7th of March 2025
..Domestic Abuse
What is Domestic Abuse?
The legal definition of domestic abuse is: any incident of
controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass but is not limited to the following types of abuse:
- Physical
- Emotional
- Psychological, including Control and Coercion
- Sexual
- Financial
Domestic abuse also includes honour-based abuse (HBA) and forced marriage. The Crown Prosecution Service website has a breakdown of the types of domestic abuse.
Just one incident counts as abuse. Domestic abuse can affect anyone regardless of ethnicity, age, gender, sexuality or social background. If you are suffering from physical, sexual, psychological or financial abuse, or are being threatened, intimidated or stalked by a current or previous partner or close family member, it's likely you're a victim of domestic abuse.
You're not to blame for what's happening. You're not alone.
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How to report Domestic Abuse?
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, or know someone who is, and there is an ongoing emergency or life is in danger, call 999 now.
If you have been the victim of domestic abuse, or are concerned for someone who is, you can report this in the safety of your local police station.
Police officers will make sure that you are dealt with respectfully and spoken to away from the person responsible for the abuse. If you have been physically injured, it is important that a doctor examines your injuries. Where necessary, medical care will be arranged.
Reporting incidents is a major step in ending abuse. With your information, police can thoroughly investigate incidents to bring offenders to justice. Most importantly, following a report, victims can access safeguarding services to help them recover. Help is always available for victims.
Remember to report an incident you can call Cumbria Police; non-emergency call 101, If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use their text phone service on 18001 101 for non-emergency situations or 18000 for emergency situations, or report online: Cumbria Police, in an emergency always call 999.
If you know or suspect an adult with care and support needs is a victim of domestic abuse, alongside reporting your concerns to the police you can report a safeguarding concern to Adult Social Care as follows;
If the person lives in Allerdale, Carlisle or Copeland:
- Contact Cumberland Council on Tel: 0300 373 3732.
If the person lives In Barrow, Eden or South Lakeland:
- Contact Westmorland and Furness Council on Tel: 0300 373 3301.
Out of hours contact number- Tel: 01228 526690.
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Other support available from Cumbria Police
Cumbria Police offer a number of schemes, which aim to help victims of abuse or those at potential risk. Two schemes currently in operation are:
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Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme - Clare’s Law: The scheme allows you to make an application to police for information about a person’s violent behaviour in previous relationships. Following your application, police will consider sharing this information with you to help you make a more informed decision on whether to continue the relationship. You will also receive advice on support available to make that choice. If you make an application for information about a friend or relative’s partner, police will consider sharing this information with the person you are concerned about, or relevant agencies, if appropriate. Police will talk to you and decide whether it is appropriate for more information to be disclosed, to help protect the friend or relative you are concerned about.
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Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPO) & Domestic Violence Protection Notices DVPN: These provide immediate protection following an incident of domestic violence and give you time to consider what to do next. Local specialist services that provide advice and support will get in touch with you if a DVPN is issued.
- Stop them from entering and being within a certain distance of your home.
- Stop them from making you leave or excluding you from your home.
- Mean they have to leave your home (even if you live at the same address).
- Both DVPNs and DVPOs place certain conditions on the perpetrator.
There are a number of other support services available to victims of domestic abuse. Once police receive a report, safeguarding actions are immediately considered. These include signposting a person to appropriate victim support services.
Police officers will make sure that you are dealt with respectfully and spoken to away from the person responsible for the abuse. If you have been physically injured, it is important that a doctor examines your injuries. Where necessary, medical care will be arranged.
Reporting incidents is a major step in ending abuse. With your information, police can thoroughly investigate incidents to bring offenders to justice. Most importantly, following a report, victims can access safeguarding services to help them recover. Help is always available for victims.
There are a number of other support services available to victims of domestic abuse. Once police receive a report, safeguarding actions are immediately considered. These include signposting a person to appropriate victim support services.
Domestic Abuse support in Cumbria
There are a range of support services available across Cumbria.
- Emergency Accommodation - There is a duty to accommodate victims of Domestic Abuse -This does not have to be reported to the police.
- Local services.
- Cumbria wide services.
- National services.
If you live in the Cumberland area of Cumbria you can find more information here.
If you live in the Westmorland and Furness area of Cumbria you can find more information here.
Victim services - Domestic violence Directory of organisations across Cumbria offering support for victims of domestic abuse.
We Protect - Domestic Abuse Alliance Partnership providing a free advice line for victims of domestic abuse and a reporting app aimed at supporting professionals.
The Bridgeway Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) Provide coordinated forensic, counselling and aftercare services to men and woman living in Cumbria who have experienced recent or non-recent rape or sexual assault.
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