Domestic abuse (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)

The Community Safety Partnership has a website resource which includes:

• Advice for citizens
• Information for professionals
• Directory of local services
• Signposting to services outside the Borough which offer support.

The resource identifies many services within the Borough which are committed to providing help and support for people who experience domestic violence including victims, children and perpetrators.

The webpage is available at: Domestic abuse services directory

Six police forces across the North East, Yorkshire and Humberside have come together, along with their local partners, to provide a better protection to victims and their families and to bring more perpetrators to justice.

Further information is available at: http://dawsa.org.uk/

Listed below are the key services, both statutory and non-statutory, within the borough available to residents:

Local Services

Apna Ghar: Offers support to minority ethnic women.

Changing Lives GAP (Girls Are Proud) / MAP (Male Action Project): Changing Lives GAP / MAP provides assertive outreach to vulnerable men and women who are involved in sex work or at risk of being sexually exploited, and are over the age of 16.  

Changing Lives Domestic Abuse Services: Changing Lives support women and girls who have suffered from childhood abuse and domestic abuse. We understand the on-going impact this has, and we focus on recovery, resilience and community integration.

Domestic & Sexual Violence Workplace Champions: Form part of a Northumbria-wide network of Champions. Domestic Violence Workplace Champions have an important role within their organisations, both in the public and private sector, in raising awareness around the issue of domestic and sexual violence and guiding people, including their colleagues, towards help and guidance.

Homefinder (Homeless Service): This service provides advice and assistance to those who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or are unable to remain in their current home.

Impact Family Services: Impact Family Services provides services for individuals and families who are facing a difficult time due to separation and/or divorce, domestic violence and abuse, and for children and young people affected by family or peer relationships.

Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVA) Service: Provides crisis intervention, support, advice and information to high risk victims of domestic abuse (male and female, including those in same sex relationships) whether you are still in a relationship or are separated from your partner.

Northumbria Police: Choice helpline: Northumbria Police Helpline provides confidential advice and assistance to anyone who may be suffering from Honour-Based Violence or has been or may be forced into marriage.

Northumbria Police: Safeguarding Department: Northumbria Police Safeguarding Department provides help and advice to victims and investigates rape offences, domestic and child abuse as well as monitors sex offenders and dangerous offenders living in the community.

Places for People (South Tyneside Women's Aid) Women's Refuge: Places for People offers advice and support as well as providing safe, temporary and emergency accommodation to women, with or without children, at risk of domestic abuse.

Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland (RCTN): Provides information, support and counselling to girls and women, aged 13 and over, who have experienced any form of sexual violence at any times in their lives.

REACH (Rape, Examination, Advice and Counselling Help): Free, confidential counselling, support and advice service for women aged 16 and over.

Relate Northumberland and Tyneside: Offers a range of services to help with all relationships, whether young or old, straight or gay, single or in a relationship.

Respect: A confidential and anonymous helpline for anyone concerned about their violence and/or abuse towards a partner or ex-partner.

Safe Hands Children's Service (Impact Family Services): Ear 4 U Children's Service provides support and advice for children, aged 5 - 11 who have witnessed and been affected by domestic abuse.

Sanctuary Scheme: If the fear of domestic abuse is making you think about moving, the Sanctuary Scheme could make it possible for you to stay living safely in your own home, if the perpetrator no longer lives there.

South Tyneside Domestic Abuse Perpetrators Programme (STDAPP): The programme is for any man who is concerned about his behaviour towards his partner or ex-partner and wants to change. This service is no longer operating an open door policy - they are now commissioned to provide a limited service via referral from Children Social Care only.

Women's Health in South Tyneside (WHiST): WHiST provides a wide range of services for women in South Tyneside.

National Services

Chinese Information Advice Centre: Women Support Project: Provides support to women victims of domestic violence on issues relating to housing, legal protection, welfare benefits and children.

Elder Abuse Response Line: Elder Abuse Response Line offers a confidential helpline.

Forced Marriage Unit: Provides advice and support to victims of forced marriage as well as to professionals dealing with cases.

Galop: Galop provides emotional and practical support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people experiencing domestic abuse.

Halo Project: Halo Project supports victims of honour-based violence, forced marriages, and FGM by providing appropriate advice and support to victims, relatives and friends.

Jewish Women's Aid: A confidential and untraceable helpline service, which supports Jewish women and their children who are sufferers of domestic violence.

Mankind Initiative: The Mankind Initiative is a charity offering information and support to men who are victims of domestic abuse or violence.

Men's Advice Line: Men's Advice Line provides confidential support for any man experiencing domestic violence or abuse

Men's Aid Charity: Provides practical advice and support to men who have been abused.

National Centre for Domestic Violence: Provides a free, fast emergency injunction service to survivors of domestic violence.

National Domestic Violence Freephone Helpline: Provides a service for women experiencing domestic violence, their family, friends, colleagues and others calling on their behalf.

National Stalking Helpline: Provides information and guidance on the law, how to report stalking, gathering evidence, staying safe and reducing the risk.

Polish Domestic Violence Helpline: Provides Polish people who are experiencing domestic violence with a confidential contact, which will allow them to talk about their situation in their native language and to obtain information about available help and support.

Respect Website: Respect is a UK domestic abuse membership organisation for work with perpetrators, male victims and young people's violence in close relationships.

Women's Aid: We are a grassroots federation working together to provide life-saving services and build a future where domestic violence is not tolerated. Freephone 24 hr National Domestic Violence Helpline Run in partnership between Women's Aid & Refuge.