Are You in Immediate Danger?

If someone is hurting you, threatening you, or you are frightened that you or someone else may be harmed, get emergency help now if you can do so safely.

• Call 999 and ask for the police or an ambulance.
• If you cannot speak on a mobile call, you can use the Silent Solution.
• If you can leave safely, go somewhere you feel safer, such as a trusted person's home or a public place.

Do not put yourself at greater risk to follow any advice on this page. If someone may be monitoring your phone or device, use a safer device if one is available.

Need Help, But You're Safe Right Now?

If you are not in immediate danger but you are experiencing abuse, feel unsafe at home, are thinking about leaving, or are worried about someone's behaviour towards you, you can get support.

You do not have to work out what service you need on your own. You can get in touch with us and tell us what is happening. We can help you look at your options and connect you with appropriate specialist support.

• Need somewhere safe to stay? Get in touch with us. We can help you look at emergency or temporary accommodation and connect you with organisations that can help with housing.
• Need legal protection? We can connect you with family law support and help you find advice about options such as injunctions and other legal protection.
• Worried about money, benefits or housing? Tell us what is happening and we can help you find appropriate practical or specialist support.
• Not sure what you need? That's okay. You can start by telling us what is happening and we can help you work out the next step.

You can also come and talk to us in person at our Community Crisis Café. There is no appointment or referral needed.

Our next café session is at St Faith’s (Crosby), on Monday 9th November, 10–2. Just drop in.

You can also speak directly to a specialist domestic abuse service. The next section shows services you can contact yourself.

Talk Directly to a Specialist Service

If you would rather speak directly to a specialist organisation, these services can help. Choose the one that feels most relevant to what is happening. If you are not sure, you can still contact us and we can help you work out where to start.

• Domestic abuse support for women:
  Refuge on 0808 2000 247
• Sexual violence or sexual abuse:
  Rape Crisis England & Wales on 0808 500 2222
• Support if you have experienced abuse or another crime:
  Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111
• Help with legal protection and injunctions:
  NCDV (National Centre for Domestic Violence) on 0800 970 2070

You do not have to report abuse to the police before asking for support.

Thinking About Leaving?

If you are thinking about leaving an abusive situation, you do not have to make every decision at once. If you can, think about your safety before making changes that the person abusing you may notice.

• Think about where you could go. This might be someone you trust, emergency accommodation or a refuge. If you do not have somewhere safe to go, get in touch with us and we can help you look at your options.
• Keep important things somewhere safe if you can. This could include identification, medication, keys, essential documents, some money and anything you or your children may need.
• Think about your phone and online accounts. If you believe someone may be monitoring your device, location or messages, use a safer device where possible and avoid making changes that could alert them.
• Tell someone you trust if it is safe to do so. Having someone who knows what is happening can make it easier to get help quickly if you need it.
• Worried about what might happen if you leave? Legal protection may be available, including injunctions. You can contact NCDV using the details above, or get in touch with us and we can help you find appropriate legal support.

You know your situation best. Do not do anything that you think could put you or someone else in greater danger. If you are in immediate danger, call 999.

Already Left, But They're Still Contacting You?

Leaving does not always mean the abuse or controlling behaviour stops. If someone you have left is repeatedly calling or messaging you, turning up, threatening you, following you or continuing to control or frighten you, you can still get help.

• If you are in immediate danger, call 999.
• Keep evidence if it is safe to do so. Save messages, emails, voicemails, screenshots or details of unwanted contact somewhere the other person cannot access.
• Getting unwanted calls or messages? Contact your mobile or phone provider and ask what options they can offer to help with unwanted contact, such as blocking numbers or changing your number. If you are keeping messages or calls as evidence, save what you need before deleting or blocking anything.
• Worried they can see your location, accounts or activity? Refuge has a specialist Tech Safety website with step-by-step guidance for phones, accounts, location sharing and other technology. Visit Refuge Tech Safety.
• Be careful before changing passwords or security settings. If someone is monitoring you, suddenly removing their access could alert them. Use a safer device if possible and consider getting specialist advice before making changes that could increase the risk to you.
• Legal protection may be available. NCDV can help with protective injunctions, and we can also help you find appropriate family law or specialist domestic abuse support.
• You can still ask for support even if you have already left. Get in touch with us if you are unsure what to do next or need help finding the right service.

Worried About a Child?

If a child is experiencing abuse, living with domestic abuse, or you are worried about their safety, you can ask for help.

• If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
• If you are worried about a child's safety, you can contact your local children's social care or safeguarding service and tell them what you are worried about.
• If you are experiencing abuse and have children, you can still ask for help with your own safety, housing, legal options and support for your children.
• Worried about leaving with your children? Get in touch with us. We can help you find appropriate family law, housing and specialist domestic abuse support.
• Not sure whether you should report something? You can still ask for advice. You do not need to be certain that abuse has happened before raising a concern about a child's safety.

Need More Support?

Abuse can affect much more than your immediate safety. You may also be dealing with housing, money, benefits, family problems, work, your health or feeling isolated. You do not have to sort all of that out on your own.

We work with local and specialist organisations that can help with different parts of what is happening. You do not need to know which service you need before getting in touch. Tell us what you need help with and we can help you work out where to start.

Some of the organisations currently working with us include Maria Fogg Family Law, Sefton @ Work, Raise, Age Concern Liverpool & Sefton, Liverpool Sunflowers and Light For Life Sefton.

Support available through us and the organisations we work with can include housing and emergency accommodation, money and benefits, food and energy, family law, employment, health, isolation and other practical problems.