Domestic abuse

• In an emergency or if anyone is at risk of immediate harm call 999.
• Local Helpline - FREEVA (Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm; Weekends and Bank Holidays 10am to 4pm) 0808 80 200 28 or by text (only) 07715 994 962
• 24-hour national domestic abuse helpline – 0808 2000 247

Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexuality or background. There are different kinds of abuse that can happen in different contexts. The most prevalent type of domestic abuse occurs in relationships. But the definition of domestic abuse also covers abuse between family members, such as adolescent to parent violence and abuse.

Domestic Abuse can be a one-off incident, or a course of on-going behaviour and can occur in relationships regardless of age, race, sex, sexuality, disability, wealth, gender identity, and lifestyle. Forced Marriage, Female Genital Mutilation, and so called ‘honour’ based violence are also considered as Domestic Abuse.

Recognising domestic abuse is not always easy. Some of the signs that can indicate an abusive relationship are:

• Emotional abuse includes belittling or putting you down, blaming you for abuse or arguments, denying or playing down abuse, accusing you of flirting or having affairs
• Financial abuse can include controlling your money or not allowing you to access enough to buy food or other essential items
• Physical abuse includes slapping, punching, shoving, kicking, biting, burning, choking, holding you down or throwing things
• Sexual abuse can be touching you in a way you don’t want to be touched, making unwanted sexual demands, pressurising you to have sex or unsafe sex, hurting you during sex. If anyone, including your partner or former partner, has sex with you when you don’t want to, this is rape.
• Threats and intimidation including threats to hurt or kill you, destroying things that belong to you, threatening to kill themselves or the children, reading your emails, texts or letters or harassing or following you.

If you’re worried you, or someone you know, may be experiencing domestic abuse, then there are a number of agencies that offer specialist support and we would encourage that you contact one of them directly:

• In an emergency or if anyone is at risk of immediate harm call 999
• If immediate assistance is not required you can report Domestic Abuse to Leicestershire police on 101 (non-emergency number).
• FREEVA - Domestic Abuse support for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Freephone 0808 80 200 28
• The Freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline run by Refuge offers support for women: 0808 2000 247
• The free Respect Men’s Advice Line offers support for men: 0808 801 0327
• Galop’s free National LGBTQ+ Domestic Abuse Helpline offers support for LGBTQ+ people: 0800 999 5428
• The free Respect Phoneline offers support for men and women who are harming their partners and families: 0808 802 4040
• The free NSPCC helpline offers support for anyone worried about a child: 0808 800 5000
• Karma Nirvana offers support for victims of forced marriages and so-called honour crimes: 0800 599 9247
• Friends, Families and Travellers offers support for Gypsy and Traveller communities experiencing domestic violence: 01273 234777