Safety Unit

Birmingham Women’s Safety Unit - 0121 685 8687

The Safety Unit offers:

• support, advocacy, safety planning and information to women affected by domestic violence
• ongoing risk assessment and safety planning
• tracking of cases through the criminal justice system.
• agency liaison
• case work and drop-in provision

Courts Project

This Project provides support, guidance and advocacy to women who have experienced domestic violence and are engaged in the Magistrates courts system.

The Project provides support, advice and information on:

• Understanding the legal/ court processes
• The roles of different agencies within the courts such as the police, CPS, magistrates
• The support and protection available to witnesses
• Support with attending court
• Safety planning
• Support around other social welfare issues, e.g. housing, benefits, health, etc.

Civil Orders Support & Advocacy Project
This project has been set up to encourage and support women to use civil orders to prosecute domestic violence perpetrators. The project explores and identifies civil legal (court) proceedings available to women.

The project will:

• Assess the safety of women and children
• Support and keep women up-to-date with the proceedings
• Provide women with access to other services where necessary

Home Options

This project enables women to explore their options, access resources and secure a safe suitable home.

The Project aims to:

• Explore re-housing options, such as access to local authority, registered social landlord and private housing, or
• Advise on ouster orders, non-molestation orders and other civil orders remedies, so that women can stay in their own homes
• Avoid homelessness by exploring both short- and long-term solutions.

This project is a partnership initiative with Birmingham City Council and can be accessed via Neighbourhood Offices and other agencies.

Other services available to women suffering domestic violence:

Visual Evidence for Victims Project (VEV)
BWA is now able to offer a new service to women who do not wish to go to the police at this stage but who would like a photographic record to be kept of injuries caused through domestic violence. Initiated by Birmingham Community Safety Partnership, the VEV Project provides opportunities for victims of crimes perpetrated through domestic violence, homophobia and racial harassment to have their injuries recorded by agencies other than the police.

We now have number of specially adapted cameras at various sites within the organisation and we can make arrangements with any woman we are supporting to have photographs taken at a safe and convenient place and time.

To find out more about our service, call 0121 685 8551.

The other agencies involved in this project are:

• Birmingham Partnership Against Racial Harassment (BPARH) on 0121 507 1444
• Birmingham Racial Attacks Monitoring Unit on 0121 622 4981
• Birmingham Women’s Advice and Information Centre (BWAIC) on 0121 212 1881
• HGL (Health Gay Life) on 0121 440 6161
• Reducing Domestic Violence Project (RDVP) on 0121 693 6145
• SAFE Project (Health service support for street workers) on 0121 440 6655
• Victim Support on 0121 455 8211
• Birmingham City Council Neighbourhood Adfvice - Civil Orders Project on 0121 303 2266

Phones for Safety

If you are a woman affected by domestic violence and live in the following areas:

• Bartley Green
• Bournville
• Frankley
• Longbridge
• Northfield
• Rubery
• Selly Oak
• Weoley Castle
• West Heath

you may be able to obtain an emergency 999 mobile phone from us. The phone calls go directly through to the local police station.

For further information, contact Suki on 0121 685 8687.