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I'm worried about someone I know

One in four women experience domestic abuse. Someone you know may be experiencing domestic abuse. It might be a family member, a friend or colleague.

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It can be difficult to know what to do when someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse.

For a lot of people, the first instinct is to try to rescue someone from the relationship by trying to convince and tell the person that they have to leave. However, it is almost never as easy as “just leaving”. Leaving an abusive relationship can be the most dangerous and risky time for women.

It is very important not to isolate them, judge them or add more pressure to them by telling or asking them to end the relationship. There are other ways in which you can help them. These include:

Remember they might not open up to you the first time that you speak to them about abuse. Be patient and give them opportunities to talk without putting pressure on them. It can be a really difficult topic to talk about and it is hard to imagine what they are going through.