Domestic violence
Frightened, threatened or being bullied by your partner or someone close to you?
What is domestic violence?
Domestic violence can involve someone:
- hitting, slapping or pushing you
- swearing, calling names or putting you down
- forcing you to have sex
- threatening to hurt you, your children, your pet or someone you care about
- damaging your home, car or property
- using your immigration status to control you
- forcing you to marry someone against your will
- not giving you enough money or taking all your money
- stalking
Domestic violence usually happens many times. The abuser tries to have power over their victim and the victim will often live in fear.
Domestic violence mainly involves violence by men against women but it can affect anyone. It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you live or whether you are a man or woman.
People don’t always report domestic violence straight away.
What you can do
- Tell someone about what is happening to you, especially a doctor, social worker or your neighbourhood manager
- Report it to the police (you don’t have to press charges)
- Plan your escape and make up a special code you can use for a friend or relative to call the police
- Put some emergency money aside for taxi fares
- Take some of your things to a close friend or relative, and someone you can trust
- Have a bag packed in case you need to leave in a hurry
- Keep important documents such as birth certificates, benefit books, immigration papers and marriage certificates in a safe place so you can take them in a hurry
- After you leave, try not to leave any clues about where you are
In an emergency always call 999.
Our responsibility to you
We will support victims of domestic violence and can help them to leave the place where they’re being abused. We have a full range of ways to help victims of domestic violence. All our officers are trained to help victims.
If you report domestic violence to us, we will:
- meet you at a convenient time for you
- try to understand and listen to what you say
- arrange a meeting with someone of the same sex as you, if you prefer
- interview you at your home or somewhere convenient and comfortable for you
- allow you to bring a friend to the meeting if it makes you feel more comfortable
- treat any information you give us confidentially
- not ask for evidence of violence at the first interview, but you will need to give us details later
- refer you to other organisations for more support
- arrange for someone to go home with you if you are frightened to return to your home
- improve the security to your home if you do not wish to leave your home
- refer you for temporary accommodation to the council
- offer a transfer where you cannot remain in your home
- make a safe room in your home
- take court action against the abuser to evict them from the property
Under our tenancy agreement, a resident can be evicted for causing domestic violence to any person living in the household or nearby or who may have had a relationship with him or her.
Remember we are here to help, even if all you want to do is to talk to someone. Please contact us.
Other support organisations
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, confidential help and support is available from:
- National Domestic Violence Helpline – telephone: 0808 2000 247
- Men’s Advice Line – telephone: 0808 801 0327
- Broken Rainbow (for LGBT survivors) – telephone: 0300 999 5428
- Forced Marriage Unit – telephone: 020 7008 0151
- Solace Women’s Aid – telephone: 0808 802 5565
- Hestia (Brent Women’s Aid) – telephone: 020 8965 0391
- Asian Women’s Resource Centre – telephone: 020 8961 6549
- Brent Victim Support – telephone: 020 8965 1141
- Police Community Safety Units – in an emergency dial 999; police non-emergencies dial 101
You can also contact one of the following organisations:
