Violence Against Women and Girls

We will be adding resources, news and events on Violence Against Women and Girls on this page.

National domestic violence 24 hour helpline is 0808 2000 247 (if you have been abused by your partner or by family member)

Within the brochure are some organisations listed where you can get help for victims or survivors of violence and abuse:

England and Wales

The Free phone 24 hr helpline offers Type Talk and will not show up on your BT Bill.

In 2008 The Nia Project received funding from the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to run a one-year project focused on disabled women accessing justice. The following information includes resources and information used in developing the project, including links on where to look for more information and a listing of relevant agencies.

CHAYN:

Domestic Violence Helplines (from the Women’s Grid)

Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs): England Scotland and Wales
At the SARC, you can have a forensic medical examination, as well as tests for sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy.
The SARC should not pressure you into reporting to the police and they can store the results of the forensic examination (or evidence) until you make up your mind whether to report to the police or not.
Find a local SARC through NHS Direct

Rape Crisis Helplines

– a refuge for women with learning disabilities (including pregnant women or women with children) Ilford.

Scotland

Northern Ireland

To report a disablist hate crime anonymously:

For local organisations led by disabled people

A link to Waltham Forest council has been removed due to link no longer resolving to the correct page as of December 2020.

020 7263 1027 (Islington)
020 7708 0057 (Southwark)
077 4885 1125 (mobile)
020 7561 9594 (fax)

Advice and Counselling

News

Violence against Disabled Women and Girls

This is mainly a literature review of published reports and news articles which detail the Metropolitan Police’s failures mainly related to those with pyschosocial disabilities (PSDs)

In terms of the many reports on no-criming or CRIs (Crime Related Incidents), we must bear in mind the Betsy Stanko report as this shows a large percent of these no-crimes were victims with PSDs. Her groundbreaking report can be used as a measure of policing performance/attitudinal factors towards PSDs.

Each time we see reference to no-criming or CRI, we can be quite sure the potential exists that even more female victims who have PSDs been badly let down by the Metropolitan Police.

The research is by no means complete in what is clearly an extremely long list of failures, misdemeanors and acts of misconduct by the Metropolitan Police.

Sexual abuse of disabled adults revealed (from BBC)

The abuse of disabled people is a hidden crime we must face up to (Frances Ryan)

Almost 5,000 disabled adults – across 106 councils – have been sexually abused in England in the past two years, new figures show. As the NSPCC put it, this is the “visible peak” of what could be a bigger problem of sexual assault against disabled people. People with learning difficulties were the victims of almost two-thirds of reported incidents. The others had a range of physical disabilities. Disabled children are also likely victims.

Women with disabilities excluded from domestic abuse law, say campaigners (Karen McVeigh)

A new law on domestic violence that criminalises “coercive control” could exclude women with disabilities, who are particularly vulnerable to such abuse, say campaigners.

The new legislation, part of the Serious Crime Bill, will make it illegal for someone to exercise psychological, emotional or financial control over their partner. The law has been welcomed by women’s groups, who have long called for coercive control, which they say is often a prelude to violence, to be a crime.

However, a fresh amendment introduced by the government earlier this month will allow a defence for carers who say they believe they are acting in their partners’ “best interests”. A court would then decide if such behaviour was reasonable.

See

Serious Crime Act 2015

2015 c. 9PART 5Domestic abuseSection 76

(8)In proceedings for an offence under this section it is a defence for A to show that—

(a)in engaging in the behaviour in question, A believed that he or she was acting in B’s best interests, and

(b)the behaviour was in all the circumstances reasonable.

(9)A is to be taken to have shown the facts mentioned in subsection (8) if—

(a)sufficient evidence of the facts is adduced to raise an issue with respect to them, and

(b)the contrary is not proved beyond reasonable doubt.

Bringing disabled women together, mobilising
and sharing through lived experiences

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