Domestic abuse and sexual violence
If you're being abused, threatened, physically or sexually assaulted by a partner, former partner, or a family member, that is domestic violence.
Getting help
In an emergency always call 999
If you're experiencing domestic abuse and need help, you can contact us by calling 0300 456 0174 or emailing bdadvocacy@refuge.org.uk.
If you want to learn more about how to recognise domestic abuse please visit the Refuge website.
If you are a professional seeking to refer someone please see the brief and referral form:
BDDSVS brief flyer (PDF, 37 KB)
BDDSVS External referral form (DOCX, 278 KB)
Domestic homicide review Toggle accordion
Domestic homicide review
The Community Safety Partnership has responsibility for domestic homicide reviews within Barking and Dagenham. Published reviews appear at the bottom of this page.
Definition and purpose of a domestic homicide review
Domestic homicide reviews were established on a statutory basis under Section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act (2004).
Domestic homicide reviews are carried out to ensure that lessons are learnt when a person has been killed as a result of domestic violence. The Home Office multi-agency statutory guidance defines a domestic homicide review (DHR) as a review of the circumstances in which the death of a person aged 16 or over, has or appears to have resulted from violence, abuse or neglect by:
- a person whom he/she was related or had been in an intimate personal relationship; or
- a member of the same household.
The purpose of a domestic homicide review is to:
- establish what lessons are to be learned from the domestic homicide regarding the way in which local professionals and organisations work individually and together to safeguard victims
- identify clearly what those lessons are both within and between agencies, how and within what timescales they will be acted on, and what is expected to change as a result
- apply those lessons to service responses, including changes to policies and procedures as appropriate
- prevent domestic violence homicide and improve service responses for all domestic violence victims and their children through improved intra- and inter-agency working
A domestic homicide review will not:
- be an inquiry into how the victim died or into who is culpable; that is a matter for coroners and criminal courts respectively to determine as appropriate
- specifically be part of any disciplinary enquiry or process. Where information emerges in the course of a DHR indicating that disciplinary action should be initiated, the established agency disciplinary procedures should be undertaken separately to the DHR process. Alternatively, some DHRs maybe conducted concurrently with (but separate to) disciplinary action
If a domestic homicide takes place in Barking and Dagenham, the police will immediately inform the chair of the Community Safety Partnership. The Community Safety Partnership will decide if a DHR is appropriate and, if so, appoint an independent chair and report writer. Confirmation of a decision to review, as well as a decision not to review, a homicide will be sent in writing to the Home Office in line with Home Office guidance.
In line with section 9(2) of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act (2004), the Secretary of State may in a particular homicide direct a specified person or body to establish, or to participate in, a DHR. Such a direction is likely to be made where a person or body has declined involvement in a DHR.
Quality assurance for completed DHRs rests with an expert group made up of statutory and voluntary agencies and managed by the Home Office. All completed overview reports and supporting documents are sent to the Home Office and are assessed against the Home Office guidance. Further information about this group can be found on the Home Office website.
Published reviews
Domestic homicide review, published 15 May 2018
Domestic homicide review - executive summary - May 2018 (PDF, 531 KB)
Domestic homicide review - overview report - May 2018 (PDF, 1.7 MB)
Domestic homicide review published 27 April 2015
Domestic homicide review - executive summary - May 2014 - AA (PDF, 669 KB)
Domestic homicide review - overview report - May 14 - AA (PDF, 844 KB)
Ending violence against women and girls - Strategy 2018-2022 Toggle accordion
Ending violence against women and girls
A gender-informed strategy to tackle domestic and sexual violence 2018-2022
This strategy sets out the main pieces of work taking place 2018-2022 but is underpinned by work towards a whole system approach where tackling violence against women and girls is seen as everybody’s business.
Domestic and sexual violence has severe long-lasting and wide-ranging social, health and economic impacts in Barking and Dagenham. The costs are high to individuals, families, to our community, and to services. Therefore, the Borough Manifesto sets out a clear target to reduce domestic abuse.
We understand that domestic abuse is rarely experienced in isolation; it is often experienced alongside other forms of violence, which is set out in international law as Violence Against Women and Girls. We will adopt a violence against women and girls approach to tackling domestic and sexual violence to improve outcomes for women and girls, and men and boys.
Our ambition is to improve social, economic and health outcomes to survivors by working with communities to prevent violence happening in the first place and to improve early help seeking by building resilience. Resilience is not about individuals being able to cope with violence and abuse on their own. It is about increasing the internal resources and protective factors of families, communities, and local networks to recognise when it is happening, respond appropriately and challenge abusive behaviours. This will relieve pressure on overstretched services, still ensuring survivors are able to access the type of support that works for them and helping us to get it right first time.
Ending violence against women and girls: A gender-informed strategy to tackle domestic and sexual violence 2018-2022 (PDF, 930 KB)
16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign 2019
25 November to 10 December.
From 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign is a time to galvanise action to end gender-based violence around the world.
The mission of the global campaign is:
- raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels
- strengthening local work around violence against women
- establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women
- providing a forum in which organisers can develop and share new and effective strategies
- demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organising against violence against women
- creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women
Communities all over the world will be holding events and raising their voices to tackle gender-based violence. Barking and Dagenham will be part of the collective voice calling for change and there will be several events happening across the borough during the campaign:
Events - 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign Toggle accordion
| Day and time | Event | Venue | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Monday 25 November. 12pm to 2pm | White Ribbon Day flag raising | Barking Town Hall | Come and Join us as the council raises the White Ribbon Flag, marking the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women and the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Led by Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration. |
| Monday 25 November. 10am to 11.30am | Domestic Violence Workshop | Excel Women’s Centre, 13 London Rd, Barking IG11 8AA | Seminar/Workshop with educational activities focusing on domestic violence. Guest speakers from the Domestic Abuse Commission and hosted by Excel Women’s Centre. The seminars link and contribute to International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women by providing insight into different types of violence against women: FGM and domestic abuse. |
| 25 November to 10 December | Future Youth Zone healthy relationships week | Future Youth Zone | Future Youth Zone are raising the status of our young people and their views about healthy relationships. In collaboration with the LBBD Domestic Abuse Commission, Future Youth Zone will be running themed activities for young people across the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This will end in a learning event where young people will have the opportunity to shape a hashtag to raise awareness of abusive relationships. |
| Monday 25 November. 2pm to 4.30pm | Supporting women who face multiple disadvantages: training session | Barking Town Hall | Delivered by Nia this training session has a particular focus on the links between domestic abuse and substance misuse. |
| Tuesday 26 November. 12pm to 4pm | Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance - DAHA workshop | Barking Learning Centre | Training opportunity open to housing providers and associations to develop best practice approaches to domestic abuse within the housing sector. |
Wednesday 27th November. Session 1 - 9.30am to 12:30pm Session 2 - 1.30pm to 4.30pm | ABCs of Trauma Training | Barking Town Hall | Two half-day sessions being delivered to develop awareness of how trauma impacts behaviour. To book your place, email Jade.Hodgson@lbbd.gov.uk. |
Thursday 28 November | Pause Project/Domestic Abuse Commission | Closed meeting | The Domestic Abuse Commission meets women facing multiple disadvantage to hear their concerns, their triumphs and their aspirations. |
Saturday 30 November. 10am to 4pm | The Hive community workshop | The Hive, 2 Victoria Rd, Barking IG11 8PY | Community Awareness raising workshop delivered by the Hive - all are welcome! The session will look at what domestic abuse is, what the law says, and how we can respond appropriately. Domestic abuse is so prevalent that this session is open to all who want to learn how to support friends, family or colleagues. |
| Monday 2 December. 10am to 12pm | FGM Workshop | Excel Women’s Centre, 13 London Rd, Barking IG11 8AA | Seminar/Workshop with educational activities focusing on female genital mutilation (FGM). Guest speakers from Forward UK and hosted by Excel Women’s Centre. The seminars link and contribute to International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women by providing insight into different types of violence against women: FGM and domestic abuse. |
Tuesday 3 December. 1pm to 8.30pm | Progress Project’s IDDP (International Day of Disabled People) celebrations | Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club, Victoria Road, Dagenham RM10 7XL | Domestic abuse can happen to anyone, but disabled people are at increased risk and can face barriers when accessing support. We look forwards to attending an event being delivered by the Progress Project to network and raise awareness of domestic abuse and its impacts on disabled people. Find out more on the IDDP Facebook page. |
Wednesday 4 December 11am to 2pm | LBBD Employee Advocates workshop | Barking Town Hall | To get it right for our community we have to get it right for our staff. We are developing staff advocates to help recognise and respond to domestic abuse in our workforce. This follows part of our commitments made when signing the GMB Domestic Abuse Charter and our partnership with Everyone’s Business, an initiative set up to provide support to employers in providing a good response to domestic abuse. |
Wednesday 4 December. 8.45am to 9.45am | Refuge Present to Job Centre Plus | Job Centre Plus | Paid work can be a key contributing factor to a victim’s recovery from domestic abuse. Access to financial resources offers independence from the abuser and having a job can also help recover lost aspirations too. |
| Thursday 5 December. 10am to 3pm | Excel Women’s Centre Open Day | Excel Women’s Centre, 13 London Rd, Barking IG11 8AA | Excel Women’s Centre is safe space to empower and enable women to Excel, bringing women from different backgrounds together to support one another, form networks of mentors, social groups to promote independence and achieve. They are holding an open information day to raise awareness about support available - all welcome! |
Thursday 5 December. 10am to 11am | Meet the MARAC (multi-agency risk assessment conference) | Care City | What is the MARAC and what does it mean for the families you are working with? |
Saturday 7 December. 1.30pm to 5pm | Dagenham and Redbridge F.C. home game | Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club, Victoria Road, Dagenham RM10 7XL | The football club will be hosting a match with Maidenhead United at which the LBBD Domestic Abuse Commission will be holding a stall to learn about people’s thoughts and feelings around domestic abuse. There will be an opportunity for fans to make a pledge. |
Monday 9 December. 5pm to 7pm | Feminist book club | Dagenham Library | Evening launch with poetry and spoken word, followed with a decision on the first book and dates agreed going forwards. |
Monday 9 December. 10am to 1pm | Evidencing domestic violence in the family courts: rights of women | Barking Learning Centre | Survivors may be asked to evidence their experiences of domestic violence in nearly all types of family law cases including those relating to children and domestic violence injunctions. This course, delivered by Rights of Women, aims to help professionals provide guidance to survivors without a lawyer on how to identify, obtain and present evidence to the family court. |
Tuesday 10 December. 10am to 5pm | Human Rights Day and close of the 16 Days of Activism | Barking Town Hall Mezzanine | Council showcase and exhibition of the work taken place across the 16 Days of Activism Against Activism. |
In addition the council is working with partners to hold additional events and awareness raising opportunities:
| Date and time | Event | Venue | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 December. All day | Barking Market Domestic Abuse stall | Barking Market | We will have a place at Barking Market, with free hot chocolates and mince pies - and lots of opportunities to talk about healthy relationships! Come and say hi and take the opportunity to learn how to support friends and family this Christmas. |