Domestic Abuse
Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own home.
Domestic abuse is a serious crime that often takes place in the home. It often starts subtly and is usually a hidden crime that goes unreported. It can show up in many ways – through words, actions or control. Whatever form it takes, it is harmful.
Working #Twogether to deal with domestic abuse
We take a person-centred, sensitive and supportive approach to working with people affected by domestic abuse. If a tenant tells us they’re experiencing domestic abuse or we receive a report that a tenant is being affected by domestic abuse, we deal with it as domestic abuse. We’ll take a person-centred, non-judgemental approach to supporting our tenants and families who are affected by domestic abuse (DA).
Our safer neighbourhoods team and our Neighbourhood Managers are responsible for supporting tenants affected by Domestic Abuse.
Here are some of the steps we will take when domestic abuse is reported to us:
- We’ll use a risk assessment to understand the impact domestic abuse is having on the victim and their family, and to identify any risks of further harm occurring.
- We’ll work with victims and partner agencies to deal with domestic abuse proactively.
- We’ll explore a range of legal and non-legal tools and powers to support tenants affected by domestic abuse.
- We will take the strongest possible action against individuals committing domestic abuse and consider the safety of the victim or survivor when deciding on appropriate action to take.
- There are tenancy agreement clauses which prohibit domestic abuse and so tenants are at risk of losing their homes if they perpetrate domestic abuse.
What is Domestic Abuse?
Domestic Abuse is defined by law. Section 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 states:
Behaviour of a person (“A”) towards another person (“B”) is “domestic abuse” if –
- A and B are each aged 16 or over and are personally connected to each other, and
- the behaviour is abusive.
Behaviour is “abusive” if it consists of any of the following:
- physical or sexual abuse;
- violent or threatening behaviour;
- controlling or coercive behaviour;
- economic abuse (any behaviour that has a substantial adverse effect on B’s ability to acquire, use or maintain money or other property, or obtain goods or services).
- psychological, emotional or other abuse;
It does not matter whether the behaviour consists of a single incident or a course of conduct.
Two people are “personally connected” to each other if they are or have been in an intimate personal relationship, have been married or in a civil partnership, or have agreed to be married or in a civil partnership. Two people are also “personally connected” if they share parental responsibility for a child, or are related to each other in any way (including parents and children).
Children are legally protected as victims of domestic abuse if they see or hear, or experience the effects of the abuse, and are related to the victim or perpetrator.
Stalking
Our Domestic Abuse policy also covers stalking. Stalking can include:
- Following you
- Contacting you or trying to contact you in any way
- Publishing material about you or pretending to be you online or elsewhere
- Monitoring your internet use, emails or other electronic communications
- Loitering near places you go (whether public or private spaces)
- Interfering with your property
- Watching or spying on you
Report domestic abuse
If you believe someone is in immediate danger you should call emergency services on 999.
Tenants affected by domestic abuse, anyone affected by domestic abuse from one of our tenants, or anyone who has concerns that domestic abuse is happening to one of our tenants or their household members,
You can report domestic abuse to us in the following ways:
- In person at our office – our address is Rivers Meet, Cleeve Mill Lane, Newent, Gloucestershire, GL18 1DS. See How to find us.
- Our opening hours are 8.30am – 5.00pm Monday – Friday, but on a Thursday, we open later at 10.30am. Our office is closed on public holidays.
- By post – at the address above
- By email – customerservices@2rh.org.uk
- By phone – 0800 316 0897
- When the office is closed, calls will be transferred to our 24/7 out-of-hours service. Please note all calls may be recorded for training and/or monitoring purposes.
We will respond to all reports as an emergency, within one working day.
