Domestic violence

Are you afraid of someone you know or live with?

Domestic abuse is any kind of violence or other abuse between family members. This can be violent  or controlling behaviour by a husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, ex-partner, father, mother, son or daughter who lives with you or lives elsewhere. It may include physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse. It can also affect the health and wellbeing of children in the family.  It also includes issues relating to forced marriage and honour based violence.

No one should have to put up with any kind of violence or abuse. Everyone has the right to personal safety - so it you are worried then ask for help. If it has happened once it is likely to happen again. Even if it has been happening for years it is never too late to seek help.

 

How to get help

Below are the contact details of where you can get help, advice and support if you, or someone you know, is experiencing domestic abuse.

Police - if you are in fear of being assaulted

• Emergencies 999
• Public Protection Unit  01254 353511
• General Enquiries 01254 51212  

 

Changing Lives

Changing Lives provides help to men, women or children experiencing domestic abuse in Blackburn with Darwen.  They offer:

- direct support for men and women at risk through an Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy Service

- sanctuary services and safety planning

- a 'freedom' training programme for survivors of abuse, helping to develop recovery and resilience

- a specialist support programme for children affected by abuse

- a voluntary perpetrator programme helping people address and manage abusive behaviour

To find out more please contact Changing Lives.

Tel: 01254 311181 or visit www.changing-lives.org.uk

 

Blackburn & Darwen District Without Abuse (BDDWA)

BDDWA exists to assist in the relief of people who have suffered or who are at risk of suffering domestic abuse, through the provision of support, advice and accommodation.

Our aim is to secure the safety of those affected by domestic abuse and support their development so that each individual is helped to grow and fulfil their potential into the future.

We are against all forms of abuse whether the abuse is: physical, verbal, psychological, emotional, sexual or financial.

Services provided:

• Support for victims of abuse including honour based abuse and forced marriage via our Independent Domestic Violence Advocates.
• Support for victims of sexual abuse via our Independent Sexual Violence Advocate.
• Refuge accommodation providing safety and security to those affected by domestic abuse.  We offer a range of provision from individual houses to flats and support is provided to aid and empower independent living.
• Outreach support to victims living in the community offering them practical and emotional support.
• A range of therapeutic programmes for victims, perpetrators and children and young people to enable them to move on from abusive situations.
• Free legal surgery to offer legal advice and options to victims.
• Educational programmes delivered in schools colleges and young people's organisations to educate about nonviolent strategies to conflict and about healthy relationships.

Blackburn & Darwen District Without Abuse
Address: The WISH Centre, 43 King St Blackburn BB2 2DH
Phone: 01254 260465 (7 days a week, 9am - 5pm), outside of these hours 0808 2000 247
Web: www.bddwa.org.uk
Email: info@womens-aid-blackburn.co.uk

 

Children and young people

• Childline 0800 1111
• NSPCC 0808 800 5000
• WISH Centre 01254 55111

 

Older people

• Adult Safeguarding 01254 585949 (Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm) or 01254 587547 (evenings and weekends)  
• Elderly Abuse Response Line 0808 808 8141

 

Lancashire Women's Centres

Lancashire Women's Centres provide support, information and therapeutic services for women from crisis into education, volunteering or employment.  This includes counselling, CBT, CCBT, group work for survivors of abuse and bereavement support, free legal service, personal development courses, outreach parenting courses, volunteering, and mentoring, advice with housing and debt and library/information resources.  They are a BACP Accredited counselling service and all their interventions are evidence based and adhere to NICE guidelines.  They are a Go Online Centre and offer support with basic IT skills to gain accredited qualifications.

Counselling is available by appointment in the following languages: - English, Urdu, Guajarati, and Punjabi.

Through their Vision project, they offer casework with women with an offending history or at risk of offending and/or with complex needs including substance misuse and services are free to access.

Hours of opening - 10am to 3pm Monday to Friday (late appointments available on Wednesdays).  Also open in Accrington, Burnley and Blackpool with outreach provision across the county.

Lancashire Women’s Centres
Address: 25 Wellington St (St Johns), Blackburn, BB1 8AF
Phone: 01254 583032
Fax: 01254 447875
Web: www.womenscentre.org
Email: referrals@womenscentre.org

 

Lancashire Victim Services

If you have been a victim of crime, whether recently or in the past, Lancashire Victim Services can help. They provide emotional support, information and practical help, regardless of whether you have reported the crime to the police.  All of their services are free and confidential.  To find out more visit the Lancashire Victim Services website

 

Animations explore issues around domestic abuse

A new series of animations have been produced to raise awareness of domestic abuse and signpost to areas of local help and support.

The three short films have been produced by Linnell Communications in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council, Lancashire Police, local substance misuse provider CGL, domestic abuse specialist support service Changing Lives and other local organisations.

The characters depicted in the animations are voiced by local people from Blackburn with Darwen who felt strongly about sharing their experiences to urge others in a similar situation to access the help that is available locally.

They are aimed at those in three key stages of life: the young, the working/middle aged and older people.

Titled 'Shouting Outside Windows', 'A Big Can of Worms' and 'Getting to be Me' the three short films depict a range of characters talking about their experiences of domestic abuse, where alcohol or drugs are sometimes the catalyst.

You can view the animations here:

'Shouting Outside Windows'

'A Big Can of Worms'

'Getting to be Me'