How to report using the text service

You can now report domestic violence by sending us a text. Send the word NoDV to the number 60777.

Your message should contain the following:

• The date and time of the incident?
• Who is involved, and ideally the name of the victim and their age?
• The name of the perpetrator and their relationship to the victim?
• What happened? Were you hit, beaten or sexually assaulted for instance?
• How many times this has happened?
• Was the perpetrator drunk or under the influence of drugs at the time?

We would like to contact you in strictest confidence, this is to offer you a range of support that is available, so it would be good if you told us in your text when is the best time during office hours. This is often the best time as you may have time to yourself during the day when you are on your own.

So your text might look something like this:

Sat 15 Jan 11.30pm, partner beat me when he was drunk, his name is ………this happens a lot my name is ………age 36 Tuesdays at 10am

Don’t worry, its ok if you text the next day about what happened. You can text 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but we will not do anything unless it is a weekday during office hours.

You can also report on behalf of somebody as a witness or third party who is aware of what is going on. Often people confide to others who are friends of colleagues, and they may want to help, but don’t know what to do. In this case you may feel you need to help someone you know, so, perhaps your text may look like this:

Sat 15 Jan 3am, friend/workmate was beaten by her partner when he came home drunk his name is ……….I am worried as this happens a lot, my name is ……….age 18 Thursdays 3pm

When you press send, we will send you a confirmation text that we have received it. It will also contain a confidential phone number if you want to talk to someone in confidence. We will not use this report in any other way unless you approve it.

Charges

You will be only charged your standard network rate for the text you send, which is normal when you send anything from your mobile phone. There will be no other charges for the return text which we send you.