Domestic abuse - info
Thursday 17 April 2008
Hollyoaks ran a storyline where Jake abused his wife Nancy. In response to the huge reaction to the storyline, Channel 4 and violence prevention charity Tender launched a survey to find out what young people think about domestic violence.
Tender also launched Trust - a 10 week drama based workshop where students are encouraged to 'rehearse the reality' of relationships and explore how to challenge abuse if it arises. n2k visited one of the workshops at the Beal High School in London. Watch the video.
What is a healthy relationship?
Relationships – that’s all kinds from friends to boyfriends and girlfriends to the relationship you have with your family - can add a lot to your life, even when they take a lot of effort and work.
Healthy relationships involve respect, trust, fairness and never any threatening behaviour.
What is domestic abuse?
It is normal to sometimes argue with those you live with. These arguments can sometimes get really heated but they do allow people to express opinions without fear of consequences. This is not the case with domestic abuse.
Domestic abuse happens in the home. Women are often the victims but it can happen to anyone living in the home as well.
According to Tender, domestic abuse is a pattern of hurtful behaviour that comes in many forms:
- Physical abuse such as being slapped, kicked or punched.
- Sexual abuse such as being touched in an unwanted manner, forced to have sex or look at sexual pictures or videos.
- Emotional abuse such as being threatened, name-called or put down.
- Neglect which includes being ignored or not having enough food, shelter or clothing.
Why does it happen?
Experts think that people will become abusers because they need to be in control or have power over someone. They gain this power by using violence and intimidation to make their victim fear them.
What are the signs?
Sometimes abuse can develop over a long period of time and is harder to notice. Some warning signs could be:-
- If you feel afraid to express your feelings or speak your mind to someone.
- If you're afraid of that someone's temper.
- If someone has hit, slapped, punched, shoved, grabbed or shook you.
Read more about the early warning signs of abuse.
What can you do?
In the recent Tender survey, 96 per cent of young people thought the Jake and Nancy storyline was good at raising awareness of domestic violence. 93 per cent of also thought Nancy was right to contact the police and never see Jake again.
If you’re experiencing abuse it can be confusing, and you might feel afraid but the best thing to do is get help.
Confide in someone you can trust – a teacher, a friend, a parent or carer.
You can also get free, confidential help from a variety of different organisations. They can also advise you if you think someone you know might be getting abused.
- Connexions Direct - This number doesn't appear on your bill. 080 800 13 219 - open 8 am - 2 am.
- Childline 0800 1111 - open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Youth to youth Run by young people aged between 16 and 21 for young people. 020 8896 3675 - 6.30 pm - 9.30 pm Mondays and Thursdays. They offer web chat as well.
For more helpline numbers go to the Trust website.
