Abuse / Violence / Rape

UK sources of information and / or support

 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.

 Abuse: Information and Guidance for Adults Physically, Emotionally or Sexually Abused as Children

Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Trust provide a range of patient information, including one in this area.

 Ann Craft Trust

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

 Barnardo's

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 - 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.

 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)

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

 Domestic Violence: Dealing with Physical, Sexual or Emotional Abuse from those close to you: A self help guide

Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Trust provide a range of patient information, including one in this area.

 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.

 Family Matters

Responds to the needs and provides support to the victims and survivors of sexual abuse.

 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.

 Men's Aid

Support for men and children suffering from domestic abuse or child contact issues.

 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 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.

 National Bullying Helpline

The National Bullying Helpline is a charity set up to help both employees and employers eradicate bullying in the workplace. They provide free support to both employees and employers with dispute resolution issues. They provide advice to callers about process, statutory rights and statutory obligations.

 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.

 Notyourfault.org

This is a website offering ideas and advice to help anyone suffering from domestic abuse.

 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.

 Rainbo

RAINBO is an international not-for-profit organization working on issues within the intersection between health and human rights of women. Starting with the issue of Female Circumcision / Female Genital Mutilation (FC/FGM), they explore means of preventing this and other forms of gender-based violence. Their ultimate goal is to promote and protect women's sexual and reproductive health and rights.

 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.

 Sexuality Support Team

Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust offer a range of services to respond to a broad range of sexuality issues, including enabling informed choices, sexual health, issues of HIV risks and working with people with learning disabilities who have been sexually abused or perpetrated sexual abuse.

  Sexual Abuse

Information from HandsOnScotland

 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.

 Survivors UK

Help for men who have been sexually abused or raped.

 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.

 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

A patient guide to complement the NICE national guideline for health professionals called Violence.

 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.

 Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline

The Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline is the national free support and information service for women, children and men in Wales who are experiencing or who have experienced abuse at the hands of someone close to them.

 When to suspect child maltreatment

A patient guide to complement the NICE national guideline for health professionals called When to suspect child maltreatment.

 Witness

Witness is dedicated to helping people who have been abused by health and social care workers and working to prevent abuse

 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.

 Rape and sexual assault

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, Clinical Knowledge Summaries, 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.