Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse affects one in four women in their lifetime, that’s 6–10% of women in any one year. Shockingly, the risk is intensified during pregnancy and nearly doubled when children are in the household.

What Is Domestic Abuse? Domestic abuse is a pattern of behaviour by one individual to maintain power and control over another. The behaviour can take many forms, is rarely a one-off event, and although most victims are women it also happens to men and occurs in same-sex relationships. It can also have a huge effect on any children within the family.

What We Do Family Action supports individuals who are currently, or who have in the past, experienced domestic abuse.  We work with adults, children, schools and other agencies.  We deliver a range of services, providing practical and emotional support, which will:

• develop understanding of the mistaken beliefs, which lead to domestic abuse and its continuity
• illustrate the effect of domestic abuse on children and young people
• increase survivors’ ability to recognise what they need to do to protect themselves and their children
• increase self esteem and confidence to enable change
• increase awareness and access to other community resources, such as refuges, housing support, benefits, grants, further education.

Services We Deliver
1. Advice and signposting services.

2. Group work, which may be structured groups over a number of weeks, or an ongoing drop-in support group. Examples of these are:

• a support group for children who have been affected by domestic abuse
• free2bsafe – a schools-based programme for 14–16 year olds, delivered within the curriculum, in PSHE sessions
• a domestic violence support programme, e.g. The Freedom Programme. A 12-week structured programme, for adults, usually women, enabling survivors to better understand patterns of behaviour of the perpetrator and themselves and to think about how to take the next steps to improve their lives
• parenting courses, such as Find Yourself, a structured six-week programme for parents, building self-esteem and planning practical strategies for next steps
• parents and children groups,  supporting them to make sense of their own and each other’s feelings, especially when moving into new situations following domestic abuse.

3. Individual support to adults, children, and the family as a whole, provided in the home or in a community setting. 

4. As with much of Family Action’s work, we provide practical support with housing, benefits and liaison with schools and other agencies.

5. Working in schools to raise awareness of domestic abuse, share skills and work in partnership with other professionals and ensure integrated working for the team around the child.

Read more about domestic abuse in the Why Families Matter section.