If you are a child or young person worried about what’s happening at home
Are you worried about domestic abuse at home or think you may be in an unhealthy relationship? Help and advice is available for you. Sometimes it is difficult to say what is on your mind, but talking to someone can help you cope with difficulties.
Keeping Safe
It’s important to think about keeping safe. We can help you by talking through your different options.
Who can you talk to?
There are a lot of places to get support and advice on domestic abuse, such as talking to
- a teacher
- tutor
- parent
- relative
- school nurse
- counsellor
- an adult you can trust
It takes a lot of courage to ask for help and finding the right person you feel comfortable with is important too. Some children and young people tell us it’s easier talking to someone who doesn’t know them. Finding the right time or the right words can be difficult, so you might want to write down what you want to say.
Here are a few suggestions:
-
I’m really worried about my mum and feel scared when the fighting starts.
-
I’m finding it hard to concentrate in school because I’m worrying about problems at home.
If you are a young person worried about your or someone else’s relationship
What is domestic abuse?
Domestic abuse is about one person misusing power and control over another; it is not normal and never okay.
If you are in a relationship with someone, you should feel:
- loved
- trusted
- safe
- respected
- free to be yourself
If your relationship leaves you feeling:
- scared
- intimidated
- controlled
it’s possible you are experiencing domestic abuse.
Sometimes domestic abuse can be hard to see, especially if you have strong feelings for that person. It can take many form, such as physical, emotional, financial, and sexual abuse.
Some examples could be:
If you have selected a lot of ‘yes’ answers to the questions, and someone you know demonstrates a lot of those traits, this is an indicator that they may need to consider the impact of their behaviour on others. It is important to point out that we may all carry out some of these behaviours, whether done infrequently or in a light-hearted way. However, if they are being used to control another person, this could be an indicator of an abusive relationship.
Safety Comes First
If you or someone you know is in an abuse relationship, there are few things you can do:
- talk to someone – do you have a safe adult that you can talk to who you trust? This may be a teacher, relative or a support worker.
- Contact the Live Fear Free Helpline.