NDWA has agreed to support a research project on ‘developing domestic violence (DV)intervention for women visiting the accident and emergency department (AED)'.

The purpose of this research is to explore the viewpoint and experiences of AED staff, AED managers, DV service coordinators and women who have visited AED following an experience of DV.

The information from the interviews will be helpful in determining the domestic violence intervention that is likely to work for women visiting AED. It is also expected that the information will be helpful in establishing factors that may facilitate or prevent intervention and to identify training needs for AED staffs.

If you are interested in participating in the project please see the documents linked below or email jgoodinson@ndwa.org.uk for further information.

DV at AED - Consent Form for Women  196Kb

DV at AED - Information Sheet for Women  196Kb

DV at AED - Written Interview  28Kb

We always have opportunities for Volunteers both in supporting women and children who are suffering domestic abuse as well as needing volunteers to sit on our Management Committee.

For further details Click here

Men experiencing domestic abuse will soon have a helpline aimed specifically at supporting them.

The Derbyshire Support and Advice for Men helpline, SAM, is scheduled to launch in Derbyshire in June and there will be information and support tailored to helping men who are being abused by someone close to them, for example their partner, a parent, a sibling or other family member.

Keeping children safe, housing and financial issues will be just three areas where trained staff will be able to help, as well as helping men to get involved in their community and find further education, training and employment, in some cases.

North Derbyshire Women's Aid worker Jayne Reddish is the temporary project co-ordinator of SAM, which will have a dedicated worker for each area of the county. Working closely with the existing services that currently provide support for men alongside their services for women, a worker will be able to visit men in their own homes.

As well as this service, there will also be a website and men will be able to text and email for help if they prefer doing this rather than seeking face-to-face advice.

Jayne said: "There is a lot of help and advice out there for men who are being abused which we will be able to direct them towards.

"Generally it is understood that many men prefer to communicate by phone, text and email, to get information and guidance for something specific and through SAM they will be able to do that.”

A free helpline to support people affected by domestic abuse will now be answered 24 hours a day seven days a week.

The Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Helpline's extended hours mean that a trained advisor will answer the call at all times, including weekends and bank holidays.

Derbyshire County Council, which has co-ordinated the extension of the helpline, is launching a campaign to highlight the number, with new posters, stickers and drinks mats appearing across the county in the next few weeks urging victims to `Stop Hurting – Start Talking'.

The Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Helpline was set up three years ago and in the past has been answered by someone 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Outside these hours callers have been asked to leave a message or call again later.

People were also given the option to ask for a call-back, although it was felt that callers were afraid of being called back when their abuser might be with them.

The extension of helpline hours follows a successful pilot project by the county council earlier this year.

One woman is killed every three days in Britain by a violent partner or ex-partner and around 40,000 women a year go to women's refuges to escape domestic abuse.

In Derbyshire there were almost 10,000 calls to police relating to domestic abuse last year.

Domestic abuse can take many forms including emotional, physical or sexual, and is often about one person trying to control another through fear and manipulation.

When people ring the Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Helpline – 08000 198 668 – they will be put in touch with agencies in their local area that can help, support and advise.

Support available ranges from helping people to find an urgent refuge place or other temporary accommodation to financial and legal support.

The helpline is confidential and callers will not be forced to do anything they don't want to do, for example reporting the abuse to the police. If they wish to do this though, help is available.

Callers may wish to just talk through their situation rather than taking immediate action and there is also help and advice for family and friends of domestic abuse victims.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Adult Care Councillor Charles Jones said: "Following our successful pilot the Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Helpline has been extended and is now answered by someone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and bank holidays.

"We must make sure that everyone who needs this valuable service is aware of it and can get hold of the number easily, which is why we are launching a campaign to highlight the number across the county.”

County Council Cabinet Member for Communities Councillor Carol Hart said: "People ringing the helpline can be sure it is confidential and the wide range of advice and support available could help to change their lives for the better. In some cases it could save their lives.”

Stop Hurting Poster

Stop Hurting Sticker

Freedom Programme Courses

These are now available for women to attend in local communities.

Programmes are currently running in:
Chesterfield Town Centre – Wednesday Evenings,
Clay Cross – Thursday mornings
Bolsover – Friday mornings.

The programme is free and crèche places may be available.

See the Freedom Programme page for details.

Freedom Programme Training for Trainers Course

2 day course 25 & 26 May at Chesterfield Baptist Church – for agencies who want to facilitate the Freedom Programme in their local communities. Contact 0800 0198 668 or email us.

Freedom Programme - Training for Trainers Invitation May 2010

To develop our website with virtual tours around our refuges and the advice centre, with interactive photos of the accommodation, showing the various facilities and answering questions in a pop up format, to increase accessibility to our users. The award is £4285 for consultant and £300 for management of project- £4585 in total.

Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Services Helpline - Freephone 0800 0198 668

From UK landlines, calls to the 0800 number are free and will not appear on bills. However, mobile networks usually charge for calls to 0800 numbers and will itemise these calls on bills. Check with your provider for specific prices.

A new national project for women with no recourse to public funds, the Sojourner Project, runs from Monday 30 November until the end of February 2010. Working in partnership with a range of other voluntary providers the scheme will co-ordinate support, accommodation and subsistence for women and their dependants throughout the country.

Funded by the Home Office it is intended that The Sojourner Project will enable agencies to provide a range of services for women experiencing domestic violence who entered the UK on a spousal or partner visa and are eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) under the DV rule.

The Sojourner Project can provide or fund accommodation and support while ILR applications are submitted and processed, for a maximum of 8 weeks.

For refuges wishing to participate in this pilot by providing support and accommodation, please contact The Sojourner Project for more information and further details regarding funding.

If you would like any further information regarding the pilot or to request a referral pack, please contact the Sojourner Project Duty Worker on 020 7840 7147 or email sojourner@eaveshousing.co.uk

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In a joint statement by the UK's leading violence against women, women's rights and human rights organisations the Campaign to Abolish No Recourse to Public Funds has made the following response to recent government proposal on the No Recourse Pilot Scheme:

>> No Recourse Pilot - Statement by Womens Organisations

Domestic Abuse Awareness

Half day training – 3.5 hours duration

Topics covered:

• What is domestic abuse?
• Prevalence (local and national)
• Myths and stereotypes
• What are the effects of domestic abuse on adults and children?
• Barriers to seeking help
• Risk factors and risk assessment
• Local services and support

Domestic Abuse and the Impact on Children & Young People

Half day training – 3 hours duration

A more in depth exploration of the impact of domestic abuse on children and young people looking at:

• Every Child Matters outcomes
• Case studies
• Good practice examples
• Local services and support

Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences – awareness raising for professionals

Half day training – 3.5 hours duration

Topics covered:

• What is a MARAC?
• The MARAC process
• Using the Risk Indicator Checklist
• Information sharing and legal thresholds
• MARAC Action Planning

These training packages can be combined or stand alone (e.g. Domestic Abuse Awareness combined with Effects on Children and Young People full day 6 hour session), they can be delivered to multi agency or single agency groups. Handouts, resources and links for further information provided.

Cost £200 per half day, £300 per full day

Venue costs and lunch not included

Freedom Programme Training for Trainers

2 day course covering the facilitation of the 12 awareness programme for women.

Lesson plans and handouts provided.

Offered approximately once a year

£200 per participant – venue costs and lunch included

North Derbyshire Women’s Aid (established 1985) have been providing the above and similar packages for several years.

Comments from recent participants:

‘for a very difficult subject the presenters managed a cheerful and engaging presentation. Thankyou’

‘very helpful and useful’

‘very good event, well worth coming to’

‘interesting and useful’

For more information contact: seniorworkers@ndwa.org.uk  01246238248
Senior Workers, North Derbyshire Women’s Aid, West Bank House, Albion Road, Chesterfield S40 1LL

The book ‘Living with the Dominator’ by Pat Craven with illustrations by the acclaimed artist Jacky Fleming is now published in paperback. This book about the Freedom Programme explains violent and abusive behaviour and places it in a social context. It can help readers of any age and sexual orientation to change their own behaviour and to recognise when they are being controlled.

Pat Craven is the creator of the Freedom Programme. Jacky Fleming has produced several books and her illustrations have appeared in the Guardian, New Statesman and the Independent on Sunday.

This book can be bought from www.freedomprogramme.co.uk or Amazon.