Our Tenancy Services team are trained to support and advise vulnerable tenants and work closely with partner organisations and specialist services to help you get the support you need.
Depending on your personal circumstances and wishes, we can help you by:
- Referring you to local specialist domestic abuse support services
- Advising you on your housing options
- Supporting you with reporting to the Police and other agencies
- Advising you on how you can stay as safe as possible in your home
- Signposting you to your local authority to access temporary accommodation.
We now have a dedicated Domestic Abuse Coordinator
Our new Domestic Abuse Coordinator, Regan, works within the Tenancy Services team. Her job is to make sure there is specialist oversight across all domestic abuse cases, working closely with our Tenancy Services Officers to help you get the support you need, when you need it.
Click here to find out more about Regan, and how she can help you.
It’s important to note that women and men can both be victims of domestic abuse and the abuse isn’t always physical.
It can also be controlling or coercive behaviour, ‘honour’ based violence and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The different kinds of abuse are explained under the tabs below.
If you’d like to be contacted by one of our trained officers, please call us on 0345 60 20 540 or email contact@midlandheart.org.uk. Any information you give us will be dealt with sensitively.
In an emergency, where you, your family or someone you know are in immediate danger you should call the police on 999.
👉🏽 To take a look at our domestic abuse policy, click here.
Domestic abuse isn’t just physical violence. It includes emotional, psychological, sexual, financial and controlling behaviour. It’s anything that causes you to feel fear, distress or harm from someone you’re in an intimate relationship with, or a family member.
Controlling behaviour is “a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and /or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour.”
Coercive behaviour is: “an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish or frighten their victim.”
“This definition includes so called ‘honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, and is clear that the victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group"
Please call us on 0345 60 20 540 to talk to one of our trained officers, or email contact@midlandheart.org.uk. Any information you give us will be dealt with sensitively.
In an emergency, where you, your family or someone you know are in immediate danger you should call the police on 999.
No. Our priority is keeping you safe. We’ll never penalise you for reporting abuse.
Yes. We treat all reports with confidence. We’ll only share your information if we believe you or someone else, such as a child, is at risk of serious harm and even then, we’ll explain what’s happening and why.
We can discuss safety plans with you and make sure you get the support you need, such as safe housing options, tenancy changes or legal measures to protect you. Each case is handled sensitively and prioritises your safety.
Yes. We can refer you to your local domestic abuse service and advise you on areas of concern such as protective orders and financial concerns. You can also find national and regional support services and helplines under the domestic abuse service directory.
Yes. Abuse can affect anyone, and we provide the same level of support regardless of gender, sexuality or background.
We want to make sure you feel heard, understood and informed when you contact us. If English isn't your first language, we can support you with our translation and interpretation services.
There are many national and local services to support people experiencing domestic abuse.
National services include:
- National Domestic Violence Helpline - available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 0800 247 2000 or go to the website: www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk
- National Centre for Domestic Violence - a free, fast emergency injunction service to survivors of domestic violence, regardless of financial circumstances, race, gender or sexual orientation. Go the centre’s website at www.ncdv.org.uk
- National Stalking Helpline: 0808 802 0300
- Karma Nirvana (specialist support for FGM, forced marriage and honour-based abuse): 0800 599 9247
- Man Kind (specialist support for male victims of domestic violence): 01823 334 244
Local services include:
West Midlands:
- Black Country Women’s Aid: 0121 553 0090
- Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid: 0808 800 0028
- The Haven (Wolverhampton): 07719558183
- Coventry Haven: 0800 111 4998
- Panahgar: 0800 055 6519 (specialist domestic violence support for BAME women)
East Midlands:
- Leicestershire Women’s Aid: 0808 8020 028
- Northampton Domestic Abuse Service: 0300 0120 154
- Living Without Abuse: 01509 550317 (Charnwood)
- Domestic Abuse Outreach Service (Hinckley): 01455 238141
- Blaby Domestic Abuse Service: 0116 272 7637
Staffordshire:
- New Era (Lichfield, Tamworth, Cannock): 0300 3033778
- Staffordshire Women’s Aid: 0300 330 5959
We’ve partnered with Birmingham Crisis Centre as our 2025/26 Charity of the Year.
Birmingham Crisis Centre provides a safe refuge for women and children who are survivors of domestic abuse, and is open to any woman in need of support – not just those living in Birmingham
Residents at the centre are given their own self-contained rooms with kitchen and bathroom facilities, alongside shared spaces such as a play area, lounge and outdoor areas.
Beyond the centre, the charity also offers:
- A 24-hour helpline (0121 507 0707): free, confidential advice for anyone worried about themselves or a loved one.
- Counselling and keyworker support: each resident is assigned two keyworkers for one-to-one guidance.
- Resettlement programme: practical support to help women rebuild their lives, including housing advice, financial guidance and rebuilding confidence.
If you need support, or know someone at risk, call the 24-hour helpline on 0121 507 0707, email enquiries@birminghamcrisis.org.uk, or visit their website here.
Domestic abuse is one of the biggest issues in society today although the true scale of the problem is unknown because many cases go unreported.
We have joined Make a Stand for housing organisations and have pledged to support our customers and members of staff who experience domestic abuse.
To become part of Make a Stand – which was developed by the national Chartered Institute of Housing in partnership with Women’s Aid and the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance - we have pledged to meet four commitments to have:
1. A policy to support residents affected by domestic abuse
2. Information about national and local domestic abuse support services easily accessible by, for example, putting it on our website
3. A human resources policy to support staff experiencing domestic abuse
4. A champion at senior level to drive our activity for supporting people experiencing domestic abuse.
