Gateshead Council aims to tackle one of the major causes of rough sleeping and homelessness - domestic abuse.
According to a report commissioned by the local authority domestic abuse constitutes one of "the most prevalent causes of homelessness", on par with the ending of private tenancies.
Between 2019 to 2020, 475 households were assessed, by Gateshead Council, as in need of homelessness assistance as a result of domestic violence. Victims of domestic abuse are listed as a priority with regard to the eligibility for sheltered accommodation.
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To accommodate more victims of domestic abuse the council is planning to commission another 36 refuge spaces. Gateshead Council currently commissions six.
These plans come after a recently published and shocking report into gendered inequalities in Gateshead. The report, authored by Gateshead's director of public health Alice Wiseman, revealed that 1 in 56 women in Gateshead has reported an incident of domestic violence.
In addition, one out of five women who have been referred to Gateshead Council's homelessness team were either pregnant or had recently given birth.
According to the report, other major contributors to homelessness include discharge from the armed services, loss of employment, relationship breakdown, family breakdown, mental health problems, and substance abuse.
Gateshead Council operates a housing helpline for those in need of advice. Residents can call the 24-hour freephone number 0800 953 7112 or within office hours residents can call 0191 433 3174, Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and Friday 8.45am to 4.30pm.
An emergency phone service number 0191 477 0844 is also available out of office hours, 6pm to 8am weekdays and 24 hours on weekends. Alternatively, residents can email housingadvice@gateshead.gov.uk.
If you need help and are in an abusive relationship, the following organisations and their respective telephone numbers may be able to provide advice.
National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247
Men's Advice Line 0808 801 0327
National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline 0800 999 5428
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