Council is giving domestic abuse the red card

People affected by domestic abuse are being reminded that they are not alone during the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

The rise in incidents of domestic abuse during and after football matches is well documented and the World Cup can be a worrying time for people who are being harmed by domestic abuse.

Cheshire West and Chester Council's Domestic Abuse Intervention and Prevention Service is joining representatives from other domestic abuse agencies across the county to give domestic abuse the red card.

Support for domestic abuse is available 24/7. During office hours the Council’s Domestic Abuse Intervention and Prevention Service can be contacted on 0300 123 7047 option 2.  Outside of these hours the national 24-hour domestic abuse helpline is available on 0808 2000 247. Always call 999 in an emergency.

The Open the Door website is there to provide support to residents across Cheshire 24/7. The Open the Door campaign encourages people experiencing abuse, people with abusive behaviours, friends and family to access information about how to spot the signs of domestic abuse and how to get early help. Information is also available for local employers to help them recognise if a colleague is in an abusive situation at home.

It can be quite tricky to establish that what you are experiencing is domestic abuse, so people are asked to trust their instincts. Some of the signs to look out for are:

• Undermining you, so you lose confidence
• Isolating you from your friends and family
• Making all the decisions in your life, including what you wear, who you talk to and where you go and when
• Making you do things that you don’t want to do
• Controlling your money
• Following you when you go out
• Needing to know where you are at all times

To find out more visit:

www.openthedoorcheshire.org.uk

As well as this, the Council also run regular Open Access Group sessions across west Cheshire for people affected by domestic abuse. The groups are all supported by qualified Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVA’s) and offer confidential advice and support relating to a range of subjects surrounding domestic abuse.

The groups provide somewhere for people affected by domestic abuse to go, so that they can seek advice, interact with others, share experiences and allow their voice to be heard. The sessions offer a safe environment for anyone affected by domestic abuse.

For further information please visit: 

www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/openaccessgroups.

People feeling vulnerable while visiting pubs across the borough can also use ‘Ask for Angela’.

The ‘Ask for Angela’ campaign is being backed by a number of organisations and venues across the borough, including Chester Pubwatch, to support anybody out in company who feels unsafe.

The initiative encourages people to discreetly ask for help by going to the bar where they ‘Ask for Angela’ – a phrase that means bar staff will ensure the person gets home safely.

The Council will also be supporting White Ribbon Day on Friday, 25 November. White Ribbon Day is about taking the pledge to ‘never commit, excuse or remain silent about male violence against women’. This year, White Ribbon Day, falls on the same week as the start of the FIFA World Cup and the campaign is asking for men to join the team to end violence against women and girls - that's #TheGoal.

Staff from the Council’s Domestic Abuse Intervention and Prevention Service have been working hard to create a positivity chain which includes messages written by staff, residents and people affected by domestic abuse on a paper chain that will be linked together and displayed in Chester City Centre at the Chester Women’s Aid White Ribbon Day event on Sunday, 27 November, as a tribute to anyone who has been affected by domestic abuse.

Please don’t suffer in silence, support is available. If you or someone who you know is being affected by domestic abuse, please seek support today. Visit:

Domestic abuse