Domestic Abuse Support

Website 

Victim Support Cumbria

Services delivered 

• Domestic Abuse Independent Victim Advocates (IVAS) work with standard to medium risk domestic abuse cases. They will: 

  • assess needs and risk
  • implement safety and support plans
  • provide emotional and practical support 
  • offer appropriate information, advice, signposting and make onward referrals

  If the risk increases to high, they can refer to Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) and Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAS).

• Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAS) and Independent Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocates (IDSVAS) provide:
  • crisis intervention
  • risk assessment
  • individual safety and support planning.

They're also able to advocate on behalf of victims and survivors who are deemed to be at high risk of harm.

• Children and young peoples' domestic abuse (DA) recovery service provides a recovery support programme to school-aged children who've experienced domestic abuse in the home. The aim is to improve the child's: 

  • overall wellbeing 
  • ability to cope 
  • understanding of domestic abuse

  Programmes are tailored to the child's needs and age-related ability and include one-to-one sessions. 

• Children's Domestic Abuse Advocates (CHIDVAS) are practitioners from the child and young people's DA recovery service. They're duel trained to provide support to young people aged under 16, who have disclosed domestic abuse in their own relationships. 

  Much like IDVAS, CHIDVAS: 

  • assess and monitor risk
  • implement safety and support plans
• Turn the Spotlight is a programme best suited to situational couple violence and low-risk domestic abuse. It explores: 
  • general awareness 
  • stereotypes 
  • relationships 
  • love and sex 
  • spiralling video 
  • self-awareness body cues 
  • red flags 
  • cognitive triangle 
  • skills for change 
  • taking responsibility 
  • awareness of other people 
  • thoughts and emotions 
  • coping strategies
  • education 
  • self-awareness 
  • skills for change

Who the service is for 

The service is open to anyone aged over five years old, regardless of gender or sexuality. 

Areas covered 

All of Cumbria.

Contact details 

Telephone: 0300 303 0157

Email:  CumbriaIDSVA@victimsupport.org.uk  

How to make a self-referral

You can refer yourself to Victim Support, by calling the local service line on 0300 303 0157.

Children, young people and their parents or safe carers can request support using the same telephone number. 

How to refer someone to Victim Support

There are several referral pathways, depending on the service. 

Independent Victim Advocate Team (DA IVAS) 

If you wish to refer someone to the Domestic Abuse Independent Victim Advocate Team, you must have their explicit consent.

Once you have obtained consent, send a completed DASH/homicide timeline risk assessment to cumbriaIDSVA@victimsupport.org.uk. 

You must password protect the document and send the password in a separate follow up email. 

Learn how to protect a document with a password.

In the additional information section of the risk assessment, please include: 

• safe contact details 
• an address 
• the victim
• the names and dates of birth of any children 
• the name of the perpetrator

Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAS)

You do not need consent to refer a high-risk individual to the  MARAC and the Independent Domestic Violence Advocate Team. 

You should submit your completed risk assessments and MARAC referral to the MARAC co-ordinators. This will generate a safeguarding hub referral to the Independent Domestic Violence Advocate Team.

Children and Young Peoples' Domestic Abuse Recovery Service and Children's Domestic Abuse Advocates (CHIDVAS)

Please request a referral form by email: CYPCumbria@victimsupport.org.uk.  

Turn the Spotlight and They Matter programmes

For more information, or to request a referral form, please email turningthespotlight@victimsupport.org.uk.   

Referral information and waiting times

The service have provided us with the following waiting time information: 

• the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) Team have a waiting list. The delays are caused by factors outside their control, such as the complexity of police investigations
• the Multi-Crime service does not have a waiting list 
• there is no waiting list for the Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) team 
• the Sexual Abuse Team do not have a waiting list 

Website 

Springfield Support

Services delivered 

• refuge accommodation for women and children
• trauma counselling for women in the refuge 
• community based support for men and women 
• support in rural areas 
• poverty support 
• support for friends and family of domestic abuse victims and survivors 
• Independent Stalking Advocate (ISAC) 

Springfield Support also offer group work programmes: 

• Helping Hands - for children aged under twelve years old whose parents are being supported by the service
• Power to Change - for men and women 
• Boundaries - for men and women 
• peer support groups for men and women 
• creative writing for men and women

Areas covered 

• Appleby 
• Kirkby Lonsdale 
• Kirkby Stepehen 
• Sedbergh 
• South Lakeland 
• Tebay
• Ulverston 

The ISAC covers the whole of Cumbria. 

Contact details 

Telephone: 01539 726 171

Email: help@springfieldsupport.org 

Address: Stricklandgate House, 92 Stricklandgate, Kendal, LA9 4PU

How to make a referral 

This service accepts self-referrals and referrals from agencies. You can make a referral over the phone, by email, in person or using their online contact form. 

Find contact details for Springfield Support.

Referral information and waiting times

Springfield do not hold waiting lists for accommodation services or DASA support, and will accept referrals at any time.

If you're making a referral for generic community support, which doesn’t fall under DASA, the referral may be placed on a waiting list during periods of high demand. However, they will always make contact with the survivor within 48 hours of receiving a referral and outline when they can expect support to start.

Website 

Women's Community Matters

Services delivered and who they're for

WCM offer a range of service for victims and survivors of domestic abuse:

• Butterfly Project - a six-week course enabling women to explore the different types of abuse, and the effect it can have on them and their family
• My Relationships and Me - a six-week course to help women understand and identify healthy and unhealthy relationships 
• one-to-one support - individual support is available at Barrow Town Hall or Kendal Town Hall. They also offer support via telephone or online, if preferred. A blend is also available. 
• crisis room - a safe space within the Barrow Centre is available during reception opening hours 
• accommodation and support service - this is run jointly between WCM,  us and the Furness Homeless Support Group (FHSG). FHSG provide safe accommodation and WCM offers wrap around holistic support, such as: 
  • several one-to-one appointments per week 
  • groups 
  • activities 
  • other socialising opportunities
• Cumbria Domestic Abuse Survivors' Network - a contracted service that offers a countryside network for people with lived experience of domestic abuse. Established in 2022, the Network allows people to directly shape the design, delivery and development of domestic abuse services and related services, at a local level. In the last twelve months, sixteen women, one man and four people from the trans and non-binary community have engaged with the network.

Areas covered 

WCM supports women across the Westmorland and Furness area and in the Millom area. 

The majority of their work takes place in Barrow, where their centre is located. They also have outreach provision in Kendal. 

Contact details 

Telephone: 01229 311 102 

Email: reception@womenscommunitymatters.org 

Address: Nan Tait Centre, Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 1LG

How to make a referral 

This service accepts self-referrals in person, by phone or by email - find contact details for Women's Community Matters.

If you wish to refer someone to the service, the easiest way to do this is by email: reception@womenscommunitymatters.org.

Referral information and waiting times

All domestic abuse and sexual abuse (DASA) referrals are contacted within 24 hours. This is to complete First Contact Form and book them in for a Gateway appointment as soon as possible. 

The Gateway appointment will look at safety planning and address risk. If risk is identified, the case will be allocated immediately.

If the service experiences a high volume or complexity of cases, they'll put a waiting list in place for the other referrals. They discuss these referrals in their allocation meetings, which are held every Tuesday. The risk will be prioritised again and allocate the cases accordingly.

Services delivered

Established in 1989, the FHSG has 14 units of accommodation. They're staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year. The service offers: 

• five rooms for general vulnerable homeless people aged over 18
• three houses for people who require longer-term support 

In 2021, FHSG joined a joint programme with us and Women's Community Matters (WCM). They now have separate building to provide safe accommodation for women fleeing domestic abuse. There are four bedrooms, split over two floors. Each floor has two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. 

WCM provide wrap-around support, which includes:

• several one-to-one appointments per week
• groups
• activities 
• opportunities to socialise 

Contact details 

Telephone: 01229 821 134

Email address: admin@furnesshomeless.co.uk 

Address: Furness Homeless Support Group, 27 Bath Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 1NL

How to make a referral

• to make a self-referral, call 01229 821 134
• for agency referrals, email admin@furnesshomeless.co.uk 

Referral information and waiting times

• a waiting list will be put into effect in the event the accommodation is full
• emergency referrals will be progressed the same day in most cases
• when no room is available, the waiting time could be anything from one week to four months - please contact the service directly to check the current status

Website 

Gateway 4 Women

Services delivered 

• My Relationships - a healthy relationships course, exploring relationships with friends, families, partners and others 
• Beautiful Women/Beautiful Me - a personal development course, exploring the world and your place in it 
• arts and crafts 
• holistic activities
• one-to-one support 
• housing and benefit support 

Who the service is for 

All services are offered to women. The service can consider referrals for men, to offer a bespoke service. 

Areas covered 

Carlisle and the surrounding areas.

Contact details 

Telephone: 01228 212090

Email: admin@cumbriagateway.co.uk 

How to make a referral 

Referrals can be made by email, telephone or by using the contact form on their website. 

Find referral contact details for Gateway 4 Women

Referral information and waiting times

The time from referral to being seen is within seven days – support sessions are ongoing and when complete, further sessions will be run with no current waiting list.

Website

Birchall Trust 

Services delivered 

The Trust offers one-to-one counselling for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse. 

They also provide education and run groups for, or about:

• protective behaviours 
• parents and carers 
• managing sexualised behaviour in secondary schools 
• staying safe online 
• safe relationships and consent

Who the service is for

Anyone aged four and above - Birchall's categories are:

• female and male survivors
• children aged between four and twelve
• young people aged between thirteen and seventeen 
• family and friends 

Areas covered

• Barrow
• Blackpool & Fylde Coast
• Kendal
• Lancaster
• Morecambe
• Preston and East Lancashire - including Colne, Nelson, Clitheroe, Blackburn and Accrington

Contact details

Telephone: 01229 820828 

Email address: enquiries@birchalltrust.org.uk  

Address: 60 Hartington St, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 5SR 

How to make a referral

The Trust accepts self-referrals and referrals from agencies. 

Complete an online referral form for the Birchall Trust.

Westmorland & Furness Council are working with Victim Support to run free drop-in sessions for anyone aged 16 and above. The service is for people who need information, support and advice about domestic abuse. The sessions are to make information and advice more accessible for local communities, particularly in rural areas. 

Session details for 2026

Day: first Monday of each month (except for Monday 4 May, which is a Bank Holiday. The session will be held on Tuesday 4 May instead)

Time: 9.30am and 3.30pm 

Location: Penrith Library, St Andrews Churchyard, Penrith. CA117YA

If you attend a drop-in, please ask for Alice. You will then be taken to a private room to talk confidentially with Victim Support. 

This section provides an overview of the national - and some local - support services available to anyone affected by domestic abuse.  This is not an exhaustive list.

UK National - women

The National Domestic Abuse Helpline, is a freephone number for women victim-survivors, open 24 hours a day, run by Refuge. Call: 0808 2000 247.

Women’s Aid offer over 400 local services across the UK for women affected by domestic abuse. 

Solace are a leading specialist charity supporting women and children experiencing domestic abuse and sexual violence in England and Wales.  

UK National - men

The Mankind Initiative run a confidential helpline available Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm. Call: 01823 334244.

Respect run Men's Advice Line, a confidential helpline for male victim-survivors, available Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm. Call: 0808 801 0327.

SurvivorsUK provide an inclusive service for male and non-binary victim-survivors of sexual abuse, available Monday to Sunday 12pm to 8pm. Call: 0203 598 3898.

UK National - LGBT+

Galop run a free helpline for LGBT+ people who have experienced domestic abuse, available Monday to Thursday 10am to 8.30pm and 10am until 4.30pm on Fridays. Call: 0800 999 5428. 

Switchboard provide support to survivors through their Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs). They offer support with housing and accessing refuge services, financial issues and benefits, navigating the criminal justice system, and assisting with mental and physical health needs.  

UK National – children

NSPCC run an advice and support line, available Monday to Friday 8am and 10pm and 9am and 6pm at the weekends. The advice line is confidential and provides advice to parents and carers. Call: 0808 800 5000.

National – support apps

Bright Sky is a free app for anyone experiencing domestic abuse or worried about someone else. It helps to spot the signs, know how to respond and support someone to safety. Download Bright Sky and find links to posters and social media graphics about Bright Sky.

Hollie Guard is a personal protection app to help keep users safe whether they are working alone, travelling to an unknown place or meeting someone new. Find out more and download the app.

WalkSafe+ Pro is a personal safety app, providing peace of mind during commutes, and in other public spaces. The app combines journey-sharing features and a national Safe Space map, plotting safety trained venues across the UK in partnership with Local Authorities and businesses that offer safety facilities. WalkSafe+ also has a suite of tracking and non-tracking features available, which enable trusted friends to follow live journeys. 

Specialist services

Black and minority ethnic groups

BAWSO run a 24-hour helpline for Black, minority ethnic and migrant victim-survivors of domestic abuse, violence and exploitation in Wales. Call: 0800 731 8147.

Chayn support survivors of abuse across borders and are trauma-informed, intersectional, multi-lingual and feminist. Chayn have an extensive resource section and connections with local services online.

Hersana support Black femmes affected by or at risk of experiencing gender-based violence across England and Wales. Call: 0333 016 9610.

Imkaan are a UK based women's organisation dedicated to addressing violence against Black and minority women across the UK. Contact through their website. 

Jewish Women's Aid run a helpline for Jewish women and girls affected by domestic abuse across the UK, available Monday to Thursday 9.30am to 9.30pm. Call: 0808 801 0500.

LAWRS - A helpline for Latin American migrant women across the UK, available Monday to Friday 11am to 1pm. Call: 0808 145 4909. 

Southall Black Sisters offer specialist support, advocacy and information to Black and minoritised women suffering abuse. Their helpline is open between 9am and 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. Call: 020 8571 0800. Based in Southall. 

Child to parent abuse

Parental Education Growth Support (PEGS) are a charity that support parents, carers and guardians who are experiencing child to parent abuse (including those with adult offspring). 

Disability support

Sign Health offer support to deaf people in England affected by domestic abuse. Text: 07800 003 421.

Stay Safe East is run by and for disabled people and supports victim-survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, harassment and other forms of abuse in London. Tel/SMS: 07865 340 122. 

Economic abuse 

Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) produce a range of specialist resources on economic abuse for victim-survivors and the professionals supporting them across the UK.

Employers

All Things Economic Abuse offers advisory and consultancy services to organisations working to address economic abuse.  

Hestia's Respond to Abuse Advice line is a free resource for employers.  Employers can call to seek advice on how to support employees and colleagues experiencing domestic abuse. Call 0203 879 3695 or email adviceline.EB@hestia.org. 

Working Families advise parents and carers of their employment rights in the UK with their free legal advice service, and help employers to create supportive, flexible workplaces through an employer membership, which offers a wealth of tools and tailored guidance, free resources, coaching and consultancy, and a Family Friendly Workplaces certification scheme. 

Fatal abuse

Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse draw on personal and professional experience of major criminal justice processes like Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews, and other related inquiries and provide emotional, practical and specialist peer support to those left behind after fatal domestic homicide across the UK. Call: 07887 488 464. 

Honour Based Abuse

Karma Nirvana are the longest established charity specialising in providing support for people impacted by Honour Based Abuse in the UK. They produce data on Honour Based Abuse, train frontline practitioners and professionals, and campaign for change. Their national helpline is open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm. Call: 0800 599 9247. 

IKWRO support Middle Eastern, North African and Afghan women and girls living in the UK, who have experienced, or are at risk of all forms of Honour Based Abuse, including forced marriage, child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), and domestic abuse. They offer services in Kurdish, Farsi, Arabic, Dari, Pashto, Turkish and English across the UK. 

Legal assistance

The Domestic Abuse Alliance run an advice line with legal assistance for domestic abuse victim-survivors in the UK, available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Call: 0800 101 7110.

Affordable Justice offer legal services for women. Calls are free and available across the UK. They operate a women’s centre in Hull. Call: 01482 711 003.

Eight Street LLP is a paralegal firm supporting survivors of domestic abuse as they go through family law proceedings. It offers affordable expertise by practitioners who have been through family court proceedings themselves. 

Haworth Family Law, owned and run by Catherine Haworth, provides pro-bono legal advice services for victims of domestic abuse who are navigating the family court system. Catherine is both a qualified solicitor and a qualified domestic abuse advisor, having previously worked at West Mercia Women's Aid as a Family Court IDVA. Catherine runs a telephone service and TEAMS across the UK. Enquiries can be made via her website here. 

The National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) specialise in providing free, fast and effective support to victim-survivors of domestic violence and abuse, usually by helping individuals obtain injunctions from their local county court. NCDV can make referrals to the Domestic Abuse Response Alliance (DARA). Available across the UK. Call: 0800 970 2070.

RCJ Advice deliver free legal advice to people with cases in the civil and family courts in England and Wales. Call: 0203 745 7707.

FLOWS are a legal advice service in England offering free legal advice and support to front-line workers working with women responding to domestic abuse, and they can advise women themselves. Call: 0203 745 7707. Email: flows@rcjadvice.org.uk.

CourtNav is an award-winning tool which aids survivors in applying for protective injunctions. It generates relevant court forms and the supporting statement necessary to apply for a protective order in England and Wales. 

Rights of Women aim to provide women in England and Wales with the legal advice and information they need to understand and use the law and their legal rights via a free helpline. Visit the website for a list of Advice Lines.

Older people

Age UK have information on their website to support older people affected by domestic abuse, including advice lines. They operate across the UK.

Hourglass are a UK-wide charity dedicated to ending the abuse, harm and exploitation of older people. Hourglass provide end-to-end support including specialist older people’s IDVA and ISVA services. Employers can signpost their employees aged 60 and above to Hourglass which is open 24 hours a day. Freephone Helpline: 0808 808 8141. Text service: 07860 052906. Email: helpline@wearehourglass.org

Perpetrators

Respect run a confidential helpline for perpetrators of domestic abuse. Call: 0808 802 4040. They operate across the UK.

Safety Schemes

Safer Business Network is the umbrella not-for-profit organisation which implements and administers Business Crime Reduction Partnerships (BCRP’s) in inner London. Safer Business Network works across Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, the West End and parts of Camden in London. Each BCRP is implemented locally in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service, local councils and partner agencies. Find out more.

The Safe Spaces scheme offers a private, safe area to people experiencing domestic abuse and is offered in the consulting areas of Boots UK, Morrisons, Superdrug and Well pharmacies, HSBC, TSB banks and independent pharmacies across the UK. These Safe Spaces are for people to use as they wish, potentially to reach out to a friend or family member or call a support service. 

Online Safe Spaces is a discreet online pop-up window with support, advice and helpful contacts for those at risk of domestic abuse. It leaves no internet search history and offers quick options for people to exit the site when needed. Online Safe Spaces can be used on intranets and can be added to a website.

Sexual abuse

Rape Crisis England and Wales operate a 24/7 helpline and online support for anyone affected by rape and sexual violence. Call: 0808 500 2222. Operates in England and Wales.

The Revenge Porn Helpline run an advice and support line, available Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm. Call: 0345 600 0459. They operate across the UK. 

Outcry Witness is a free, secure, and anonymous platform where survivors of sexual assault can document their experiences in their own words and at their own pace. It preserves time-stamped details and, while it is not a reporting tool, it provides a confidential and safe means of recording events for those who may choose to come forward at a later stage.

Stalking and harassment

The Suzy Lampugh Trust run the National Stalking Helpline, available 9.30am - 4pm weekdays except Wednesdays. Call 0808 802 0300. They operate across the UK.

Tech safety

Women’s Aid offer guidance on how to cover your tracks online.

Refuge offer guidance on tech safety including how to think through the technology in your home, how to secure it and a “digital break up tool”.

Safelives also have information on digital and online safety.