Report domestic violence and abuse

We believe that no person should live in fear of violence or abuse.

The full Government definition of domestic abuse can be viewed here (opens in new window).

Domestic abuse is defined as any of the following:

  • Physical abuse can include: hitting, punching, kicking, slapping, hitting with objects, pulling hair, pushing or shoving, cutting or stabbing, restraining, strangulation, choking.
  • Sexual abuse can include: rape and coerced sex, forcing a victim to take part in unwanted sexual acts, refusal to practice safe sex or use contraception, threatened or actual sexual abuse of children.

  • Violent, threatening behaviour, psychological, emotional or other abuse. This can leave you with little confidence to change your situation, or that you are powerless to take any action to improve your life, or the lives of your children. This can include isolating you and not allowing you to see friends or family, or go anywhere on your own, using threats – threats to kill family, children, friends, or pets, or to find you if you were ever to try and leave, putting you down – humiliating, embarrassing or undermining you in front of others.

  • Economic abuse can include controlling money and bank accounts, making you tell them everything you spend, running up debts in your name, allowing you no say on how you spend your money, refusing to allow you to work.

  • Discriminatory abuse is motivated by an oppressive and discriminatory attitude towards a person’s: Disability, Physical appearance, Learning disability, Mental ill health, Sensory impairment, Race, Religion, Gender/gender identity, Age, Culture, Sexual orientation, Appearance.

  • Controlling or coercive behaviour underpins domestic abuse and is explained as a range of purposeful behaviours including intimidation, isolation, emotional abuse and manipulation. These behaviours are used in order to achieve power and control in an abusive relationship and reinforce the threat or reality of physical abuse.

Please look out for the purple ribbons worn by staff to show they have been trained on domestic abuse awareness and can support you to get the right support, first time and every time.

We are part of the Nottinghamshire County Partnership and work with the following:

Along with many other agencies to reduce the number of victims who suffer domestic violence and abuse, and help victims stay in their home after the perpetrator has left or been removed.

You can learn more about domestic abuse and how to recognise it by visiting national websites, including Women's Aid England (opens in new window) and Refuge (opens in new window), as well as, those of Nottinghamshire organisations including Juno Women's Aid (opens in new window), Nottinghamshire Women's Aid (opens in new window) and Equation (opens in new window).

Where can I get help?

Emergencies

If you are in immediate danger call 999.

If you can’t speak but the operator hears something suspicious, they’ll connect you to a police call handler. If you can make some noise, for example cough, whisper or tap the handset, the operator will connect you to the police.

If you can’t speak, and the operator can’t tell what service you need, they’ll transfer you to the Silent Solution system (opens in new window). This runs a 20 second automated message, and that will ask you to press 55, to be put through to the police. This does not allow the police to track your location.

Non-emergencies

For non-emergencies contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, there are many organisations in Nottinghamshire who can help and support you:

Hear people’s experiences of domestic abuse and how they have received support from organisations in Nottinghamshire on the Nottinghamshire County Council website (opens in new window). 

Mansfield District Council will:

  • Provide an environment that is safe and do all we can to ensure you and your family are safe and protected.
  • We will listen to you, support you, and believe you without judgement and not make any assumptions about your experiences.
  • We will listen to what you need and want, respect your choices, support and empower you to make decisions about your safety and housing security.
  • We will give you a voice as we recognise that survivors are the expert in their experiences and we will use this knowledge to inform the development, delivery and improvement of our services and embed good practice.
  • We will be open, honest and transparent with you at all times.
  • We will use language that is empowering and take the onus of the abuse away from you.
  • We will respect and maintain confidentiality, privacy and security of your personal information unless there is a safeguarding concern which we will discuss with you first.

We will challenge attitudes about domestic abuse and ensure it is spoken about and visible to end the silence and hidden nature of domestic abuse.

Our response to Serious Violence

Serious violence is a national priority due to its growing prevalence and impact. The term “serious violence” is most often used to define crimes that are considered ‘high harm’ offences where violence has occurred, often culminating in serious harm and/or injury.

Legislative requirements under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 provides statutory duties for council’s and local services to work together to share information and undertake measures to prevent and reduce serious violence.

This requirement includes identifying types of serious violence that occur in responsible areas, the causes of that violence, and prepare and implement a strategy for preventing and reducing it. 

We have created an extensive Serious Violence Duty Response Plan with the Serious Violence Partnership and Community Safety Partnerships, to help address the issues in our area.

View the Serious Violence Duty Response Plan

Important documents

To read Mansfield District Council's Domestic Abuse Policy please click here (opens in new window).

To read Mansfield District Council's Domestic Abuse Procedure please click here (opens in new window).

To read Mansfield District Council's Safeguarding Policy please click here (opens in new window).

To read Mansfield District Council's Directory of Services please click here (opens in new window).

 

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