Quick Exit

Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse is any abuse that happens in a close family relationship or an intimate personal relationship. The Government defines domestic abuse as “any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between people aged 16 years or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality.”

Domestic abuse happens in all cultures and all social groups, it is mostly women who are abused by men, but men can experience abuse too.

Carers can both be victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse; incidents might happen when pressures and tensions build up and spill over in to anger and maybe violence, but domestic abuse is rarely a one-off event. Abuse often takes place when one person in a relationship wants to exert power and control over the other.


Support Available

If you are suffering domestic abuse, or are working with someone who is, call the Sheffield Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 808 2241 (free from landlines and mobiles). If there is immediate risk phone 999.

The Helpline is provided by IDAS and is available Monday – Friday 8am – 8pm (not bank holidays); and Saturdays 9am – 5pm

The helpline offers:

  • advice, support and safety for people experiencing domestic and sexual abuse
  • Advice and support on keeping yourself safe.
  • a service to women, men, children, young people, practitioners and worried family members
  • information about support services in Sheffield and available refuge spaces

If you phone the helpline and they can’t speak your language they can arrange an interpreter. You can also email in your language, they will translate it and get back to you.

You can find additional information about IDAS by clicking on the following link www.idas.org.uk  where there is also an online referral form and a web chat function between 4 and 6pm.

You can also email IDAS at info@idas.org.uk


Professionals

We have a page dedicated to information about Domestic Abuse, tailored to professionals. Here you will be able to find additional resources (including DASH, Mental Capacity and Coercive Control Best Practice Guidance, Domestic Abuse and Dementia Briefing), information about IDAS, and information about Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs).

Domestic Abuse for Professionals


7 Minute Briefings

Domestic Abuse 7 minute briefing

Coercive Control 7 minute briefing