Loading ...What you may be worried about -
- If you are experiencing domestic violence and abuse from your partner or ex-partner, and you have children, you may be worried about the effect this has on them.
- Even if they do not directly witness the abuse, they are likely to realise it’s happening to you, and they may be subject to abuse as well. They may try and intervene to save you, or feel bad that they can’t.
- On the other hand, you may also be concerned about ‘breaking up’ your family – you may feel that your children have the right to see their father, step-father or carer and that he has the right to see him. You may be worried that you won’t be able to provide a home for your children if you leave the family home. You might even be worried that your abuser will carry out threats to hurt or kill you or your children if you leave, and consider that you’d be safer if you stayed put. He may even have told you that if you leave, the children must stay with him, or that they will be ‘taken into care’.
It may seem like you have no way out of this situation, but you do have choices and we want to support you.
“I just wanted to talk and be listened to…it was always noisy at home and my mum was sad. Me and my sister were sometimes scared…we wanted to look after mum. One day me, my sister and my mum spoke to a nice lady who listened. My sister had a smile on her face like I hadn’t seen for ages.” (Girl age 10)
“Thank you for all your support me and the girls are happy and settled now, you helped me through a bad time in my life thank you for everything.”
How can BSWA help me?
You can call the Helpline on 0800 0732 606 Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.00pm to talk about how abuse is affecting you and your children, and to find out more about what we can offer.
If you click on the project name, it will take you to a page with more information about the project.
Refuge
If you believe you and your children are in danger, you can access the refuge service, which provides secure and secret accommodation and support.
Family Support
If the abuse you and your children have suffered has affected your relationship, or you are concerned that your children’s father will continue to abuse you and them when he has contact with the children, the Family Support project can help.
The Young Persons Project works in a number of different schools and youth settings. If they are working at your child’s school, your child or children are welcome to talk to our workers in private about what is happening to them.
Safety Unit andCrèche
If you have an appointment with the Safety Unit Workers – Outreach, Courts or Civil Orders Workers – we can provide a crèche service for your children.