Friend/Family
Who can my friend talk to?
This page can help if your friend may be experiencing domestic abuse.
We also have information if your friend may be abusing someone.
Your friend can talk to a number of different services, depending on their different requirements.
There are a number of different agencies in Devon who will be able to talk with your friend / family member and offer support.
This section will give you information about some of the main agencies in Devon supporting victims of domestic violence and abuse. It will also help you to understand what support each agency will be able to provide your friend / family member with, if they choose to call.
As with other areas of the website, we want to answer as many of your questions as possible. To that end, please click on one of the below questions to begin finding out information:
- Who can my friend call?
- Why should my friend contact Devon and Cornwall Police?
- What happens when my friend rings Devon and Cornwall Police?
- What if my friend doesn't want anyone to know who they are?
There are many different agencies your friend / family member can call depending on the help you need.
If your friend is in immediate danger you should always call 999.
If your friend would like to talk through your situation with someone there are voluntary agencies they can call – link to Specialist Support Services in Devon - who can talk with them confidentially, and offer both emotional support and practical advice.
- Calling the Specialist Support Services in Devon
- Calling Devon and Cornwall Police - about domestic abuse
- Calling Devon and Cornwall Police - about sexual abuse
- Calling the Victim Support
- Calling the Samaritans Support
Why should my friend contact Devon and Cornwall Police?
In an emergency you should contact Devon and Cornwall Police by dialling 999 - don't put your friend, their family or yourself at risk. Devon and Cornwall Police can also be contacted on 08452 777 444
Your friend may want to contact an agency within our Service Directory before they talk to Devon and Cornwall Police, but if they feel that they need to talk to them directly - please remember that:
- They will be listened to
- Devon and Cornwall Police will take them seriously
- Their aim is to protect your friend, and their family
- Devon and Cornwall Police have specially trained domestic abuse officers
- Your friend can be referred from Devon and Cornwall Police to relevant support agencies
- There are now specialist courts that specialise in domestic abuse / violence
"Article 2 of the Human Rights Act is the right to life.The police are obligated by law to manage the risk to you and your family."
Detective Sergeant Simon Timerick, Warwickshire Police
The police can have an immediate impact on your situation - opening up all sorts of opportunities to you should the perpetrator be arrested and given conditions not to return to your home whilst the investigation is ongoing.
What happens when my friend rings the Police?
What if my friend doesn't want anyone to know who they are?
There are a number of agencies who can support your friend without knowing who they are. Some of which can be found within our Service Directory. Please note, unless an agency specifically states that your friend can talk to them in confidence, they will have an obligation to pass information on around certain subjects (e.g. child abuse, if someone is at risk of serious harm, etc).
Please also note that (aside from the Police - see above), your friend is not obliged to give their name or contact details to any agency. It may however prove difficult for them to support your friend without this information. Devon and Cornwall Police are unable to talk with you or your friend hypothetically, because they are obligated by law to manage the risk to your friend and their family. Officers will have an obligation to act once a complaint has been made.
Any police officer your friend speaks to can however refer them to other agencies who may be able to help them.
