If you are in an abusive relationship or thinking of how you can safely leave one, here is some useful information to consider:
- keep a diary of incidents - somewhere secure or download national safety apps to store information securely
- avoid high risk areas of the home like stairs, bathrooms and kitchens, where possible
- pull together any important documents/copies of documents and an escape bag and store somewhere secure (work, with a trusted person)
- have a code word of phrase with children/trusted adults so they know to call police/ask for help if incidents occur
- call police on 101 to log incidents or 999 if you are in an emergency situation
These are only a few examples of safety planning to consider, for more information please visit Mankind or Womens Aid.
Accommodation
If you have no accommodation to go to, and refuge is not suitable, please consider contacting your local District Council for further housing options.
Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 places a statutory framework for the delivery of support to victims of domestic abuse and their children in safe accommodation. This is broken down into four parts.
The types of accommodation that are included recognise the need for diverse accommodation which victims and their children may require. They are as follows:
- refuge accommodation - a safe space where women or men and their children, who are experiencing domestic abuse, can stay on a temporary basis.
- specialist safe accommodation - provides dedicated domestic abuse support to individuals with protected characteristics or those who share vulnerabilities requiring additional support
- dispersed accommodation - self-contained accommodation with the same level of domestic abuse support
- sanctuary schemes
- move-on or second stage accommodation
The purpose of the safe accommodation project is to identify the Target Hardening/Sanctuary Scheme provision across Lincolnshire. What services are being provided, the referral process, criteria, and resources.
If you are not wanting to leave your home, there could be the option of being referred to a ‘sanctuary scheme’. Through Sanctuary Schemes, anyone who no longer lives with the perpetrator can receive help to have security measures installed that will make them feel safer. This is also known as target hardening.
A crime reduction officer will come and assess each property and recommend to the relevant district council any suitable target hardening measures to improve security. Every scheme is different to make sure it meets the needs of the individual, the property, and their situation.
Target hardening measures can include:
- Door Locks
- Sash Jammers
- Letterbox Jammers
- Vibration alarms for doors and windows
- CCTV
- HD Video doorbells
- Panic Alarms
- Dummy food tins for protecting valuables
- Spike Strips Composite Doors
- Intruder alarms
- External Lights
- Window Locks
- Door Jammers
For more information on target hardening within the district you reside in, please visit our support page.
For more information on local safe accommodation options visit:
If you want to consider safe accommodation outside of Lincolnshire, please visit Refuge, the largest UK domestic abuse organisation for women.
If you need support with transportation to safe accommodation, speak directly to whomever is supporting you to access this. Womens Aid also offer a rail to refuge service.
If you need support with pets, please visit the Refuge4Pets website.