Safeguarding and domestic abuse

We are here to help. Even if all you want to do is talk to someone or just want to find out about your options. Please contact one of our neighbourhood officers:

• email housing@soha.co.uk
• call us on 01235 515 900 (or Freephone 0800 014 15 45)
• call into our office

We have a range of ways we can help and support you. We will:

• always treat any information you give us confidentially
• always offer you an appointment within 48 hours
• arrange for you to meet with either a male or female member of staff – whoever you would feel most at ease with
• meet you wherever you feel most comfortable (ie at home, in our office or somewhere neutral (a café, family centre, etc)
• support you to stay in your home, unless we agree a move is the best option
• improve the security of your home
• put you in touch with other support services
• take legal action against the perpetrator, if appropriate

Many cases of domestic abuse are crimes. In these cases we will work closely with the police to support you.

Soha is a proud member of the Chartered Institute of Housing’s #MakeaStand campaign. One of the things we’ve pledged to do by being part of this is to appoint champions to drive our efforts to support people experiencing domestic abuse. They are Karen Prickett and Jade Wickens. You can ‘meet’ Karen on the Vale and West locality page here Vale & West Team – Soha Housing and Jade on the Didcot page Didcot Team – Soha Housing.  (They’re available to you wherever you live, not just in those localities.)

Here’s some practical advice, but remember, if you are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you are unable to talk on the phone, listen to the questions from the operator when you have called 999 and, if possible, respond by coughing or tapping the head set. The operator can pick up details of your location from a landline phone call. If you have to replace the handset, the operator will stay on the line for 45 seconds in case you want to resume the call by picking it up again.

If you are calling from a mobile, you can press 55 to be put straight through to the police. This does not allow them to track your location.

• Do you have a neighbour you can trust who can call the police if they hear a disturbance at your home?
• Think about where you could go if you had to leave home in a hurry
• Think of a code word – tell your children, family and neighbours so that they can call the police if you use it
• Keep enough money somewhere safe for a taxi/bus/train fare for emergencies
• Keep safe other important documents like passports, driving licence, National Insurance number, marriage/birth certificates, etc
• Get a spare set of house and car keys cut
• Make sure you have important telephone numbers stored in your phone (GP surgery, school, etc)
• Think about how quickly you could gather together important medicines, baby provisions, children’s toys, etc if you needed to. But it’s better to leave things behind than put you or your children’s safety at risk

Reducing the risk of domestic abuse: 0800 731 0055

Oxfordshire area 24-hour, free, helpline (it won’t show on your home telephone bill but may appear on your itemised mobile phone bill).

National Domestic Abuse helpline: 0808 2000 247

This is the key national charity working to end domestic violence against women and children. National 24-hour, free helpline (it won’t show on your home telephone bill but may appear on your itemised mobile phone bill).

Refuge: 0808 2000 247

Refuge supports women and children through a range of services, including refuges, independent advocacy, community outreach and culturally specific services

Victim Support: 0808 168 9111

Confidential service providing practical and emotional support.

National Centre for Domestic Abuse: 0800 970 2070

Provides fast, free legal advice to victims of domestic violence.

Rape Crisis: 0808 802 9999

Help for women and girls who have experienced sexual violence. Some local rape crisis organisations also provide services to men and boys; if they don’t then they will be able to provide details of other relevant local support organisations.

Relate
Can offer counselling to individuals who are in or have left a violent relationship.

Kiran Asian Women’s Aid: 020 8558 1986

Advice and support for Asian women.

Hourglass: 0808 808 8141

Formerly Action on Elder Abuse, Hourglass runs the UK’s only national, freephone helpline for anyone concerned about an older person who is at risk of, experiencing or recovering from any form of abuse or neglect. You can test the helpline on 07860 052906 or email helpline@wearehourglass.org

Shelterline: 0808 800 4444

Free housing advice helpline from Shelter.

Family Lives: 0808 800 2222

A confidential and free helpline service (previously known as Parentline) offering information, advice, guidance and support on any aspect of parenting and family life.

Survivors UK: 0845 122 1201

Survivors UK provides information, support and counselling for men who have been raped or sexually abused.

The ManKind Initiative: 01823 334 244

A confidential helpline for men who experience violence from their partners or ex-partners.

ChildLine: 0800 1111

Advice and support for children. Also covers the work of the former Asian Child Protection Helpline.

Young Minds Parenting Helpline: 0808 802 5544

Improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people and empowering their parents and carers

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender helplines

Broken Rainbow: 0300 9995 428

Provides services, advice and support to the lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender community experiencing domestic violence.

Switchboard, the LGBT+ Helpline: 0300 330 0630

Provides an information, support and referral service for lesbians, gay men, bisexual, transgender people and anyone who needs to help/advice with issues around their sexuality.

DeafHope:
Text 07966 976749
info@signhealth.org.uk
phone 020 3947 2600

DeafHope is the only sign-language based service designed to help deaf women and children who suffer domestic violence .

Respond:
0808 808 0700

Provides advice and support to disabled people with learning difficulties who have been abused.