Domestic Abuse
Our Domestic Abuse service is for LGBTQ+ people affected by domestic abuse. We provide support to survivors through our Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) who are here to support you.
We can help you with housing and accessing refuge services, financial issues and benefits, navigating the criminal justice system, and assist with mental and physical health needs.
We’re here to listen, whether the abuse is recent, historical, or you’re worried about your relationship with your partner or family. We’re committed to being a non-judgemental point of call for you, a family member, or someone else you’re worried about.
Talking is the first step. We’ll help you work out the rest. Call us on 07724521654, or email [email protected] with a number for us to call you back on, and a safe time to call you.
Please note: our domestic abuse service is not yet up and running, we will open for referrals on the 4th of January, 2022.
What is Domestic Abuse?
Domestic abuse is a pattern of violent, threatening, coercive or controlling behaviours from a family member, partner(s) or ex-partner(s). Domestic abuse can affect people of any gender, race, sexuality, age, ethnicity or socio-economic background. Please know, you are not alone.
The LGBTQ+ community is particularly at risk of domestic abuse, and has historically struggled to access specialist, accessible and inclusive IDVA services. This is why we’ve launched a Domestic Abuse service created by the community, for the community.
Speaking up about abuse can be really difficult, which is why we aim to provide a safe, affirming and supportive service which is here when you need it most.
How can we help?
1:1 IDVA Services
When you’re experiencing domestic abuse and navigating the aftermath, things can feel really confusing, stressful and overwhelming. Our Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) are here to help by creating a personalised support plan to get your life back on track. We can help you with housing and accessing refuge services, sorting out financial issues and any benefits you’re entitled to, navigating the criminal justice system, and assist with mental and physical health needs. We can also refer you to get more ongoing therapeutic support, once you’re ready and in a position to do so.
If you’ve experienced forced marriage, Honour-Based Violence or FGM, we can provide you with support and help you understand what to do next. We’re also here to get the right support for your children, and advocate for and alongside you to other organisations to make sure you’re safe and supported. We can attend appointments with you and meet with you in the community to talk through what you’re experiencing.
Personal Safety Planning
By working in partnership with you, your IDVA will create a personal safety plan which is tailored to your specific needs and circumstances. A safety plan will help you know how to protect yourself from further abuse and minimise harm, by looking at all the potential risks and what you should do if things reach a crisis point. This could look like keeping a bag with copies of identification and paperwork in case you need to flee or knowing where you can go if you need to leave your home.
Resource Guide
We’ve created a resource guide here full of practical resources you can use if you need help with anything to do with domestic abuse, including therapy, financial resources, easy read guides and therapy routes. If there’s anything you can’t see on the database, or you’re from an organisation that wants to join the resource guide, let us know and we can add you.
How we work
We operate in a trauma-informed, community-based and person-centred way, which means that our services are tailored to each person’s individual needs and identities. This also means we have an intersectional understanding of LGBTQ+ people, and continue to work on providing a holistic service which works for you. We work in a way which is mindful of how race, disability, faith, immigration status, ethnicity and age intersects with LGBTQ+ identity, and that people hold a multitude of marginalised identities.
If you need BSL interpretation services, or if English is not your first language and you need a translator, we can provide that. Our aim is to offer a service which respects the autonomy and humanity of each of our clients, which means being committed to active learning and meeting you where you’re at in a culturally appropriate way.
Statement of TNBI (trans, non-binary and intersex) solidarity and inclusion
This service was created to be a point of support, empowerment and advocacy for everyone in the LGBTQ+ community who has experienced, or is experiencing, domestic violence. We at Switchboard recognise the historic lack of services and inclusion for trans, non-binary and intersex people, who have struggled to access refuge spaces and to get help and support from domestic violence services. We are writing this statement of solidarity and inclusion as a commitment to TNBI communities, that we will never turn someone away because of their gender identity or biological sex. We are actively committed to working with other organisations throughout Brighton and Hove, and nationally, to improve access for our communities, and to make this a safer world to live in.