What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is the physical, emotional, financial, sexual or mental abuse of one person by another with whom they are or have been intimate partners or between family members.
Such abuse occurs in all sections of the community, across all age groups regardless of gender or sexuality. Usually but not exclusively women are more frequently the victims of abuse and men are the perpetrators.
What can it include?
- Physical abuse may include slapping, punching, spitting, pinching, grabbing by the throat.
- Emotional or mental abuse can be very destructive and may involve: constant criticism; threats to you or children and family; not allowing you to sleep or have your freedom; withholding food or money.
- Sexual abuse may include being forced to have sex without consent or to do things that make you feel uncomfortable.
- Harassment may include phone calls, following you, turning up at work or where you are socialising, sitting outside your home.
Our Vision
Wigan’s Domestic Violence Partnership believes that domestic violence and all forms of abuse are totally unacceptable. We will work together to challenge these criminal behaviours and bring perpetrators to justice; we are committed preventing domestic abuse and improving support and protection for victims.
Our Mission
- To raise public awareness of domestic violence with regard to its nature, impact and prevalence.
- To encourage all agencies to take a pro-active approach to addressing domestic violence by the ongoing development of preventative initiatives, which will reduce domestic violence and in particular repeat victimisations.
- To develop a co-ordinated approach to accessible service provision to meet the needs of all the diverse sections of the community.
- To work with all relevant statutory and voluntary sector agencies to ensure that workers are appropriately trained and aware of the complex issues involved in domestic violence.
You Can Help
If you are concerned about someone who may be a suffering from Domestic Violence take a look at our Friends and Family booklet and see how you can help.
LOCAL & NATIONAL SERVICES
Women’s Aid
Services provided include:
- Safe accommodation for Women and Children (in Wigan) with 24 hour staff support.
- Access to specialist services for ethnic minority groups
- Network of positive agencies; - social services, health visitors, Housing,DSS, Voluntary Agencies, Solicitors, Community Drug and Alcohol Teams
- Access to Language lines from main local contact number below
- Parenting support
- Contact access 24 hours/7 days per week – via telephone
- 24 hour helpline – via telephone (see below)
Local Contact Numbers:
- 24 hour helpline and on call service at 01942-496094 (local)
National Contact Numbers:
- Freephone 24 hr National helpline 0808 2000 247 (national)
Email and website contact information:
- hawthornhouse@btconnect.com – Direct Wigan email address
- helpline@womensaid.org.uk – National email address
www.womensaid.org.uk (External Link) - National Website for Women’s Aid
W.A.V.E. (Women Against Violence)
Services provided:
- Safe accommodation (in Leigh) with 24-hour on-call support
- 24-hour Helpline, (at project)
- Counselling
- Drop-in service
- Access to interpreters (Language Line)
Contact Telephone Numbers:
- 01942 262270 (Abuse Services and Resource Centre)
- 01942-262270 (24 hour helpline and on-call service)
Agency address: P. O. Box 1, Leigh WN7 1LS
Email: wavedvcentre@supanet.com
Website: www.wavedvcentre.com (External Link)
Opening times: 24-hour access via telephone; counselling and other services by appointment.
Victim Support and Witness Services
Services are provided for both men and women.
Services provided include:
- Home Visits
- Practical Support
- Specialist support in court and throughout legal proceedings (Witness service)
- Support to make claims for Criminal Injuries Compensation
- Counselling
Wigan Contact information:
Contact Telephone Number: (01942) 322033
Email Address: admin@victimsupport-wigan.co.uk
Address: Gerrard Winstanley House, Crawford Street, Wigan WN1 1NG
Contact times: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Answer-machine service at all other times.
Office Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Contact Information for National Central office and website:
Telephone Number: 0845-3030900
Website address: www.victimsupport.org.uk (External Link)
DIAS (Drop In And Share)
Serving the people of Wigan since 1994 the DIAS Domestic Violence Service is the main provider of a range of non-residential domestic violence services. The DIAS Domestic Violence Centre exists to provide vital counselling, support, advice and assistance to help ALL members of the community; women, men & children, that have experience of domestic violence.
The DIAS Domestic Violence Centre provides:
- Drop In assistance; no appointment is required
- Emotional Support; Practical Support; Support for family members
- Help to obtain safe accommodation
- Legal Guidance and where applicable specialist support in Court can be provided and arranged.
- Assistance with benefit claims
- Professional counselling
- All these services are free
DIAS Wigan:
Local Contact number:01942 495230 (24 hour answering machine service – with immediate ring back).
Fax: 01942 491477
Drop in service: Monday – Thursday 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (appointments can be made at any time before and after the aforementioned stated times).
Agency address: Suite 38, Rodney House, King Street, Wigan WN1 1BT
Email: diasdvc@aol.com
Police non-emergency: 0161 856 5050.
Police Emergency: 999
RESPECT
RESPECT (Victims of Abuse - The Men's Advice Line for men experiencing domestic violence):
"We want to give all men who experience domestic violence the chance to talk about it. We provide emotional support, we can give you practical advice and we can inform you of specialist services that can give you advice on legal, housing, child contact, mental health and other issues."
Telephone Number: free phone 0808 801 0327
Monday to Friday 10:00 am – 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm.
Website Address for information and further reading: www.mensadviceline.org.uk (External Link)
RESPECT (Perpetrators of Abuse - for domestic violence perpetrators (male or female):
The Respect National Telephone Line: - 0845 122 8609
Open Monday to Friday 10:00 am – 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm.
Website Address for information and further reading: www.respectphoneline.org.uk (External Link)
Other National Services:
Childline (External link): 0800 1111
National Domestic Violence Helpline Number (Freephone): 0808 2000 247
Emergency numbers
Ambulance, Fire Service or Police: 999
Accident and Emergency (Wigan): 01942 822440 or 822441
