• Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111
• Anti-terrorist Hotline: 0800 789 321
• British Transport Police: 0800 40 50 40
• Victim Supportline: 0845 30 30 900
• Action Fraud: 0300 123 2040
• NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000

• The Suzy Lamplugh Trust:

In 1986 Suzy Lamplugh, a 25 year old estate agent, disappeared after she went to meet an unknown client.  She has been presumed murdered and was legally declared dead in 1993. To date her body has not been found. Her parents, Paul and Diana Lamplugh, believed that Suzy, like most people at that time – and even now – was simply unaware of the possible dangers that individuals can face in society. Paul and Diana founded the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to highlight the risks people face and to offer advice, action and support to minimise those risks.

What The Suzy Lamplugh Trust does:

•Helping and supporting people - through the provision of free safety tips, managing the National Stalking Helpline; selling targeted resources to help people improve their personal safety

•Education – training of organisations and individuals in personal safety through in-house training and open access courses; publishing guidance; providing workplace support and consultancy

•Campaigning – working in partnership with other charities, private and statutory organisations; raising awareness; influencing policy makers

General enquiries or information about personal safety: info@suzylamplugh.org

Enquiries about personal safety training: training@suzylamplugh.org

General Enquiries: 020 7091 0014

(Phone lines are open Monday to Friday from 9.30am until 5.00pm)

Website: http://www.suzylamplugh.org/

(There is a Contact form available online)

• The Havens:

 We are a network of specialist sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) located across London and open 24/7. Our three centres work closely together to ensure that the same level of service is provided wherever a victim of sexual assault presents.

By providing a good, immediate service, we can reduce the risk of long-term problems as well as preventing the loss of evidence, which is crucial if rapists are to be convicted and prevented from committing further assaults.

We are centres of excellence and our work is internationally recognised as gold standard in the field. Since opening in 2000, we have welcomed more than 20,000 people for specialist care after rape or sexual assault.

Making an appointment :

We are available to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You don’t have to be referred or speak to the police to see us. And you can pick which Haven you prefer to come to.

But you must phone us first to make an appointment.

We have three centres across London.

•Camberwell (south London): 020 3299 1599

•Paddington (west London): 020 3312 1101

•Whitechapel (east London): 020 7247 4787

If you report the rape or assault to the police first, they will organise your visit to the Havens and take you to the nearest one.

• Victim Support:

Victim Support is the independent charity for victims and witnesses of crime in England and Wales. We were set up 40 years ago and have grown to become the oldest and largest victims' organisation in the world.

How to contact us:

If you've been a victim of crime and would like our help there are several ways to get in touch:

Contact the Supportline. They'll give you information and support over the phone and can direct you to your nearest office. Call on 08 08 16 89 111.

Website: https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/

Please note: the best way to request information or support through the website is through our callback facility. If you prefer, you can still email us, but bear in mind that sending personal information about yourself or your situation over a standard email is not secure.

Police referral

If you've reported a crime to the police you can expect to hear from us within a couple of days. If you told the police not to pass your details on to us you won’t hear from us, but if you’ve changed your mind you can contact us anytime.

You don’t have to report a crime to the police to get our help.

The crime that affected you doesn’t have to be recent. You can contact us days, weeks, months or even years after the experience.

We're an independent charity so you can talk to us confidentially without involving the police or other parts of the criminal justice system.

There are links to the following organisations from this website:

•Action Fraud

•Age UK

•ASB Help

•Ask the Police

•BBC Watchdog: consumer advice

•Brook

•Citizens Advice

•Code for Victims

•Crown Prosecution Service

•Crown Prosecution Service: victims and witnesses

•Crown Prosecution Service: victim personal statements

•Crimestoppers

•Cruse Bereavement Care

•Digital stalking: a guide to technology risks for victims

•DWP

•Equality and Human Rights Commission

•Faith matters

•Family Planning Association: find a clinic

•Financial Fraud Action UK

•Foreign and Commonwealth Office

•From report to court: a handbook for adult survivors of sexual violence

•Get Safe Online

•Gov.uk benefits

•Gov.uk benefit enquiry line

•Gov.uk Claim compensation for a criminal injury

•Gov.uk Crime, justice and the law

•Gov.uk Consumer rights

•Gov.uk domestic violence and abuse

•Gov.uk DVLA

•Gov.uk Find your local council

•Gov.uk Get help if you’re a victim of crime abroad

•Gov.uk Going to court as a victim or witness

•Gov.uk How to contact the police

•Gov.uk National Fraud Authority

•Gov.uk Rape and sexual assault abroad

•Gov.uk Reducing knife, gun and gang crime

•Gov.uk Report a rape or sexual assault

•Helpline Association

•Met Police fraud alert

•Ministry of Justice

•National Association for People Abused in Childhood

•National Offender Management Service

•National Stalking Helpline

•National Stalking Helpline Forum

•Neighbourhood Watch

•Network for Surviving Stalkers

•NHS Direct

•NHS: find services

•NSPCC

•Ofcom – how to complain about TV, radio or on demand services

•PCC guidance – media attention following a death

•Police.uk

•Post Office

•Post traumatic stress disorder

•Press Complaints Commission

•Rape Crisis

•Refuge

•Reporting Restrictions in the Crown Courts

•Restorative Justice Council

•Samaritans

•Sentencing Council

•Shelter

•Stop Learning Disability Hate Crime Helpline

•Survivors UK

•Terrence Higgins Trust

•Which? Consumer Rights

•Why me?

•Winston’s Wish

•Women’s Aid

• SupportLine

SupportLine provides a confidential telephone helpline offering emotional support to any individual on any issue. The Helpline is primarily a preventative service and aims to support people before they reach the point of crisis. It is particularly aimed at those who are socially isolated, vulnerable, at risk groups and victims of any form of abuse. SupportLine is a member of the Helplines Association. SupportLine also provides support by email and post.

Helpline: 01708 765200 (hours vary so ring for details)

Email: info@supportline.org.uk

Post: SupportLine, PO Box 2860, Romford, Essex RM7 1JA

Website: http://www.supportline.org.uk/

The website has links to organisations that may be of help with the following topics:

•Abortion

•Alcohol

•Anger management

•Anorexia

•Anti-social behaviour

•Anxiety

•Armed Services and Ex Services

•Assertiveness

•Autism / Aspergers

•Bereavement

•Bereavement (Pets)

•Bulimia

•Bullying (Cyber Bullying)

•Bullying (School)

•Bullying (Work)

•Cancer

•Carers

•Child Abuse

•Child Abuse - Survivors

•Complementary Medicine

•Consumer

•Counselling

•Debt

•Depression

•Disability

•Domestic Violence

•Drugs

•Education

•Ethnic Minority Groups

•Exam Stress

 •Forced Marriages

•Gambling

•Gender Identity

•Hate Crime

•Health

•Homelessness

•Internet Safety

•Learning Disability

•Legal Advice

•Live Your Dreams

•Loneliness

•Mental Health

•Offenders & Family Support

•Older People

•Parents (Talking to)

•Power to Change

•Pregnancy

•Rape & Sexual Assault

•Refugees / Asylum-Seekers

•Relationships/Family

•Self Esteem

•Self Help

•Self Injury / Self Harm

•Sexuality

•Stalking

•Stress

•Suicide

•Support (Children & Young People)

•Trauma

•Volunteering

Remember, if you want to speak directly with a SupportLine worker in confidence, please call 01708 765200

Woman's AidWomen’s Aid is the national charity for women and children working to end domestic abuse. Over the past 40 years Women’s Aid has been at the forefront of shaping and coordinating responses to domestic violence and abuse through practice. We empower survivors by keeping their voices at the heart of our work, listening and responding to their needs. We are a federation of over 220 organisations who provide more than 300 local lifesaving services to women and children across the country. We provide expert training, qualifications and consultancy to a range of agencies and professionals working with survivors or commissioning domestic abuse services, and award a National Quality Mark for services which meet our quality standards. Our campaigns achieve change in policy, practice and awareness, encouraging healthy relationships and helping to build a future where domestic abuse is no longer tolerated. The 24 Hour National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247 (run in partnership with Refuge) and our range of online services, which include the Survivors’ Forum, help hundreds of thousands of women and children every year.

To see the A-Z of services in London, go to:

Webpage: http://www.womensaid.org.uk/azrefuges.asp?section=00010001000800060002&itemTitle=A-Z+of+services