Support if you’ve experienced domestic abuse or stalking
If you’ve experienced any form of domestic abuse, stalking, honour-based abuse or threat of forced marriage, it was not your fault. Support is available both on and off campus and you can access either or both to suit you.
Overview
Domestic abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of age, background, gender, religion, sexuality or ethnicity, and is never the fault of the person receiving the abuse. Abuse within a relationship can create an environment where it is very difficult to see what you are experiencing as abusive and wrong, and getting to the stage of even thinking about seeking support is a huge step in taking care of yourself.
When you’ve been, or are currently experiencing domestic abuse, there’s no right or wrong way to feel. It may be that lots of complicated and conflicting thoughts are going through your mind, and the most important thing we want you to know is that you are not alone, and there is support at University for you.
Domestic abuse can be any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members. This includes so-called ‘honour-based' violence and forced marriage.
Support from our Safeguarding and Welfare team
Our Safeguarding and Welfare team is the first point of contact for any student experiencing:
- domestic abuse
- stalking
- honour-based abuse; or
- risk of forced marriage
To get in touch, complete the disclosure form on Report + Support:
If you choose to disclose what you’ve been experiencing, our team will be there to listen without judgement, and can help you with:
- Ensuring your safety and managing risk
- liaising with your academic school as needed to ensure a joined up approach to your academic needs
- accessing University wellbeing support and University mental health support
- accessing financial support and temporary accommodation if needed
- accessing specialist support from external support services
- providing impartial information and guidance about your options for reporting both within the University and externally
- accessing self-care support
You can access this support without having to take forward a report.
If you live in University residences
The Residence Life team will be your first point of contact if you’re living in University residences.
You can contact them by completing a disclosure form on Report + Support or via your Residence Life Mentor (student login required).
The Residence Life team will provide the same support as our Safeguarding and Welfare team above.
You can access support without having to take forward a report.
Ensuring your safety and managing risk
Your supporter will ask some questions about your personal circumstances in order to understand if there is any immediate risk to you, other members of your family, or other members of the University community.
If any risks are identified they’ll work with you to ensure that where possible, these are addressed or at least reduced.
Where your supporter considers that there is significant ongoing risk, they may escalate their concerns to the University’s Risk Assessment Panel. The Risk Assessment Panel is responsible for carrying out risk assessments and putting in place precautionary measures to mitigate these as appropriate.
Your supporter will inform you in advance of this happening and will continue to support you throughout the process.
More information about the Risk Assessment Panel
Sharing information with your school
If you’d like your school to be aware of what you’ve experienced, but feel uncomfortable telling them yourself, your Safeguarding and Welfare supporter can do this on your behalf.
They’ll talk to you about what information you’d like to share, and if there’s a particular member of staff that you’d like them to contact initially.
It will be made clear to your academic school that this information is sensitive and should only be shared with other staff where it is necessary to be able to provide you with support.
Extenuating circumstances
If you're experiencing difficulties that are affecting your studies, particularly your ability to complete any upcoming assessments, you can apply for extenuating circumstances so they can be taken into consideration.
Your Safeguarding and Welfare supporter can provide a statement to support your application.
The content of the statement will include factual details such as the date you disclosed your concerns and how long you have been in contact with the service, rather than detailed information about what you have experienced.
Support from the Wellbeing Service
Your faculty wellbeing adviser can provide short-term interventions to help manage symptoms that you may experience as a result of being in an abusive relationship. For example, they can offer strategies for managing increased feelings of anxiety or difficulty sleeping.
You can self-refer into this service:
Book an appointment with a wellbeing adviser
Mental health support
Our Student Mental Health, Counselling and Therapies Service (student login required) can provide information and support if you need help with your mental health.
External support services
Local support services
Sheffield Domestic Abuse Co-ordination Team have responsibility for domestic and sexual abuse services in Sheffield.
IDAS is the largest specialist charity in the North supporting people affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Ashiana Sheffield are experienced working with Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee (BAMER) adults, children and young people fleeing domestic and sexual abuse including forced marriage, human trafficking, female genital mutilation, gang violence and ‘honour’ based violence.
Support for specific communities
Karma Nirvana work to end honour-based abuse in the UK.
ManKind Initiative - support for male victims of domestic abuse.
The Men’s Advice Line - support for male victims of domestic abuse
Nour offers support and advice from Islamic advisors (male and female) who are from a range of different Islamic schools of thought.
National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Galop.
Stalking and harassment
Paladin is the national stalking advocacy service.
Online and digital abuse
Refuge offer support in relation to phone hacking, cyberstalking, or the use of cameras, social media and other kinds of technology used to harm or control you.
The Revenge Porn Helpline is there for those who have experienced intimate image abuse.
Report Harmful Content offer assistance with reporting harmful online content, whether as a victim or witness.
Legal and government support
Legal Aid can help pay for legal advice.
Forced Marriage Unit can help if you’re trying to stop a forced marriage or you need help leaving a marriage you’ve been forced into.