We have been treated to some beautiful summer weather in recent weeks and hope that everyone has been able to enjoy the sunshine! For many people experiencing domestic abuse, the abuse does not stop over the summer holidays - making this holiday period a very difficult break.
This is why we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight an important campaign launched by Norfolk Integrated Domestic Abuse Service (NIDAS), a service Leeway is proud to be a delivery partner of.
NIDAS have launched a summer campaign sending out the message that domestic abuse doesn’t take breaks for summer and continues to be an everyday reality for so many people.
It is vital that we continue to break down the barriers people face when accessing support, as well as the support that is available locally and nationally.
Who are NIDAS?
NIDAS stands for Norfolk Integrated Domestic Abuse Service and is a countywide partnership, delivered by Leeway and our partners Daisy Programme and Safe Partnership. It launched in January 2021 and supports those that are experiencing domestic abuse and are assessed at high or medium risk of serious harm, in Norfolk.
The service offers a range of one-to-one and group support for survivors, as well as specific support for those that face additional barriers or have protected characteristics. Leeway is the lead delivery partner for NIDAS and is delighted to continue to be at the forefront of delivering this vital service across the county.
Domestic Abuse & Summer
The NIDAS campaign focuses on domestic abuse and summer, highlighting the fact that domestic abuse does not stop because it’s the summer holidays, despite calls for support sometimes decreasing over this period.
The campaign also aims to raise awareness of the support that is available across the county and highlight some of the signs that someone might be experiencing domestic abuse.
As we so often see during other holiday periods, such as Christmas and Easter, people are more reluctant to come forward for various reasons, and summer can be no different to these holidays.
For instance, they may be worried about upsetting or unsettling their children and want to keep the family together during this time. They may have already booked a holiday and don’t want to cancel this, which could also upset children.
There are many barriers that prevent people from coming forward for support and understanding them is important to tackling domestic abuse and helping people access the support they need.
These holiday periods can bring additional pressures and tensions, which can lead to an escalation in incidences of domestic abuse, so it is important to raise awareness of the support that is available.
Accessing Support
If you’re in immediate danger, always call 999.
Leeway’s support can be accessed in various ways, including:
NIDAS’ support can be accessed via:
We would encourage everyone to continue to look out for family and friends too. This could be just asking them how they are or how things are at home. It can make a huge difference and help someone to get the support that they need.
