If someone close to you is hurting you, frightening you, controlling you or making you feel small, you deserve help. It is never your fault, and you do not have to be sure it counts as abuse to ask for support. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone: women, men, young people, people of any age, in any kind of relationship or family.
This page explains where to turn in and around Louth, whatever stage you are at. You can read it, call a helpline just to talk, or do nothing today. Nobody will tell you what you have to do.
Before you read on: is it safe?
If someone else might see your phone or computer, they may be able to see which websites you have visited. Think about using a device they cannot get to, such as a friend's phone or a library computer. Women's Aid has a guide to covering your tracks online, and Refuge has advice on keeping your technology safe. The Lincolnshire Domestic Abuse Specialist Service and National Domestic Abuse Helpline sites both have a "quick exit" button that leaves the site at once.
If you are in danger now, call 999.
In an Emergency
- Immediate danger: call the police on 999.
- If you cannot speak: use the Silent Solution. Dial 999, listen to the operator's questions, and respond by coughing or tapping your phone if you can. When the automated message tells you to, press 55 on your keypad. That tells the operator it is a genuine emergency, and you will be put through to the police. If you do not press 55, the call ends. The police say pressing 55 does not let them track your location.
- Not in immediate danger: ring the police on 101 to report abuse or log incidents.
- Deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired: Lincolnshire Police take textphone calls on 18000, and text messages to 999 if you have registered with the emergencySMS service first.
Someone to Talk To
National Domestic Abuse Helpline
Run by Refuge. It is free, confidential, and open 24 hours a day. Call 0808 2000 247. You can also use their online chat. The advisers will listen without judging, and will not tell you what to do. See nationaldahelpline.org.uk.
Lincolnshire Domestic Abuse Specialist Service (LDASS)
The county's own service helps women, men and children. It is confidential, and you can contact them even if you are unsure whether what you are going through is abuse.
- Phone: 01522 510041 (choose option 2), Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
- Email: info@ldass.org.uk. Only use email if it is absolutely safe, for example if nobody else can read your messages.
- Outside those hours: ring the National Domestic Abuse Helpline above.
- What they offer: a support programme of up to 12 weeks for adults who have experienced abuse in the last 6 months, including one-to-one sessions and a personal safety plan, plus group support if you want it. They can also help you find a refuge, in Lincolnshire or further away if that would feel safer.
- More information: ldass.org.uk
LDASS also lists survivor friendly groups across Lincolnshire, where people who have experienced abuse can meet in a safe place. These groups are run independently of LDASS, so check what each offers before you go. See their list of groups.
Support for Men and for LGBTQ+ People
- Men's Advice Line: a freephone helpline for men experiencing domestic abuse, open to anyone who feels it is right for them, including trans and non-binary people. Call 0808 801 0327, Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm. Webchat is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 10am. See mensadviceline.org.uk.
- LDASS: supports anyone affected by domestic abuse, whatever their gender, gender identity, sexuality or relationship, and has refuge accommodation for men. See their support for men page.
- Galop: the national helpline for LGBTQ+ people experiencing abuse or violence. Call 0800 999 5428: Monday and Tuesday, 9.15am to 8pm, and Wednesday to Friday, 9.15am to 4.30pm. It closes for an hour each day, from 1pm to 2pm, and is closed at weekends. See galop.org.uk.
Children and Young People
Living with abuse affects children, even when they are not the ones being hurt. LDASS has a service for children and young people aged 5 to 16 (up to 25 for care leavers and those with special educational needs and disabilities). It is arranged through the adult's support or through a professional such as a social worker or school.
Children and young people can ring Childline free on 0800 1111. The call does not show on the phone bill. See childline.org.uk.
Your Home and Staying Safe
- Safety planning: LDASS has a page of safety planning tips, such as thinking about the quickest way out of your home, keeping keys and a bag of essentials ready, and keeping a log of what happens. A support worker can help you plan.
- Staying in your home: if the person harming you does not live with you, East Lindsey District Council's Safe at Home Scheme may help make your home safer. A police officer can visit and recommend measures such as window and door locks and outdoor lighting, and there is equipment such as a personal alarm. You may need to pay towards some of the costs. Ring the Housing Hub on 01507 601111, option 4. If you already have an IDVA or support worker, ask them first.
- Leaving: LDASS can help you get a place in a refuge, whose address is kept secret. Refuge is for people aged 16 or over who are fleeing or at risk of domestic abuse, and there are some other criteria, so ask LDASS. See Housing and homelessness for the council's help if you have nowhere to stay. GOV.UK says you do not need a local connection to ask a council for homelessness help if you are a survivor of domestic abuse.
The Police and Clare's Law
You can report domestic abuse to Lincolnshire Police online or on 101, and in an emergency on 999.
Clare's Law lets you ask the police whether a current or ex-partner has a history of abuse. You can also ask if you are worried about a friend's or relative's partner. Lincolnshire Police say what they release is not a full criminal record. Use their Clare's Law request page. That form is not for reporting abuse, so if you need to report it, use the police online reporting service or ring 101.
If You Are Worried About Your Own Behaviour
If you are frightened by how you act towards someone you love, you can get help to change. The Respect Phoneline is a confidential helpline for anyone concerned about their own use of violence or abuse in a relationship. Ring 0808 802 4040. See the Respect website.
If You Are Worried About Someone Else
You do not need proof to be concerned. LDASS has advice on what to do if you are worried about someone, and you can ring the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 for advice. If you think someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
More Help
Living with abuse can take a toll on your mental health. See Need help now? if you need to talk to someone today, or Professional help for talking therapies. For help with money, see Money and debt advice.
Details checked 28th October 2026.