Havant Women's Aid to Stop Domestic Abuse#
The charity began in 1977 as Havant Women's Aid, set up by local women who saw the need for a refuge for women and children. Its first refuge opened in 1978 and was known locally as Betty's Refuge, after Betty Bell, who had done much to get it established. It later became Southern Domestic Abuse Service, still its registered name, and now works as Stop Domestic Abuse, marking its fiftieth anniversary in 2027.
It is the commissioned provider of domestic abuse services for adults and children in Hampshire's eleven council districts (working with Finding Freedom from Abuse in the Test Valley) and in the cities of Portsmouth and Southampton (working with Yellow Door and No Limits). It runs 18 refuges across the three areas for women with or without children, and dispersed homes for people who cannot use refuge or face barriers to it. At its annual meeting on 9 October 2026 it reported a 15% rise in calls to its helplines and more adults supported in safe accommodation.
Three areas, three advice lines#
Support is for people living in Hampshire, Portsmouth or Southampton who are affected by domestic abuse or stalking, including victims, people who use abusive behaviour, and family or friends. Its get help page lists a separate advice line for each area, with different hours:
| Area | Advice line open |
|---|---|
| Hampshire | Weekdays, 9am to 6pm |
| Portsmouth | Weekdays, 9am to 9pm; weekends and bank holidays, 10am to 6pm |
| Southampton | Weekdays, 9am to 5pm |
Live chat runs on Monday to Wednesday afternoons and Thursday and Friday mornings. There is a 24/7 out-of-hours service for emergency refuge, and BSL or an interpreter can be arranged. You can ask for help for yourself with its support request form, or a professional can refer you. A Browse safely page and an exit button are on every page.
Men and LGBTQ+ survivors#
Stop Domestic Abuse says it supports hundreds of men a year, in straight and gay relationships, with advisers, specialist help on housing and the criminal justice system, and self-contained dispersed accommodation if home is not safe. The Fortis Programme is a twelve-session recovery group for male survivors, and the ten-week Phoenix Project runs separate groups for men and women.
For lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and non-binary people, it promises that your sexual orientation or gender identity will not be shared, and offers its helpline, community support, safe accommodation and Polari, a twelve-session group for LGBTQIA+ survivors that ends on moving forward safely.
Children and teenagers#
Children most affected get one-to-one support and a safety plan made with them and their safe parent. Teenagers abused in their own relationships get one-to-one support, and Break the Cycle is an eight-session group for boys and young men showing harmful behaviour. Its healthy relationship workshops reached more than 13,000 children and young people last year.
Thinking about a new name#
Stop Domestic Abuse publishes nothing on changing your name. If a new name would help you stay safe, its advisers can help you plan when; the deed itself is yours, written free from GOV.UK's sample if you like, from 16 and whatever your gender. For trans and non-binary readers, changing your name when you transition covers the documents, and our page on former names explains which records keep the old one. Galop runs the national LGBT+ domestic abuse helpline.
This page describes what Stop Domestic Abuse publishes on its own website, read on 26 October 2026. Stop Domestic Abuse has not reviewed it, and listing a charity here does not mean it recommends this handbook or any deed poll service.
