Frontline workers
The Respect Phoneline 0845 122 8609 welcomes calls from frontline workers coming into contact directly or indirectly with perpetrators of domestic violence or people that they suspect may be perpetrating domestic violence.
The Respect Phoneline is funded by the Home Office and is available for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We don't currently offer the service to Scotland.
Opening hours
The Respect Phoneline 0845 122 8609 is open:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm
You can leave a message when the lines are closed or busy and we’ll try to get back to you as soon as we can.
You can also email us with your enquiry: phoneline@respect.uk.net
Textphone users dial 18001 0845 122 8609
The vast majority of calls we get are from male perpetrators of domestic violence in heterosexual relationships. However, we occasionally receive calls from female perpetrators and from perpetrators in same-sex relationships.
Information and advice to frontline workers
The Respect Phoneline offers information and advice to frontline workers about working with perpetrators such as:
· Talking about how perpetrators of domestic violence may manipulate statutory or voluntary sector workers in order to exercise power and control over their partners
· Offering advice on best practice, explaining which interventions are safe and most effective
· Explaining which interventions aren't appropriate such as anger management courses, mediation and couples counselling
· Listening to your concerns about working with a client
· Providing contact details for local domestic violence perpetrator programmes
· Providing contact details of trainers and consultants specific to perpetrator interventions
· Providing information about the content and structure of domestic violence perpetrator programmes
Perpetrators of domestic violence
The Respect Phoneline provides the following to perpetrators of domestic violence:
· Contact details about local domestic violence perpetrator programmes
· Clear, unequivocal messages about domestic violence
· Encouragement and motivation to get help and to stop their abusive behaviours
We:
· Discuss their abusive behaviours focusing on the processes that led to the abuse and exploring non-abusive alternatives
· Explain that they have choices and are 100% responsible for their behaviour
· Try to increase their empathy towards their partner (and children) who has suffered the abuse
· Send them an information pack designed to enhance their understanding of domestic violence and motivate them to access specialist help
We do not undertake long-term phone work or counselling
Partners and ex-partners, friends and relatives:
The Respect Phoneline also welcome calls from partners and ex-partners of perpetrators, friends and relatives. We:
· Signpost them to the national domestic violence helplines
· Explain how perpetrator programmes work, what’s involved, what’s best practice and how they are different from anger management courses
· Encourage them to have realistic expectations about the likelihood of perpetrators changing their behaviour
Publicity material for the Respect Phoneline
If you would like to order posters and postcards, please use the form below. Please note that the Respect Phoneline is available to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. As we don't offer the service to Scotland we don't promote it by sending publicity material
Download: RESPECT PHONELINE publicity material order form.doc