HELPLINE

During 2010-11, hundreds of women rang the JWA Helpline. They called because they felt the need to talk to someone who could listen and understand the abusive situation in which they found themselves.

A confidential, sympathetic, non–judgemental listening service, the helpline - 0808 801 0500 - is operated by trained Jewish women from 9.30am – 9.30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Outside of these hours calls are recorded, monitored and responded to.

Emergency advice is readily available.

REMEMBER! IF YOU ARE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER, ALWAYS DIAL 999.

In the event that you require emergency accommodation and are unable to reach JWA, please contact the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 08457 2000 247.

Any Jewish woman that needs to talk about her suffering, to discuss her fears and concerns or is in need of some practical support whether it be urgent or not can call the helpline..

Our aim is not to judge you or coerce you into a situation with which you are not comfortable. We will inform you of the options available and empower you to take control and make decisions which are right for you.

The JWA helpline can also offer advice and information to concerned family and friends of a woman who is in an abusive relationship.

Contacting the JWA helpline is the first step towards receiving the help and support which any woman suffering domestic violence needs and more importantly deserves.

Once the initial contact has been made to the helpline, the pace of any assistance offered is set by you. Making the first call may be one of the hardest decisions you make. It may be the first opportunity you have had to really talk about the abuse that you are or have been suffering.

Knowledge and understanding the options available to you, even if you decide not to act on them immediately, will make you stronger, and with that strength, will come the confidence and ability to regain a sense of control once again.

The JWA helpline is a proven lifeline to women who have been forced to leave their home but have not known where to go to find safe and secure accommodation for themselves and their children. It is also used by those who need a listening ear, to help them make sense of what they are feeling or to understand what is happening to them.