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 Abuse Commission
- Domestic abuse and sexual violence services
- Sexual exploitation
- Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
- Forced marriage and so called ‘honour’ based violence
- Modern slavery
Domestic Abuse Commission
Find out more about the work of the Barking and Dagenham Domestic Abuse Commission
Domestic abuse and sexual violence services
Domestic and sexual violence comes in many forms and anyone living in the borough can contact the Barking and Dagenham Domestic and Sexual Violence service for help.
The following services can also help:
Barking and Dagenham
Domestic and Sexual Violence Service - Refuge The service is currently running via phone, email, webchat and online applications. | Refuge website |
DV FLAG East | DV FLAG East website Call: 020 8507 5994 Email: dvflageast@bdcab.org.uk |
Excel Women’s Centre | Excel Women’s Centre website
|
MARAC (for professionals) | Email: MARACReferrals@lbbd.gov.uk |
National services
National Domestic Abuse Helpline | National DA helpline website |
Respect Phoneline Webchat available on the website 10am to 11am and 3pm to 4pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. | Respect Phoneline website Call: 0808 8024040 Email: info@respectphoneline.org.uk |
Men’s Advice Line Monday: 9am to 8pm Webchat available on the website 10am to 11am and 3pm to 4pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. | Men's Advice Line website Call: 0808 8010327 Email: info@mensadviceline.org.uk |
Childline | Childline website Call: 0800 1111 (9am until midnight) |
National Stalking Helpline | National Stalking Helpline website Call: 0808 802 0300 |
London services
Ashiana Network | Ashiana Network website |
London Survivors Gateway Open 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday. | Call: 0808 801 0860 |
East London Rape Crisis | Call: 020 7683 1210 Helpline: 0800 160 1036 Email: info@niaendingviolence.org.uk |
Galop The London Helpline is currently closed - alternative national contact details are shown. Referrals can still be made on the Galop website. | Galop website London Helpline: 020 7704 2040 (temporarily closed) National LGBT+ helpline: 0800 999 5428 |
Deaf Hope | Deaf Hope website Text: 07970 350366 Email: deafhope@signhealth.org.uk |
Sexual exploitation
Sexual exploitation is a form of abuse that involves the manipulation and coercion of people into sexual activity. Sexual exploitation is also a form of modern slavery.
Sexual exploitation has occurred if sex takes place and:
- it is in exchange for basic necessities, such as food, shelter or protection
- it is in exchange for something that is needed or wanted
- an individual has felt frightened of the consequences if they refuse (coercion)
- the person who is exploiting stands to gain financially or socially
If the person is under 18 then this is child sexual exploitation and you should call the Children’s Services Duty and Assessment team on 020 8227 3811.
Learn more about safeguarding children:
There are services that can help adults who are being sexually exploited too:
Domestic and Sexual Violence Service - Refuge | Refuge website |
The LEA Project | Call: 0207 683 1270 |
Arc Theatre: Raised Voices | Raised Voices website |
Learn more about Child Sexual Exploitation, including signs, real stories and advice and support:
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Domestic and Sexual Violence Service - Refuge | Refuge website |
Forward UK (Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development) | Call: 020 8960 4000, extension 1 Call (mobile): 07834 168 141 Email: support@forwarduk.org.uk |
| NSPCC Offers help and advice to keep children safe from FGM | NSPCC FGM website Call: 0808 800 500 Email: Help@NSPCC.org.uk |
Excel Women’s Centre | Excel Women’s Centre website
|
Forced marriage and so called ‘honour’ based violence
In forced marriage, one or both spouses do not consent to the marriage and some element of duress is involved. Duress includes both physical and emotional pressure and abuse.
So called ‘honour’ based violence (HBV) is a collection of practices used to control behaviour within families in order to protect perceived cultural and religious beliefs and/or honour. Violence can occur when perpetrators perceive that a relative has shamed the family and/or community by breaking their honour code.
Forced marriage can be a form of HBV, but HBV can include other types of abuse such as:
- domestic violence (physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse)
- sexual harassment and sexual violence (rape and sexual assault or threat of rape and sexual assault)
- threats to kill
- social ostracism or rejection and emotional pressure
- denial of access to children
- pressure to go or move abroad
- house arrest and excessive restrictions of freedom
- denial of access to the telephone, internet, or passport/key documentation
- denial of access to further or higher education without approval from family
- not being allowed to talk or interact freely with peers, or being allowed to enter a relationship
- not being allowed to have sex before marriage or marry outside of a specified religion or cultural group
- isolation from friends and own family
A clear distinction must be made between a forced marriage and an arranged marriage. The tradition of arranged marriages has operated successfully within many communities and many countries for a very long time. In arranged marriages, the families of both spouses take a leading role in arranging the marriage but the choice of whether or not to accept the arrangement remains with the child/ young person.
If you or a friend, or family member are facing forced marriage or HBV there is help available:
Domestic and Sexual Violence Service - Refuge | Refuge website |
| NSPCC Offers help and advice to keep children safe from FGM | NSPCC FGM website Call: 0808 800 500 Email: Help@NSPCC.org.uk |
Excel Women’s Centre | Excel Women’s Centre website
|
| Karma Nirvana An award-winning National charity supporting victims of honour-based abuse and forced marriage. Karma Nirvana believe that honour crimes are not determined by age, faith, gender or sexuality, and will support and work with all victims. | National Hotline: 0800 5999247 Email: info@saheli.org.uk Facebook: Saheli Ltd Twitter: @SaheliLtd |
| Forward UK (Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development) The leading African women-led organisation working to end violence against women and girls. | Call: 020 8960 4000, extension 1 Call (mobile): 07834 168 141 Email: support@forwarduk.org.uk |
Forced Marriage Unit (Police) | Call: 020 7008 0135/0230/8706 For out of hours emergencies telephone 020 7008 1500 and ask to speak to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Response Centre. |
Modern slavery
Millions of people around the world are trapped in modern slavery. The National Crime Agency estimates that there are tens of thousands of people being held in modern slavery in the UK.
It is a crime happening in our communities, takeaways, hotels, car washes, nail bars and private homes. Modern slavery takes many forms. Someone is in slavery if they are:
- forced to work through mental or physical threat
- owned or controlled by an 'employer', usually through mental or physical abuse or the threat of abuse
- dehumanised, treated as a commodity or bought and sold as ‘property’
- physically constrained or have restrictions placed on his/her freedom
There are different types of Modern Slavery. It can include any or several of the following:
- sexual exploitation and sex trafficking
- forced labour
- debt bondage
- domestic servitude
- criminal exploitation
- forced child labour
- organ harvesting
If someone’s life is in danger call 999.
You can find out more about modern slavery at Unseen:
You can also download the Unseen App.
Call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 to get help, report a suspicion or get advice.
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 20 November 2020
Domestic homicide review - executive summary - September 2020 (PDF, 121KB)
Domestic homicide review - overview report - September 2020 (PDF, 319KB)
Domestic homicide review, published 15 May 2018
Domestic homicide review - executive summary - May 2018 (PDF, 531KB)
Domestic homicide review - overview report - May 2018 (PDF, 1.7MB)
Domestic homicide review published 27 April 2015
Domestic homicide review - executive summary - May 2014 - AA (PDF, 669KB)
Domestic homicide review - overview report - May 14 - AA (PDF, 844KB)
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)