Safe Browsing
There are many different types of support services available to those who have experienced or are currently experiencing domestic abuse.
IDVAs (Independent Domestic Violence Advocates)
Independent Domestic Violence (abuse) Advocates (IDVAs) provide practical and emotional support to both male and female survivor/victims of domestic abuse. The support is tailored to individual needs and is aimed at reducing risk and minimising harm through personalised safety plans.
The IDVAs are trained specialists who have extensive knowledge of the criminal justice system, civil court system and local services.
ISVAs (Independent Sexual Violence Advocates)
Independent Sexual Violence Advocates (ISVAs) provide practical and emotional support to both male and female survivor/victims of sexual assault (violence).
The ISVAs are trained specialists who have extensive knowledge of the impact of sexual violence on a victim/survivor, the criminal justice system and specialist sexual violence support services. They are not counsellors and they are there to provide victims/survivors with information to support them in their decision of what they would like to do next.
Refuge Accommodation
A refuge is an emergency accommodation for those who need to flee their homes due to the abuse that they are experiencing.
Refuges have a specialist staff team of refuge case workers who will help families by offering emotional and practical support to enable them to recover from their experiences and/or trauma. Many refuges have a children and families worker, whose sole focus is the wellbeing of the children in the refuge.
Telephone Helplines
A telephone helpline is a dedicated number where people who have experienced domestic abuse and/or sexual violence can get support from a trained staff member. Telephone helplines are a safe and confidential service which enables victims/survivors to have a chat about what happened to them, get immediate help or suggestions about coping strategies, make a self-referral to other services or get information about the most suitable services in their area. Most telephone helplines also talk to victims/survivors’ friends and family and offer them advice on how to help or where to get support for their loved ones and themselves.
Online Chat (Web or SMS)
Web or SMS/TEXT chat are online chat services where victims/survivors can talk to trained professionals using instant messaging technology. Online chat helplines provide the same emotional support people can get through telephone helplines, but they have proved to be very useful for people who don’t want to engage in a conversation via phone as this may cause them stress, triggers and being uncomfortable.
Online helplines are usually there to offer information and advice to victims/survivors’ friends and family on how to help or where to get support for the person they care about and themselves.
Apps
Smartphone apps have become useful tools in prevention, intervention and raising awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault. Many apps offer people a broad range of useful resources to recognise abuse, as well as aid to victims who are experiencing the trauma of an abusive relationship or are finding themselves in unsafe situations.
Apps can make it easier for anyone trapped in an abusive relationship or facing a dangerous situation to access potentially life-saving resources. They are also valuable tools for friends and family who are worried that a loved one is experiencing domestic violence.
Support for Children and Young People
Many charities and service centres cross the UK work with children and young people affected by domestic abuse and/or sexual violence ensuring that they are in a safe environment and providing specialist emotional and practical support tailored to the child or young person’s individual needs. The majority of children and young people find it difficult to talk about what sexual violence or any experiences of domestic abuse, and the services aim at helping them overcome their traumatic experiences or address any behavioural issues they might display due to the abuse. These services include, but are not limited to:
- Telephone helpline for children
- Specialist counselling
- Group work sessions or discussions to help children express the feelings they can’t put into words (e.g. through playing, storytelling, writing, art, cooking, singing, gardening)
- Individual work sessions or discussions
- Help with homework
- Multi-agency safeguarding
- Advocacy and awareness support
- Empowerment programmes
- Refuge accommodation
- Telephone helpline for families
- Support for the non-abusing parent to ensure that they can best support their children
Many voluntary bodies offer also services aimed at preventing child abuse or sexual exploitation and several organisations provide support to adults who have been sexually abused as children.
Counselling/ Talking Therapy
Counselling is a type of talking therapy where people meet with a trained counsellor, psychologist or psychotherapist in a safe and confidential environment to talk about their problems and difficult feelings in order to identify possible ways of coping with them and/or positive changes to make in their lives. People usually seek counselling to help them explore emotional, psychological and relationship issues as well as behaviour patterns and way of thinking. Each session is usually tailored to the client and there are different counselling format, including:
- Face-to-face counselling
- Individual counselling
- Group counselling
- Telephone counselling
- Online counselling
Therapists specialise in specific fields and models of therapy based on a particular ‘theoretical approach’ or ‘modality’ even if they might consider using different techniques when they think this could be beneficial to the client. Other potential areas of therapy include art or drama therapy.
