Domestic Abuse

If you are experiencing domestic abuse and need help and advice on the housing options which are available to you please contact the housing advice team in confidence. 

Sometimes it's difficult to know

• Does your partner or ex-partner threaten you and your children?

• Are you and your children often frightened by your partner?

• Are you constantly degraded and picked on?

• Are you not allowed to have contact with friends and family?

• Does your partner constantly check where you have been, how much you spend, who you speak to?

Domestic abuse covers a range of behaviours including physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse, within all types of relationships. This can include threats, constant criticism, isolation, money being controlled and forced sex.

What can I do?

If you are being abused it is useful to talk to someone about what has happened, even if you do not want to do anything about it. Often it is helpful to speak to someone and get some support for yourself. Getting someone to record the incidents will help you in the future if you do decide to take action.

Useful Contacts:

In an emergency call 999

Homelessness - 0345 129 8075 (Mon - Fri 9am - 4.30pm). Out of hours please call P3 on 0808 1692 333 or Email: outofhourshousing-derbys@p3charity.org

Derbyshire Domestic Abuse 24 Hour Helpline This is a single point of access for local services, available to men and women over 16 years of age. They offer a wide range of services such as access to emergency refuge accommodation, outreach support (including counselling, self esteem and confidence building), advocacy, safety planning, safety measures in the home, children's support and more. Tel: 0800 0198 668. If you're hearing impaired, or unable to phone, text tel: 07534 617252.

Crossroads Derbyshire is a domestic abuse service that works with women, men, young people and children to help them to escape domestic abuse and to build a safe future for themselves and their families. They offer children's and adults' outreach services and aftercare, counselling, and refuge for women and children suffering from physical, sexual, emotional and financial abuse, and control and coercion. They offer one-to-one and group programmes, and specialist work for young people aged 11-19, which focuses on healthy relationships, self-esteem, and safety.

National Domestic Violence 24 Hour Helpline 0808 200 0247 You can talk confidentially to someone about your situation and find out what your options are. 

If you are a man experiencing domestic abuse you can contact the Men's Advice Line on 0808 801 0327.  

If you are in a same-sex relationship you can call the National LGBT Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0800 999 5428.

Housing options

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, one of the biggest decisions you will make is whether or not to leave your home. If you do not have anywhere to stay or are in any doubt about your housing options, then you should seek housing advice from our homelessness team. We will discuss your circumstances and talk through the options available to you, which will vary depending upon what is considered safe and appropriate for your needs.

Options might include:

• Making a homelessness application
• Applying to go on the housing register
• Securing a place in a refuge
• Looking into private accommodation

It might be that you do not wish to leave your home, in which case our homelessness officers can discuss measures that would allow you to remain your home safely. This could be help with access to legal remedies such as injunctions where these might be effective or the provision of a sanctuary scheme or other security measures. Sanctuary schemes can prevent homelessness by enabling victims to remain safely in their home where it is their choice, and it is safe to do so. A sanctuary comprises enhanced security measures in the home which delay or prevent a perpetrator from gaining entry into and within a property, and allow time for the police to arrive. Use of sanctuary is not appropriate if the perpetrator lives at, or retains a legal right to enter the home, or if the victim continues to be at risk in the vicinity around the home.

Domestic abuse and eligibility

People who have no recourse to public funds are not generally eligible for homelessness assistance. However, the Destitute Domestic Violence Concession supports those who have entered or stayed in the UK as a spouse, unmarried partner, same-sex or civil partner of a British Citizen, or settled citizen and this relationship has permanently broken down due to domestic violence and abuse.

You can apply to the Home Office for limited leave to remain (three months) under the Destitute Domestic Violence Concession, to enable you to access public funds and advice, whilst you prepare and apply for indefinite leave to remain, or make alternative arrangements.