Support for people experiencing domestic abuse
We are proud to be part of the Make A Stand (MAS) campaign, which has been developed by the Chartered Institute of Housing in partnership with Women’s Aid and the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance. The purpose of the campaign is to support and empower people experiencing domestic abuse.
Housing associations like us provide homes for thousands of people, some of whom may be affected by domestic abuse. Each year, two million people in the UK suffer some form of domestic violence and up to two women are killed by their partner or ex-partner every week. We believe it is vital to provide safety and security for our residents.
Your housing officer will be your main contact at Paradigm if you require assistance due to domestic abuse. If you would prefer to speak to a third party, there are a number of support services we can signpost you to. Together we can tackle domestic abuse!
Below are a number of support organisations (including those local to the areas where we work).
In an emergency, contact the police by dialing 999.
General help
| Organisation name | Summary of organisation | Contact details |
| Domestic Violence helpline | A free, fast emergency injunction service to survivors of domestic violence. | https://www.ncdv.org.uk/ |
| Victim support service | National charity giving free and confidential help to victims of crime, witnesses, their friends and family | www.victimsupport.org 0845 3030900 |
| Refuge | Provide support to refuges through a variety of services including independent advocacy, community outreach projects, culturally specific services and the 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline, run in partnership with Women’s Aid. | https://www.refuge.org.uk/get-help-now/ 0808 2000 247 |
| Hestia | A charity, working together with adults and children experiencing Domestic Abuse | https://www.hestia.org/ 020 7378 3100 info@hestia.org |
| DASH- Domestic Abuse Stop | A charity supporting families experiencing domestic abuse across Windsor & Maidenhead, South Bucks and Slough | https://thedashcharity.org.uk/ 01753 549865 |
| Sanctuary scheme | A multi-agency victim centred initiative which aims to enable households at risk of violence to remain safely in their own homes by implementing security measures. | https://www.securedbydesign.com/ |
| Herts Sunflower | A service supporting people who have been abused or people who know someone who has been abused. | https://www.hertssunflower.org/herts-sunflower.aspx 08 088 088 088 |
Specialist help for women
| Organisation name | Summary of organisation | Contact details |
| Women’s aid | A grassroots federation working together to provide life-saving services and build a future where domestic violence is not tolerated. | https://www.womensaid.org.uk/ |
| Rights of women | Support and legal advice for women | https://rightsofwomen.org.uk/ |
| Hillingdon Women’s Centre | Providing much-needed services to vulnerable women within the local community. | http://www.hillingdonwomenscentre.org/ |
| Wycombe women’s aid helpline | A registered charity working in the Wycombe, South Bucks and Chiltern Districts of Buckinghamshire. We work with women and children who are experiencing or trying to escape domestic violence and who are dealing with its effects and consequences. | https://www.wycombewomensaid.org.uk/ 01494 461367 |
| Welwyn Hatfield Women’s Refuge and Support Services | Offer temporary, crisis accommodation for women fleeing domestic violence and abuse. | http://www.whwr.org.uk/ 01707 373743 |
| Home Start Central Beds | Provide vital domestic support services to families with young children in Central Bedfordshire and Luton. | https://www.home-startcentralbeds.org.uk/ 01582 660661 |
Specialist help for men
| Organisation name | Summary of organisation | Contact details |
| Men’s Advice Line and Enquiries | Provides emotional support and practical advice for any male in a heterosexual, gay, bi-sexual or transgender relationship | http://www.mensadviceline.org.uk/ |
Specialist help – LGBTQ
| Organisation name | Summary of organisation | Contact details |
| Galop | Provides hate crime, domestic abuse and sexual violence support services to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans + victims/survivors by telephone, email, text and WhatsApp. | http://www.galop.org.uk/ |