UK sources of information and / or support

 Violence

A patient guide to complement the NICE guideline of the same name for health professionals.

 When to suspect child maltreatment

A patient guide to complement the NICE guideline of the same name for health professionals.

 Bullying - Information from the Department for Children, Schools and Families

This web site is intended to show pupils, their families and teachers how to tackle a problem that has gone on for far too long.

  Sexual Abuse

Information from Hands On Scotland.

 Abuse

Self help guide from Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.

 Against Rape

This is the website of Black Women's Rape Action Project & Women Against Rape. It gives information on struggles against rape, domestic violence, racist sexual assault, and seeking asylum after rape.

 AMSOSA UK (Adult Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse)

AMSOSA offers two support groups to non offending adult male survivors, who were either sexually abused as a child or adult.

 Ann Craft Trust

A national association dedicated to the protection from abuse of adults and children with learning disabilities.

 Barnardos

Working with children with problems such as disability, educational difficulties, sexual, physical or emotional abuse, poverty or coping with life threatening illness such as HIV/AIDS.

 Blaenau Gwent Domestic Abuse Services

A voluntary organisation that provides a free and confidential information and support service to those affected by domestic abuse in Blaenau Gwent.

 Bully Online

A leading resource on bullying and related issues. Also contains pages on workplace violence, domestic abuse, trauma, PTSD, suicide, child bullying, bullying in schools, child suicide, stalking, and more.

 Bullying UK

Founded in 1999 by a journalist and her son as a direct result of their experience of dealing with school bullying. Since the charity was founded it has replied to thousands of emails, many of them from parents and children in total despair.

 Childline

A free, national helpline for children and young people in danger or distress.

 Children are Unbeatable

An alliance of more than 350 organisations and projects. It campaigns for children to have the same legal protection against being hit as adults and promotes positive, non-violent discipline.

 CROP (Coalition for the Removal of Pimping)

CROP is a voluntary organisation dedicated to combatting sexual exploitation. It supports affected parents (especially through its Parent Support Unit), and presses for multi-agency intervention and the effective use of legislation to target pimps.

 Dental Fear Central - Tips for Abuse Survivors and Their Dentists

Dental fear and phobia are very common in survivors of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, as the dental situation can resemble past traumatic events. This page provides advice for both abuse survivors and their dentists.

 Directory and Book Services (DABS)

Specialist information and books service for adults who were abused as children, for counsellors and workers, and for anyone affected by child abuse.

 Domestic Violence

Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Trust provide a range of self help guides, including one on this topic.

 Eighteen and Under

A registered charity that offers confidential support and information to any young person, aged 18 and under, who has experienced sexual, physical or emotional abuse.

 Everyman Project

The Everyman Project aims to reduce domestic violence by helping men to change their violent or abusive behaviour through counselling.

 First Person Plural

The UK national survivor-led association for dissociative survivors of abuse and trauma. The web site contains information about their work and some resources relating to complex dissociative disorders eg dissociative identity disorder / multiple personality disorder.

 Helen Bamber Foundation

A collective of human rights specialists who respond with compassion and creativity to the legacy of cruelty. They work with survivors of genocide, torture, trafficking and rape who seek safety and refuge.

 Hide Out

The Hideout provides help, information and support for children and young people - whether you're currently living with violence, you've experienced violence in the past or if you know someone else going through it and you're looking for help and information.

 Kidscape

Committed to keeping children safe from harm or abuse. Kidscape is the only national children's charity which focuses upon preventative policies - tactics to use before any abuse takes place. Kidscape has practical, easy to use material for children, parents, teachers, social workers, police and community workers.

 Lantern Project

Comprehensive library of information and support services for victims of child sexual abuse.

 Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture

Provides care and rehabilitation for individuals and their families who have been subjected to torture and other forms of organised violence.

 Mothers of Sexually Abused Children (MOSAC)

Provides information,support and national helpline.

 Moira Anderson Foundation

The Moira Anderson Foundation is a national charity set up in Scotland to assist children and families affected by child sexual abuse, and support those individuals whose cases progress through the legal system.

 ManKind Initiative

The is a national charity that provides help and support for male victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence. A confidential helpline is available for all men across the UK suffering from domestic violence or domestic abuse by their current or former wife or partner (including same-sex partner).

 Mankind UK

Mankind UK is a support and resource service for men who have been sexually abused, sexually assaulted and/or raped. It is a national UK charitable organisation.

 NEXUS Institute

The NEXUS Institute, based in Northern Ireland works to respond to the needs of adults who have experienced sexual abuse and provides an effective, professional counselling service for those in need. The site includes downloadable publications and information.

 NAPAC - National Association for People Abused in Childhood

NAPAC is a registered charity, which has been set up as a result of a key recommendation by the National Commission of Inquiry into the Prevention of Child Abuse, which reported in October 1996. NAPAC runs an info-line which directs callers to information on help, advice, counselling and other services in their area.

 NSPCC

To prevent children suffering from significant harm as a result of ill treatment, to help protect children who are at risk from such harm, to help abused children to overcome the effects of such harm, and to work to protect children from further harm.

 Rape and Abuse Line

Their aim is to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, however long ago their experiences were. Based in Scotland.

 Rape and sexual assault

Information from NHS Choices - the government's patient information portal.

 Rape Crisis England and Wales

Includes helpline information for local rape crisis groups.

 Rape Crisis Network Ireland

Includes helpline information for local rape crisis groups.

 Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre - Northern Ireland

To provide empowering confidential counselling and other services for survivors of sexual violence and abuse and to increase awareness of the need to change the conditions in society which make sexual violence and abuse possible.

 Rape Crisis Scotland

Includes helpline information for local rape crisis groups.

 RASAC - Rape And Sexual Abuse Counselling

RASAC offers free and confidential listening, support and information for women and men affected by rape, sexual abuse and sexual violence. Includes men's and women's Helplines.

 Refuge

Refuge works every hour of every day to provide a lifeline for women and children who experience domestic violence.

 Respect

Respect is a UK membership association for domestic violence perpetrator programmes and associated support services.

 Ritual Abuse Network Scotland - R.A.N.S.

A resource for anyone connected with ritual abuse anywhere in the world, be they survivors, counsellors, or just a concerned friend.

 Safeline

This UK site provides information for adults who were sexually abused as children. Also provides, newsletters, forums and a helpline for survivors.

 SASH - Survivors of Abuse and Self-Harm

SASH is a small self-funding organisation aiming to support adult survivors, to let them share their thoughts and feelings so they can see and realise they are not alone.

 Stop it Now!

Stop it Now! believes that sexual abuse is a preventable public health problem and challenges adults to create a society that no longer tolerates the sexual abuse of children.

 Supporting Survivors Of Abuse UK

A charity that works with survivors of sexual abuse both male and female. Their primary work is in Merseyside but they offer telephone support to those who can not attend - for example, the disabled, or people living distant.

 Survivors UK

Help for men who have been sexually abused or raped.

 Survivors Network

A Brighton based organisation supporting women who have experienced sexual violence.

 Survivors Trust (The)

A national umbrella agency for over 120 specialist voluntary sector agencies providing a range of counselling, therapeutic and support services working with women, men and children who are victims/survivors of rape, sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse. Their member groups are located throughout the UK and Ireland. The wesbite provides contact details of their many locally based member groups.

 Suzy Lamplugh Trust

A leading authority on personal safety. The role of the trust is to minimise the damage caused to individuals and to society by aggression in all its forms - physical, verbal and psychological.

 The Clinic for Boundary Studies

Provides support services for people who feel they have been harmed by a professional in a position of trust.

 Victim Support

Independent charity which helps people cope with the effects of crime. Provides free and confidential support and information to help you deal with your experience. Also aims to promote and advance the rights of victims and witnesses in all aspects of criminal justice and social policy.

 Violence Is Preventable (VIP)

An abuse and violence prevention programme for children, young people and vulnerable adults throughout the UK and abroad, developed by the Scottish charity, Eighteen And Under.

 Voice UK

Provides support and information for people with learning disabilities who have experienced crime or abuse, and for their families and carers.

 Women's Aid (England)

A national support agency for women and children experiencing physical, sexual or emotional abuse in their homes.

 Women's Aid (Northern Ireland)

Women's Aid is the lead voluntary organisation challenging domestic violence in Northern Ireland. They strive to create a safe and supportive society for women, children and young people affected by domestic violence.

 Women's Aid (Scotland)

If you are worried about how someone close to you is treating you, Women's Aid can help. There are groups all over Scotland, and you can phone up or visit them during office hours.

 Women's Aid (Wales)

Welsh Women's Aid is the leading provider of services aimed specifically at helping vulnerable women and children who are experiencing domestic violence and abuse in Wales.

 Zero Tolerance Charitable Trust

An independent charity which campaigns for the prevention of male violence against women and children. The Trust, which was established in 1995, works mainly in the UK and Europe but also has links with organisations throughout the world. The Trust works with a range of agencies to promote innovative policy and best practice that target the root causes of male violence. Zero Tolerance lobbies governments, commissions research and develops educational intervention and training programmes.

 Domestic violence

Information from NHS Choices - the government's patient information portal.

Video

 Hopeline Videos

Mail order distributer of videos on a variety of issues dealing with education, preventative health and disability. Most were originally broadcast on British television. A video on 'Recovery from Rape' is available.

See also the Patient UK list of self help and support groups for Violence / Abuse / Victim Support

Further sources / more detailed information

Some non-UK sites

The following list popular non-UK health information sites with content aimed at the general public. They are mainly from the US. They have not been checked to see if information about the above topic is included but these large sites are comprehensive.

• Non-UK disease / illness sites
• Non-UK self-help / support group sites

More detailed medical information

The following list online sources of more detailed medical information, mainly from the UK. These sites are mainly aimed at health professionals, but are of interest to all. They have not been checked to see if information about the above topic is included, but information about most medical topics can usually be found.

• PatientPlus - hundreds of medical reference articles provided by Patient UK.
• Evidence Based Medicine - such as from Clinical Evidence, The Cochrane Library, etc.
• Database of UK Clinical Guidelines - from NICE, SIGN, etc.
• Medline - abstracts available from thousands of journals.
• Sites listing free online medical textbooks and journals.
• Sites listing free medical images - pictures, atlases, anatomy, skin diseases, etc.