Safety for ourselves, our family and our children is paramount in our everyday lives. However, for some safety is compromised especially when it involves threats of domestic and/or sexual abuse.
Domestic abuse can affect anyone and has many guises including emotional (coercive control), physical, technological, financial and sexual abuse. Domestic abuse doesn’t discriminate, affecting women and men. If you are experiencing any of the above, Warwickshire County Council and partners including Warwickshire Police and Refuge – Warwickshire’s commissioned service, will help to support you. You.Are.Not.Alone.
Recently, partners from across Warwickshire came together to promote the UK wide campaign, UK Says No More. The campaign’s main mantra is ending all forms of domestic abuse in the UK. Here in Warwickshire, the Council and its partners are committed to ending domestic abuse, as part of the wider Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
Cllr Margaret Bell, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health at Warwickshire County Council said: “It’s important that you reach out for support so that we can help you and any dependents you have. The Warwickshire Domestic Violence Service, provided by Refuge, will listen to you and offer advice around your specific circumstances. If you are experiencing domestic abuse at the hands of a perpetrator, please know you are not alone and that there are services available to you that can help provide ongoing help throughout your specific journey.”
Domestic Abuse is quite diverse and its reach goes further into other areas of abuse, including sexual abuse.
Rape Crisis England and Wales has reported that one in four women and one in twenty men have been raped or sexually assaulted as an adult, with one in six children being sexually abused. However, the charity’s latest figures highlight that five in six women do not report incidents of rape and the same is true for four in five men. Specifically for the LGBT+ community – research suggests that about 25 per cent of LGBT+ people experience violence with ex partners.
Warwickshire County Council along with partners including council colleagues from across the district and boroughs, Refuge and Warwickshire Police can help signpost you to specific services for sexual abuse and rape. In Warwickshire these are the Blue-Sky Sexual Assault Referral Centre, SafeLine and ROSA (Rape, Or Sexual Abuse Support Services).
Trained staff and councillors are on hand to help guide you through the process of recovery from sexual assault or rape. The service also provides immediate support, as well as help with historic cases of abuse too.
Some of the specialist services available across Warwickshire include:
The Blue Sky Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) - the centre supports the victims of Rape or Serious Sexual Assault. The service provides immediate support as well as help and support for historic cases of abuse too. Advice and information is also available for friends, family and employers. To find out more go to www.blueskycentre.org.uk or call the team on 0800 970 0370.
Safeline – Safeline is a specialist charity providing a range of services across Warwickshire, including counselling and therapeutic services, to support all survivors of rape and sexual abuse. To find out more go to www.safeline.org.uk/ or call the team on 01926 402498 (or text 07860 027573).
RoSA (Rape, or Sexual Abuse Support Services) – ROSA is a leading charity established to provide confidential services for survivors of rape, sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse throughout Warwickshire. RoSA consists of a highly professional team and adhere to the Ethical Framework for Good Practice of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy. To find out more go to https://rosasupport.org/ or call the team on 01788 551 151.
Refuge – Refuge is able to help anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse of any kind. The service can also support any dependents you may have too. For a confidential talk call 0800 408 1552 or go to www.refuge.org.uk.
To find further help and advice please visit www.talk2someone.org.uk In an emergency, please dial 999.