SafeSpaces Domestic Abuse Service
Free, confidential support for anyone experiencing domestic abuse
You Are Not Alone. We Can Help.
SafeSpaces provides free, confidential support to anyone experiencing domestic abuse – physical violence, emotional abuse, coercive control, financial abuse, or sexual abuse. 24/7 helpline. Emergency accommodation. Legal support. Children’s services. We believe you. We’re here to help.
🛡️ Our Services
- 24/7 helpline (0808 2000 247)
- Emergency refuge accommodation
- Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAs)
- Safety planning
- Legal advice & court support
- Children’s support workers
- Counselling & therapy
- Housing & benefits advice
- Support through criminal justice
💜 Who We Support
- Women experiencing abuse
- Men experiencing abuse
- LGBTQ+ people
- People from all backgrounds
- Children affected by abuse
- Anyone in an abusive relationship
- Ex-partners still being abused
- Family members concerned
- Professionals seeking advice
🔒 Our Promise
- 100% confidential
- Completely free
- No judgment, ever
- We believe you
- You’re in control
- Support at your pace
- Safe, secure locations
- Expert, trauma-informed staff
- Available 24/7
📖 Survivor Story: How SafeSpaces Helped Lisa Escape
Names and details changed to protect identity.
Lisa, 34, had been with her partner Dan for 8 years. The abuse started gradually – controlling where she went, checking her phone, isolating her from friends. It escalated to verbal abuse, then pushing, then serious violence. Lisa had a black eye, broken ribs, and felt trapped. She had no money (Dan controlled the finances), nowhere to go (her family lived 200 miles away), and two children aged 5 and 7. She was terrified of leaving – Dan had threatened to hurt her or take the children.
“I felt so ashamed and alone. I thought it was my fault – like if I just behaved better, he’d stop. I was scared to leave. Where would I go with two kids? How would I survive with no money? One night, Dan beat me so badly I thought he’d kill me. When the kids were at school the next day, I called SafeSpaces. I was shaking, barely able to speak. The woman on the helpline was so kind. She didn’t judge me. She said it wasn’t my fault. She explained my options. Within 2 hours, an IDVA came to meet me. By that evening, me and my kids were in a refuge – a safe house Dan couldn’t find. SafeSpaces helped me get an emergency injunction to keep Dan away. They helped me claim benefits so I had money. A support worker helped my kids process what they’d seen. After 4 months in refuge, SafeSpaces helped me get my own council flat. I’ve been free of Dan for 18 months now. My kids are thriving. I’m rebuilding my life. SafeSpaces literally saved us.”
Lisa’s journey with SafeSpaces:
- Day 1: Called helpline (0808 2000 247), spoke to crisis worker, immediate safety plan created
- Day 1 (2 hours later): IDVA visited Lisa at safe location, risk assessment completed
- Day 1 (evening): Emergency refuge space secured, Lisa and children moved to safe house (secret location)
- Week 1: Emergency injunction (non-molestation order) obtained with legal support, Dan prohibited from contact
- Week 1-2: Universal Credit claim submitted, emergency funds provided by SafeSpaces (£200 for essentials)
- Weeks 1-16: Weekly IDVA support (safety planning, court support, benefits advice, housing applications)
- Ongoing: Children saw support worker (play therapy, processing trauma) – 12 sessions
- Month 2-4: Counselling for Lisa (trauma-focused CBT) – 10 sessions
- Month 4: Permanent housing secured – own council flat via SafeSpaces housing advocacy
- Month 5: Moved into own flat, ongoing support from outreach worker
- 18 months later: Lisa independent, children thriving, no contact with Dan, restraining order in place
Lisa is one of 3,200+ people SafeSpaces supports every year to escape abuse and rebuild their lives.
How We Can Help You
All our services are free and confidential. You don’t need a referral – you can contact us directly.
📞 24/7 Helpline
Call our helpline if you’re:
- Experiencing domestic abuse (physical, emotional, sexual, financial, coercive control)
- Thinking about leaving an abusive relationship
- Worried about someone else who might be being abused
- In immediate danger and need emergency help
- Needing advice, information, or just someone to talk to
What happens when you call:
- Trained crisis worker answers (usually within 2 minutes)
- They’ll listen without judgment and believe you
- Assess your immediate safety
- Talk through your options (you stay in control of decisions)
- Arrange emergency refuge if you need to leave NOW
- Connect you to an IDVA for ongoing support
- Give safety planning advice
- Provide information about legal options, housing, benefits
Is it safe to call?
- The call won’t show on your phone bill (listed as anonymous number)
- If you need to hang up quickly, you can – we understand
- Call from a friend’s phone or public phone if safer
- You can ask us to call you back at a safe time
🏠 Emergency Refuge (Safe House)
What is refuge? Secure, confidential accommodation where you and your children can stay safely while you decide your next steps. Your abuser cannot find you.
What we provide:
- Safe accommodation: Your own bedroom (children stay with you), shared kitchen/living areas
- Fully furnished: Beds, bedding, furniture, kitchen equipment all provided
- Secure building: CCTV, secure entry, staff on-site 24/7
- Secret location: Addresses are confidential – perpetrators cannot find you
- Support staff: Refuge workers available 24/7 for practical and emotional support
- Food & essentials: Initial food parcel provided, help with benefits claims
- Children welcome: Most refuges are family-focused
- Pets welcome: We won’t make you choose – we can often accommodate pets
How long can you stay?
- Average stay: 3-6 months
- No set time limit – you stay as long as you need to find permanent housing
- Some women stay a few weeks, others 12+ months
What support do you get in refuge:
- Dedicated IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Advocate)
- Help with legal matters (injunctions, court, divorce)
- Housing applications and support
- Benefits claims and financial advice
- Children’s support worker (play therapy, school support)
- Counselling and emotional support
- Practical help (registering with GP, schools, etc.)
- Safety planning for life after refuge
What to bring (if you can):
- ID documents (passport, driving license, birth certificates)
- Bank cards, cash, important documents
- Medications
- Phone and charger
- Clothes for you and children
- Children’s favorite toys/comforters
But honestly – if you need to leave NOW, come with nothing. We’ll sort everything else.
👩⚖️ Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA)
What is an IDVA? A trained specialist who works one-to-one with you to assess risk, create a safety plan, and help you navigate all the systems (legal, housing, benefits, etc.)
What your IDVA does:
- Risk assessment: Understand level of danger and create safety plan
- Safety planning: Practical steps to keep you safe (at home, work, children’s school)
- Legal support: Help with emergency injunctions, restraining orders, court proceedings
- Court accompaniment: IDVA comes with you to court
- Housing support: Applications for emergency housing, housing transfers, refuge
- Benefits advice: Help claiming Universal Credit, child benefit, etc.
- Police liaison: IDVA can communicate with police on your behalf
- Multi-agency working: IDVA coordinates support from all agencies (police, social services, housing, etc.)
- Emotional support: Regular check-ins, someone who believes you and is on your side
How it works:
- You’re allocated an IDVA (usually after calling helpline or police referral)
- IDVA contacts you within 24-48 hours
- Initial meeting (face-to-face or phone) – risk assessment and safety planning
- Then regular contact (weekly calls/meetings) for usually 12 weeks
- IDVA acts as your advocate – dealing with agencies, making sure you get the help you need
- Support continues as long as you need it – some people need 6 weeks, others 6 months
Where do you meet? Wherever is safe for you – refuge, our offices, neutral location like café, or phone/video calls.
⚖️ Legal Support
We can help you with:
- Non-molestation orders: Legal order to stop perpetrator contacting or coming near you
- Occupation orders: Removing perpetrator from home OR allowing you to return safely
- Restraining orders: Long-term protection orders
- Emergency injunctions: Can be obtained within hours if at high risk
- Court support: IDVA accompanies you to court, explains process
- Divorce/separation: Advice on financial settlements, child arrangements
- Child contact: Ensuring safe child contact arrangements (supervised contact, handovers at safe locations)
- Immigration concerns: Specialist advice if unsure of immigration status
How we help:
- Free legal advice from specialist solicitors (we have partnerships with law firms)
- Help filling in court forms
- Support preparing evidence (photos of injuries, abusive texts, etc.)
- Court accompaniment (you won’t go alone)
- Explaining legal jargon in plain English
Legal aid: Most domestic abuse survivors qualify for free legal aid. We’ll help you apply.
👶 Children’s Services
Children’s support workers provide:
- Play therapy: Age-appropriate therapy using play, art, games to process trauma
- One-to-one support: Safe space for children to talk about their experiences
- Group sessions: Children meet other children in similar situations
- School liaison: We work with schools to ensure child is supported
- Safety work: Teaching children about healthy relationships, staying safe
Typical support: 8-12 weekly sessions (1 hour each) with a trained children’s worker.
What we address:
- Emotional impact of witnessing domestic abuse
- Anxiety, nightmares, behavioral issues
- Understanding it’s not their fault
- Building resilience and coping strategies
- Healthy relationship modeling
💬 Counselling & Therapy
We offer:
- One-to-one counselling: Qualified counselors specializing in domestic abuse trauma
- Trauma-focused CBT: Evidence-based therapy for PTSD symptoms
- Recovery groups: Group sessions with other survivors – peer support
- Freedom Programme: 12-week course understanding abuse patterns and building confidence
When: Usually after you’re physically safe (not during crisis phase). Can start once you’re in refuge or have left the relationship.
Waiting time: Usually 4-8 weeks from referral.
💼 Practical Support
We help with:
- Housing applications: Emergency housing, council waiting lists, housing association transfers
- Benefits claims: Universal Credit, child benefit, PIP, housing benefit
- Debt advice: If perpetrator left you in debt, we help with debt relief options
- Employment: CV writing, job searches, returning to work support
- Immigration: Specialist advice if you have immigration concerns
- Registering with services: GP, dentist, schools, nurseries
How to Get Help
Call Our Helpline
Call 0808 2000 247 any time, day or night. Free, confidential. Tell us what’s happening and what you need. We’ll listen and help you make a plan.
Get Immediate Safety
If you need to leave NOW, we’ll arrange emergency refuge same-day. If you’re staying, we’ll create a safety plan and allocate you an IDVA.
Ongoing Support
Your IDVA will support you through legal, housing, benefits, and emotional challenges. Children’s workers support your kids. We’re with you every step.
Questions People Ask
❓ I’m not sure if what I’m experiencing is “abuse” – can I still call?
Yes. If you’re scared, controlled, walking on eggshells, being hurt physically or emotionally – that’s abuse. Call us. We’ll help you understand what’s happening. Even if you’re just worried or confused, call. We don’t judge.
❓ Will you make me leave him? What if I’m not ready?
No. YOU are in control. We provide information, options, and support – but the decision is always yours. Many women call us multiple times over months or years before they’re ready to leave. That’s OK. We’ll be here when you need us.
❓ I’m a man being abused by my female partner – can you help?
Absolutely yes. We support male victims of domestic abuse. You’ll speak to trained advisors who understand abuse affects men too. We have refuge spaces for men (separate from women’s refuges) and all our support services are available to you.
❓ Will you involve the police or social services?
Not without your consent, except in very rare circumstances (if we believe a child is at immediate serious risk of significant harm, or you tell us you’re imminently going to seriously harm yourself or someone else). Otherwise, everything is confidential. You decide if/when to involve police.
❓ Will social services take my children if I go to refuge?
No. Leaving an abusive relationship PROTECTS your children – you’re doing the right thing. Social services won’t remove children because you’ve left abuse. In fact, they’re more likely to be involved if you stay and children continue witnessing abuse.
❓ I have no money and he controls all finances – how can I leave?
We’ll help. Refuge is free. We provide food, essentials. We help you claim emergency benefits (usually processed within days). Some women arrive with literally nothing – we sort it out. Money is NOT a barrier.
❓ Can I bring my pet to refuge?
Often yes. We know many women delay leaving because they can’t leave pets with abuser. We have some pet-friendly refuge spaces and can arrange temporary fostering for pets if needed. Ask when you call.
❓ I don’t have anywhere to go and I’m pregnant – can you help?
Yes. We have refuge spaces for pregnant women and will support you throughout pregnancy and after birth. Midwifery teams work with refuges. You and your baby will be safe.
❓ He says if I leave he’ll get custody of the children – is that true?
Almost certainly not. Courts prioritize children’s safety. If you can evidence abuse, courts will ensure children are protected. We support you through family court proceedings. Leaving abuse doesn’t mean losing your children – staying might.
❓ I’m scared he’ll find me if I go to refuge.
Refuge addresses are strictly confidential. They’re not listed publicly. Only refuge staff know the location. CCTV, secure entry, panic alarms. In 20+ years, we’ve never had a perpetrator find a refuge. You will be safe.
❓ What if I change my mind and want to go back to him?
That’s your choice. Many women leave and return multiple times – it’s very common. We won’t judge you. If you go back and things get bad again, call us. We’ll help again. As many times as it takes.
Ask Our Website Assistant
Get instant answers about our services, how to get help, what refuge is like, legal options, and support for children. Available 24/7. Everything is confidential.
Try asking these questions:
💬 SafeSpaces Website Assistant
This is where your ChatBot1 plugin will be integrated. The assistant can answer questions about SafeSpaces services, how to access help, what refuge is like, and options if you’re experiencing domestic abuse.
Example questions it can answer:
- What is the helpline number?
- How does refuge work?
- Can you help if I have no money?
- Will social services take my kids?
- Do you support male victims?
- What legal help do you offer?
- Can I bring my pet?
- Is everything confidential?
SafeSpaces Domestic Abuse Service is a fictional organization created for demonstration purposes. This page shows how domestic abuse services can use a Website Assistant to provide 24/7 information about getting help, refuge, legal support, and options for people experiencing abuse. If you need real support in the UK, call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (24/7, free).
