Support and Information
When You Need More
Immediate Help
If you are in immediate danger, please call 999.
This information is for people in the UK. If you are in immediate danger, make sure to call the emergency number of your country.
For mental health support, you can call 111 and press option 2.
Samaritans are a service that offer mental health support over the phone or by email, 116 123 or on their website https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/
You can text SHOUT to 85258 for mental health support over text.
Women can get support through refuge, on 0808 2000 247 or here: https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/
There are more specific helplines through this link, including ones for men and members of the LGBTQ+ community: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/getting-help-for-domestic-violence/. This page also has some useful information around spotting abuse, how to help a friend, and how to get support.
Supportive Organizations
If you decide to leave an abusive situation, remember you are not alone. Remember that seeking advice from charities such as Women’s aid, Refuge, Respect Men’s Advice Line, or Galop can be incredibly useful.
If you are considering leaving, be careful who you tell. Women’s Aid has really helpful info around making a safety plan, as well as a survivor’s handbook, that can help with housing, money, children and legal rights:
Making a safety plan: https://womensaid.org.uk/information-support/the-survivors-handbook/i-want-to-leave-my-relationship-safely/
Survivor’s handbook: https://womensaid.org.uk/information-support/the-survivors-handbook/
Women’s aid are an excellent charity that have lots of resources. Some of which I have used myself. I would strongly recommend them.
If you are stuck with a legal problem, charities like Women’s aid, Refuge and Shelter can help, but it is also worth contacting your local citizen’s advice team: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/nearby/. I was able to get help from them to get out of my housing contract.
Most importantly, stay safe, particularly if your partner might check your internet history. Women’s aid have some resources around online safety in both their safety plan and their survivor’s handbook.