The charity is the commissioned provider of inclusive domestic abuse services for adults and children living in Hampshire and the coastal cities of Portsmouth and Southampton.
We provide refuge and community-based support to adults, children and young people affected by domestic abuse in need of advice, support and information tailored to their level of risk and support needs.
We support survivors to navigate the criminal justice system throughout all stages of their journey.
We advocate for survivors ensuring their views and needs are heard and upheld.
We deliver one-to-one and group work for adults, children and young people to help them understand domestic abuse and improve their safety.
Proud to be a women-led organisation
Some of our services are women-only, recognising that domestic violence is a gendered crime: about 94% of our clients in community-based victim services are women. We are proud to be a women-led charity and proud to call ourselves feminists.
We work to empower all victims and survivors – women, men and children - to live lives free from domestic abuse.
Our Values
Our values are integral to how we work at Stop Domestic Abuse
Equality
Openness
Honesty
Respect for individual dignity and diversity
Empowering women and children
Care and Compassion
By achieving our vision for Stop Domestic Abuse and committing ourselves to the values that underpin our work, we will significantly improve the lives of those to whom we provide services.
Our History
In 1977 a group of local people saw a need in Havant (Hampshire) for a refuge for women and children. They established Havant Women’s Aid which later became Southern Domestic Abuse Service.
In 1978 the first refuge opened. It was known locally as ‘Betty’s Refuge’ after Betty Bell who had been instrumental in getting it established.
At first the refuge was run entirely on a voluntary basis with the help of an annual grant from Hampshire County Council.
Throughout the 1980s the demand in Havant increased and the refuge became better known as a source of help for victims.
In 2018 we re-branded to Stop Domestic Abuse
With this name helping more people affected by domestic abuse by increasing awareness and extending our reach. We now deliver accommodation and community-based services across Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton and retain our head office in Havant where the charity was founded 45 years ago.
Stop Domestic Abuse is more than a name or a mark. We use it as a powerful weapon to aid awareness, recall and empathy and to inspire action.
What we do
We have one clear vision: a world without domestic abuse. We work to ensure that domestic abuse is ‘everyone’s business’, that victims are supported to recover and perpetrators are supported to change their behaviour.
Every one of our clients has a unique experience and journey, and our services reflect that.
Refuge
Each of our 19 refuges provide a safe place to live for women and children when they cannot stay in their own homes. We make each refuge feel like a home and provide both one-to-one support and group activities for women and children.
Support Groups
Our group programmes give participants the opportunity to learn about domestic abuse and how it has affected them. Our clients tell us that they like meeting others with similar experiences and many build friendships that continue after the group work has finished.
One-to-one expert support
Our teams offer victims one-to-one support in person in the home or a place where the client feels safe. We help improve their safety and address complex issues arising from domestic abuse.
Children & Young People’s Services
We help children to understand what they have experienced and to help them feel safe again. Domestic abuse can have a severe and traumatic impact on children and young people which can result in developmental delays, unhealthy coping strategies and difficulties in forming friendships/relationships.
To find out more about our work with children and young people, please watch our video, Grace’s Story
New video shines spotlight on children's experiences of domestic abuse
Specialist support for people who use abusive and unhealthy behaviours
Our Up2U programme works with people who admit they have been abusive or used unhealthy behaviours and are committed to changing.
Prevention / early intervention
We provide training to professionals so that they understand the impact of domestic abuse and the range of support available for victims and perpetrators. We provide training to workers in the hair & beauty industry so they can recognise the signs of domestic abuse and support their clients to get the specialist help they need.
Stalking Advocacy and Support
We provide specialist support to victims of stalking in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.
“The support I received from Stop Domestic Abuse was invaluable. Without receiving the 1-1 support from my key worker, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It wasn’t just the emotional support she gave, but also how she helped me practically too. I felt equipped in knowing what to do to keep myself safe; I was supported thoroughly throughout the whole Police process, and whenever I felt worried or upset my keyworker was at the end of the phone for me.”