Domestic violence happens to 1 in 4 women at some point in their lives regardless of age, sexuality, background or race. You may feel humiliated, frightened, ashamed, alone and confused - but you are not to blame.
Support and advice
There is support and advice available to you and your children if you are experiencing any of the following from a partner, ex-partner or family member:
- hitting, punching, kicking, slapping
- rape, sexual abuse
- stopping contacts with family and friends
- ridiculing, criticising
- withholding money, gambling.
We provide advice on dealing with domestic violence on this website.
We also have details of a range of other
support groups, websites and helplines.
Help from the Police
The Police in Lewisham have established the Community Support Unit, a specialist unit comprising of trained detectives and police constables all investigating domestic violence, race hate and homophobic crime. They are based at Lewisham Police station.
Help from Lewisham Council
We provide enhanced housing and social services for victims experiencing or fleeing domestic violence.
Survivors with children who have become homeless through fleeing domestic violence are offered priority access to emergency and permanent housing.
We also employ a Domestic Violence Officer who takes overall responsibility for developing services and policy in relation to domestic violence.
Social Services work in partnership with parents and will take their feelings and wishes into account. The overriding aim is to keep mother and children together.
Lewisham Domestic Violence Forum
The Lewisham Domestic Violence Forum is maintained by Lewisham Council and provides a forum where all aspects of domestic violence and the response to it are considered.
The forum plays a leading role in bringing the statutory bodies together with voluntary organisations in the domestic violence field, such as Women’s Aid, or Refuge.