Community Guidelines

[Domestic Abuse Helpline Team]

These are the guidelines for behaviour by which we expect everyone to abide whilst using the forum. You’ll have seen them as part of the agreement that all users agree to when they register for the forum.  If we notice discussions where the community guidelines are not being properly observed, we will point everyone back to here, as a reminder.

Looking after yourself: 

• Do not put yourself at risk by sharing identifying details about yourself 
• Be kind to yourself – if you see something on the forum that is upsetting for you, consider stepping away for a short while and taking care of yourself before doing anything else 
• Remember that you do not have to do anything based on what you read on the forum, especially if it does not feel safe for you to do something. We (Galop) will never tell you what to do, although we may strongly encourage something if we believe it may help to keep you safe. 
• If you see behaviour on the forum that goes against these guidelines or worries you in some way, flag this to Galop. You don’t have to engage with it.  
• Remember that everyone here has experienced something difficult and that you’re not alone. If you’re struggling, that doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you. 
• It’s possible that something you share on the forum could leave a history on your device and be accessed by the police during an investigation; you may want to mindful of how much detail you share based on this.
• Don’t use the forum to break the law or post about ongoing court proceedings. This will make your situation worse not better.
• If you think a current or former partner may be using the forum, please do not register or post. Instead, contact us at the helpline for support (0800 999 5428 / help@galop.org.uk).

Looking after each other: 

• Do not share identifying information about others on the forum, or people in your life, or ask people for identifying information about themselves 
• Be respectful and kind to one another. Do not harass, bully or threaten other users in any way, and do not encourage others to do so.  
• Do not engage in racism, sexism, LGBTQ+-phobia, religious hatred, or any other -ism or –phobia you can think of.  
• Consider putting a ‘content warning’ on a post if you want to share something difficult that happened to you, so others can decide whether or not they want to read it.  
• Assume best intentions when reading and responding to other users. We all get things wrong sometimes and bearing this in mind helps to create a trusting community. 
• Do not invalidate other users’ experiences. Every user is a survivor and their experience is real and valid. 
• Respect other people’s views and don’t force your views onto them 
• Don’t spam/advertise or bring business into the forum. It’s not what we’re here for! 
• If you see or share a tool or resource that helped you and you think might benefit others, remember that not everything on the internet is true and that not all advice is suitable for everyone 

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