Domestic Abuse
Domestic Abuse is unacceptable and can occur in any domestic relationship but and can also include abuse between family members – such as honour based violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation.
Types of abuse are; Psychological, Physical, Sexual, Financial and Emotional and can include coercive control (a pattern of intimidation, degradation, isolation and control with the use or threat of physical or sexual violence), harassment and stalking and online or digital abuse.
Help is available:
Local services
- Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Service (GDASS) – Support for survivors of domestic abuse
- Positive Relationships Gloucestershire – Perpetrator service
- STREET – Service for 13-19 years olds being harmed or using harmful behaviours
- Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworkers – Stalking and harassment support
- Stroud Women’s Refuge – Stroud Beresford Group, will take women and children (not teenage boys)
- Honour Thy Woman – Peer support for women and those identifying as women
- Gloucestershire Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (GRASAC) – Support for survivors of sexual violence
- Nelson Trust Women’s Centre – Support women through nine pathways of support
- Hollie Gazzard Trust – Hollie Guard Safety App
- Gloucestershire Action for Refugees & Asylum Seekers – Support for refugees and asylum seekers
- Gay Glos – Support for LGBTQ+ in Gloucestershire
National services
- Galop – LGBTQ+ anti-abuse charity
- Respect Men’s Advice Line – Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men
- Respect – Service for domestic abuse perpetrators
- Survivors UK – Support for male survivors of sexual violence
- National DA helpline
- Hourglass – Support for older survivors
- Loving Me – Trans and Non-Binary DA service
- The Survivor Pathway – Online resource for anyone wanting to know about support for survivors of sexual violence in the South West
- Surviving Economic Abuse – For survivors who have experience financial or economic abuse
- Imkaan – Focus on violence against Black and Minoritised women and girls and can make referrals to other appropriate agencies.
- Karma Nirvana – Helpline available to support anyone who is affected by Honour Based Abuse or forced marriage
- Sign Health – Service for Deaf survivors of domestic abuse
- Women’s Aid – Services for women survivors of domestic abuse
- Paladin – National stalking advocacy service
- Southall Black Sisters – Advice for victims from minority backgrounds and in particular for victims who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF)
- Victim Support – Support for victims of crime and traumatic events
- Rights of Women – Providing frontline legal advice to women experiencing all forms of violence against women and girls in England and Wales
- National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) – A free, fast emergency injunction service to those at risk of all forms of domestic abuse regardless of their financial situation, ethnicity, gender or sexuality
- National Stalking Helpline – Support for stalking
What happens when you make a report to GCH?
When an incident is reported to us, we will identify a safe method of communication with you and make contact to agree an action plan. We will use the SafeLives Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Harassment risk assessment (DASH) questionnaire to offer the best course of action. We strongly rely on specialist support services and will encourage your involvement with these third parties at the earliest opportunity.