to want to contact a domestic abuse charity

[Hermi0ne]

Early this morning (6.20) I was woken up by screaming in our building. The window in the bedroom is always open, so I wasnt sure if it came from inside the building or drunks walking out on the street. Anyways, what I heard was a woman screaming "Get off me, dont do it" over and over again. It was pretty disturbing.
I walked around the flat to try and find out where the screaming came from (which flat or from outside). I was contemplating calling the police, but thought Id had to know first where the noise comes from exactly. After a few minutes it stopped. Then, about 15 minutes later (I was googling polices non emergency no and still arguiing with myself if i should call them or not, without knowing where it came from for sure in the meantime) I went outside the hall in my building, walked around and listened. Close to one door I heard a woman crying, a man telling her to stop. Then she said to him "what where you thinking?" There was more talk, but thats all I was able to make out.
Now, I talked to a friend about this and she says sending the police isnt always that good in these situations as that can further piss of the abuser. Im not sure what to do, should I contact a womens charity or domestic abuse charity instead?
It does sound to me like she is in an abusive relationship and maybe if she knows that someone contacted a charity on her behalf, would that make her realize that whats happening to her isnt normal and help her get out?

Google "womens refuge" plus your town name and there'll be a phone number to contact them. You could ask them for advice?

The only other thing I ca think of is the no emergency police number, but not sure what they'd say!

I would phone the police.

I would have phoned the emergency number at the time, but failing that, I'd call the non-emergency number

In this situation, I would call 101 for non emergency police advice. It could be a known address so they may act or it could help get something on record for if the woman ever makes a complaint.

I would advise you to call the police if this happens again.

I used to be a domestic abuse support worker. We would only be able to contact a woman if she had given her permission for us to do so (usually off the back of police attendance). We would absolutely not cold-contact someone from a 3rd party report because we don't know the risks she is facing if that communication is intercepted by the perpetrator, or if an incident has even been correctly identified by the third party as domestic abuse.

I used to be a domestic abuse support worker. We would only be able to contact a woman if she had given her permission for us to do so (usually off the back of police attendance). We would absolutely not cold-contact someone from a 3rd party report because we don't know the risks she is facing if that communication is intercepted by the perpetrator, or if an incident has even been correctly identified by the third party as domestic abuse. /end quote.

Isnt that the same case with the police though? The same risks when the police comes knocking? Probably even worse, as the police is more official. I just dont want to cause more trouble for her.

Isnt that the same case with the police though? The same risks when the police comes knocking? Probably even worse, as the police is more official. I just dont want to cause more trouble for her.

The difference is that the police have the means to protect her, which could include arresting the suspect and/or a enforcing non-contact.

In that situation I would have called 999. You don't need to know exactly where the suspected crime is being commited. If you heard a gunshot you would call the police.

That could potentially have been him trying to self harm from what you've said too. Which could be MH issues.

it's not to late to call non emergency police, if you're right it would be important to have this on file

If the police have been called by the victim it can piss off the abuser, but if the police have been called by a concerned neighbour/passerby (whose name will not be revealed to either the abuser or the victim) it can serve to give the abuser pause for thought before they perpetrate further abuse on the victim.

In any case where violence is believed to be taking place, time is of the essence as delay or failure to act can lead to serious injury or worse being inflicted on the victim.

Should you hear any similar incident again call 999 immediately, state the approximate whereabouts of the disturbance, and subsequently endeavour to work out the actual address although this is not essential and it could be that it is known to the police.

to be honest this is not your decision to make - you don't get to decide what happens. just contact the police