Domestic abuse support services

If you cannot speak, respond to the questions from the call operator by coughing, tapping, or pressing “55”.

Does your family member, partner or carer hurt, threaten, or try to control you?

You could be experiencing domestic abuse.

Domestic abuse includes any single incident or multiple incidents of those listed below, These take place within a current or past intimate relationship, or within a family, or caring arrangement.

• Someone tries to control you by tracking your actions in person or online, or by limiting access to your money, medicine, or contact with other people,
• Someone forces you into doing things you do not want to do or acts in a way to make you fear their reaction,
• Someone makes threats of harm towards you or someone you care about,
• Someone is violent or abusive.

Domestic abuse can include any form of psychological, physical, sexual, financial, or emotional abuse. This also includes forced marriage, honour-based violence or female genital mutilation.

Domestic abuse can happen to anyone. You are not to blame. You are not alone.

You can contact the services below for free and confidential support and advice.

Call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline if you want to talk about your experience, seek refuge accommodation, or access other support services. Call 0808 2000 247  Available 24/7

This helpline is available for non-English speaking callers

Download the Support Services Directory leaflet: Contact the services in this leaflet for free and confidential support and advice.

Domestic abuse drop-in centres

Run by trained support officers, for immediate advice and support. No appointment is needed.

Visit:

• Best Start Family Hub: Queens Road, 215 Queens Road E17 8PJ.
  10am to 4pm Monday to Wednesday
• Best Start Family Hub: Chingford, 5 Oaks Grove, Chingford, E4 6EY.
  Telephone: 020 8496 1551
  10am to 1pm Friday
• Best Start Family Hub: Walthamstow, 313 Billet Road, Walthamstow, E17 5PX.
  Telephone: 020 8496 3511
  10am to 4pm Thursday
• Best Start Family Hub: Leytonstone, 2 to 8 Cathall Road, London, E11 4LF.
  Telephone: 020 8496 2960
  10am to 4pm Thursday 

National helpline for survivors of stalking

Call 0808 802 0300. Available 9:30 to 4pm Monday to Friday

Helpline for male or female survivors of rape or sexual assault

Call 0808 802 9999. Available 12 to 2.30pm and 7 to 9:30pm Monday to Sunday

Waltham Forest Solace Women’s Aid

Practical and emotional support, information, and help to access specialist services, eg legal options, financial advice, and reporting to the police.

Call 07340 683382 or email walthamforestIDSVAservice@ solacewomensaid.org.

Financial Support Line for Survivors of domestic abuse

Advice and support for those in financial difficulty. Surviving Economic website

Call 0808 1968845. Available 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 12:30pm Friday.

Ashiana Network

Advice and support for South Asian, Turkish and Iranian women.

Call 020 8539 0427

Kiran Support Services

Advice and support for women and children from Asian backgrounds.

Call 020 8558 1986. Available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday

Email: Info@kiranss.org.uk

IMECE

Advice, information, and support for women from Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot backgrounds.

Call 020 7354 1359. Available 9:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday

Karma Nirvana

Advice and support for victims of honour-based violence and forced marriage.

Call 0800 5999 247. Available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday

Southall Black Sisters

Advice and support for Black, African, or Caribbean Women, as well as survivors with no recourse to public funds.

Call 0208 571 9595. Available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday

Latin American Women’s Aid

Advice and support for Latin American Women.

Call 020 7275 0321 phone number has a web link on it that goes to a mobile number. Available 9:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday

Email referrals@lawadv.org.uk

The Traveller Movement

Advice and peer support for women from Irish, Gypsy, or Roma Traveller backgrounds experiencing abuse.

Call 0207 607 2002

Email info@travellermovement.org.uk

SurvivorsUk

Helpline for any male victims who have experienced rape or sexual abuse as adults or as children.

Call 0203 598 3898. Available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday

Text 020 3322 1860. Available 12pm to 8pm Monday to Sunday

Email help@survivorsuk.org

Men’s Advice Line

Helpline for any man experiencing domestic violence and abuse from a partner, ex-partner or another family member.

Call 0808 801 0327. Available 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday

Email info@mensadviceline.org.uk. Available 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday. And 10am to 12pm and 4pm to 6pm Saturday to Sunday

Stay Safe East

Advice and support for survivors with disabilities or deaf people who have experienced domestic abuse or hate crime.

Call or Text 07865 340 122. Available 10am to 5pm Monday to Thursday

Email enquiries@staysafe-east.org.uk

Respond

Support for people with learning disabilities, autism, or both, who have experienced trauma or abuse.

Call 020 7383 0700

Email admin@respond.org.uk

SignHealth

Advice and support for deaf survivors.

Text 07800 003421

Call 020 3947 2601

Email da@signhealth.org.uk

National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline (GALOP)

Advice and support for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, or Intersex survivors.

Call 0800 999 5248. Available 10am to 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Friday 10 to 8pm Wednesday to Thursday

Email help@galop.org.uk

Stonewall Housing

Housing advice for LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic abuse.

Call 020 7359 5767. Available 10am to 1pm Monday to Friday

Email info@stonewallhousing.org

HourGlass

Advice and support for older victims of abuse and neglect.

Call 0808 808 8141 or text 078 6005 2906. Available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday

Email helpline@wearehourglass.org

The Mix

Free information and support for under 25s in the UK facing challenges or in crisis.

Call 0808 808 4994. Available 3pm to 12am Monday to Sunday

Text THEMIX to 85258 if you are in a crisis. Available 24/7

Email help@themix.org.uk

Muslim Women’s Network

Offer confidential and non-judgemental information, support, and guidance for Muslim women, girls, and men, on issues such as domestic or sexual abuse, forced marriage, stalking etc.

Call 0800 999 5786

Jewish Women’s Aid

Providing advice and support for Jewish women and children affected by domestic or sexual violence.

Call 0808 801 0500 for the Domestic Abuse helpline. Or 0808 801 0656 for the Sexual Violence support line. Available 3pm to 5pm Monday and Wednesday, 10am to 12pm Tuesday and Thursday

Jewish Women's Aid website

Email clientsupport@jwa.org.uk

Domestic violence support services translated 

To ensure that everyone has access to the information they need We have translated the domestic abuse support service information into the following nine languages

• Domestic abuse support service in Arabic (PDF)
• Domestic abuse support service in Bulgarian (PDF)
• Domestic abuse support service in Kurdish (PDF)
• Domestic abuse support service in Polish (PDF)
• Domestic abuse support service in Slovakian (PDF)
• Domestic abuse support service in Romanian (PDF)
• Domestic abuse support service in Russian (PDF)
• Domestic abuse support service in Turkish (PDF)
• Domestic abuse support service in Urdu (PDF)

Ascent Legal Advice Line

Free and confidential information, legal advice, and advocacy for women and girls affected by gendered violence and abuse.

Call 0808 801 0660. Available 10am to 4pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Wednesday; 6pm to 9pm

Email advice@wgn.org.uk

Rights of Women Family Law Advice Line

Free and confidential legal advice for women on family law issues such as domestic violence, divorce and relationship breakdown, parental responsibility, and arrangements for children.

Call 020 7608 1137 (London only). Available 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm Monday and Thursday, 2pm to 4pm Tuesday and Wednesday

Victim Support

Provide practical advice and emotional support for anyone going to court or taking legal proceedings.

Call 0808 1689 111. Available 24/7

Respect

If you're worried about your behaviour you can contact the helpline offering advice, information and support to help you stop being violent and abusive.

Call 0808 802 4040. Available 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday

Email info@respectphoneline.org.uk

Search respect phone line website

Rise Mutual

Provide services to support perpetrators to stop abuse through to change attitudes and behaviours through group work and one-to-one sessions for men and women. 

Call 07495 099694

Email info@risemutual.org

Obtaining medical evidence of domestic abuse

You do not need evidence of domestic abuse to access support from Waltham Forest Council or other authorities. If you would like to obtain medical evidence of domestic abuse, your GP is not allowed to charge you for this.

Get help accessing your home to retrieve important belongings if it is not safe for you to do so alone

Call the police on 101 to request a supervised visit to your property so that you can collect key documents, clothes, possessions etc.

Register your phone to enable you to contact 999 by text in an emergency

1. Text “Register” to 999.
2. Read the text response from 999 and respond “Yes”.
3. Your mobile phone will then be registered for you to text details of any emergency (which service is required? What has happened? Where has it happened?) to 999. Only use this service in an emergency.

Search the Relay UK website for more information.

Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme - Clare’s Law

The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (Clare’s Law) gives anyone of any gender the right to ask the police if their current/ex/potential partner, relative, or friend poses a risk to them. Anyone can also make this request on the behalf of someone else.

1. Make a request;
   • online by searching “Clare’s law” on the Met Police Website.
   • Visit a police station in person
2. You will need your full name, address, date of birth, and the same information for the person you believe poses a risk (if possible). The same information will be required if you are making the request on behalf of someone else.
3. The application will be reviewed, and if the decision is made to allow you to be given the information, you will be asked to meet with a specialist police officer.

Anonymously report a crime

Contact Crimestoppers by

• Calling 0800 555 111
• Searching the Crimestoppers website.

Download a personal safety app

Hollie Guard App

1. Download the Hollie Guard app from the Google Play Store or Apple App store. This is a personal safety app through which you can discreetly alert your friends, family, or other emergency contacts if you are in danger.
2. Register your details within the app.

Search the Hollie Guard website for more information.

Waltham Forest Safe Streets App

1. Download the Waltham Forest Safe Streets app from Google Play Store or Apple App store. This app is an easy way for residents to report incidents of street harassment in the borough. 

For more information, visit our Safe Streets, Safe Homes webpage.

Get help to pay for train tickets to access a refuge if a survivor is fleeing domestic abuse

1. A survivor (male or female) makes contact with a Women’s Aid domestic abuse service.
2. If it’s appropriate to refer the survivor to refuge, the survivor will be informed once a refuge vacancy has been confirmed.
3. Once the survivor has a confirmed refuge space, the refuge can book a train ticket for the survivor so they can travel for free.
4. After booking the ticket, the refuge can send the ticket and collection details to the survivor via a mobile phone. The survivor can then either use an e-ticket sent to their mobile phone or pick the ticket up from the station using any debit or credit card.

Search the Woman's aid website for more information.

Access a safe space using the “Ask for ANI” codeword

1. Visit any of the following participating services eg Boots Pharmacy, Superdrug, Morrison’s Pharmacy, TSB Banks, or your local safes pace.
2. Ask at the healthcare counter to use their safe space or ask for “Ani”.
3. You'll then be taken to a safe space in a consultancy room where information on domestic abuse support will be available.

Search the UK says no more website for the full list of participating venues and to find your local safe space.

Access services to take care of your pet should you need to flee your accommodation

1. If you own a dog in greater London, call Dogs Trust Freedom Project on 0800 298 9199 or search Dogs Trust Freedom Project.
2. If you own a cat in greater London, call Paws Protect on 0345 260 1280 or search Cats protection.

To access mental health advice and support

Call the Samaritans on 116 123 at any time.

To access advice and support around alcohol and drugs if you are concerned for yourself or another

Drinkline

For support around alcohol call 0300 123 1110. Available 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm Saturday to Sunday.

Frank

For support around drugs:

• call 0300 123 6600 or text 82111 at any time
• Email https://www.talktofrank.com/contact
• Search talktofrank website

Change Grow Live

For local support around drugs and alcohol call 0203 826 9600. Available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday

Email cgl.walthamforest@cgl.org.uk

Waltham Forest can provide translation and interpretation services, including BSL and Braille as needed.