What is abuse?
Abuse is when a person says or does something which makes you feel very sad or scared. Sometimes it might also be against the law.
Abuse can be caused by anyone. It could be a stranger or even someone who you feel comfortable with like a friend, carer or family member.
Abuse could happen anywhere; in your home, in a public place, at work or college, or online.
Abuse is never your fault and nobody has the right to abuse you.
Abuse is wrong and you should tell someone. If you are scared, tell someone who you trust who can report it for you.
By reporting abuse you can help bring it to an end.
Types of abuse
Abuse is any event or pattern of events of controlling, forcing, threatening behaviour, or violence. Abuse can include:
Physical abuse
Hitting, slapping, kicking or hurting someone in another way.
Sexual abuse
This is when someone touches your private parts when you do not want them to or makes you touch them. It is also when someone talks to you about sex when you do not want them to.
Emotional or psychological abuse
This is when someone makes you feel upset, afraid or unimportant. This could be by someone shouting at you, teasing you, threats or calling you names.
Financial abuse
This is when someone takes something that belongs to you without asking or makes you give them things.
Neglect
This is when you do not get the help you need. It could be that you are not getting help with your medication, care needs or that you are not being given enough food.
Self-neglect
This is when a person might come to harm because they aren’t looking after themselves. This could be because of not taking their medication or not looking after their personal hygiene.
Discriminatory abuse
When someone treats you badly because you are different to them, this is known as discrimination. This could be because of your age. Gender, sexuality, disability, race or religious belief. This is sometimes called Hate Crime.
Organisational abuse
This is when abuse is caused by an organisation such as a care home or a hospital. They may be one off incidents or ongoing abuse.
Modern slavery
This is when someone is forced to work with little or no pay or, is threatened with violence if they do not work.
Domestic abuse
This is when abuse takes place between partners or family members. It is sometimes also called domestic violence, please see below for information and support.
Hadhari Nari
women can call The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night. The staff will offer confidential, non-judgemental information and support.
men can call Respect Men’s Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 (Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm), or visit the webchat at Men’s Advice Line (Wednesday 10am to 11:30am and 2pm to 4pm) for non-judgmental information and support
men can also call ManKind on 0182 3334 244 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm)
if you identify as LGBT+ you can call Galop on 0800 999 5428 for emotional and practical support
anyone can call Karma Nirvana on 0800 5999 247 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) for forced marriage and honour crimes. You can also call 020 7008 0151 to speak to the GOV.UK Forced Marriage Unit
in an emergency, call 999
You can also email for support. It is important that you specify when and if it is safe to respond and to which email address:
- women can email helpline@womensaid.org.uk. Staff will respond to your email within 5 working days
- men can email info@mensadviceline.org.uk (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm)
- LGBT+ people can email help@galop.org.uk
The Survivor’s Handbook from the charity Women’s Aid is free and provides information for women on a wide range of issues, such as housing, money, helping your children, and your legal rights.
If you’re worried that you are behaving abusively in your relationship, call the free Respect Phoneline on 0808 802 4040.
How to report abuse
- If it’s an emergency, contact the police, tel: 999, If you are in danger and unable to talk on the phone, call 999 and then press 55. This will transfer your call to the relevant police force who will assist you without you having to speak
- If you’re deaf, hard of hearing, have a hearing loss, or are speech impaired, you can use emergency SMS by texting 999 from your phone, or use the NGT relay assistant by dialling 18000 from the app or textphone.
- If the person is not in any danger now but there has been a crime, contact the police, tel: 101.
- To report a safeguarding concern or ask for advice about a safeguarding concern, contact: Call Derbyshire. Phone 01629 533190 from 8am to 8pm on Monday to Friday and from 9.30am to 4pm on Saturdays. You can phone Call Derbyshire anonymously without revealing your name.
Out of hours service
Outside of these times an emergency out of hours service for adult care is available from 5pm to 9am on Monday to Friday and 24 hours a day during weekends and public holidays.
This is an emergency service available for the public and agencies to access a range of social care staff for adults or children in need of social care.
Phone 01629 532600.
General enquiries
For general non-urgent requests for advice and support you can contact Call Derbyshire by email, text, fax or minicom. This should not be used for Safeguarding concerns or reporting abuse.
- email: contact.centre@derbyshire.gov.uk
- text: 86555
- fax: 01629 533269
- minicom: 01629 533240
- or write to: Derbyshire County Council, County Hall, Matlock, DE4 3AG
Customers who prefer to use British Sign Language (BSL) can contact us using a SignLive video interpreter.
This service is available on Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm. It’s free to contact us from your home.