1. CAROLINE FREEMAN – JENKINS CENTRE KATHLEEN CONNELL - LWA FAMILY PRACTIONERS FORUM 8 th June 2015

2. AIMS & OBJECTIVES

3. AIMS & OBJECTIVES  Increase awareness of domestic abuse  Understand whole family working when DV is present  Raise awareness about specialist DV services  Raise awareness of continued professional development in relation to DV response skills.

4. QUIZ TIME!

5. WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

6. WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? FROM MARCH 2013 NEW DEFINITION OF DV: Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass, but is not limited to, the following types of abuse: Psychological including coercive control Physical Sexual Financial Emotional

7. “Controlling behaviour is: a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour. “Coercive behaviour is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.” WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

8. The Government definition, which is not a legal definition, includes so called 'honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, and is clear that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group. Domestic violence is a systematic pattern of behaviour on the part of the abuser to control and dominate another. A domestic violence incident which results in the death of the victim is rarely a first attack and is likely to have been preceded by psychological and emotional abuse. WHAT IS DOMESTIC ABUSE

9. The arguments start Screaming and yelling for no reason or over trivial matters Victim begins to feel that they aren’t allowed to do anything – feeling of imprisonment False accusations – being told they are having affairs Feeling of walking on eggshells Physical abuse starts – hitting, kicking, grabbing, pushing, slamming against a wall etc – resulting in injuries Sexual assaults – rape, being forced to perform sexual acts Threats to hurt family and friend/s Using third parties as a tool to get to the victim – i.e children, family members, friends SIGNS & INDICATORS

10. CHILDREN & DOMESTIC ABUSE

11. Children living in households where domestic violence is happening are now identified as "at risk" under the Adoption and Children Act 2002. From 31 January 2005, Section 120 of this act extended the legal definition of harming children to include harm suffered by seeing or hearing ill treatment of others. This would include witnessing domestic abuse LEGAL DEFINITION OF CHILD AT ‘RISK’ IN RELATION TO DV

12. EXPOSURE Children are exposed to or experience domestic violence in many ways. They may hear one parent/caregiver threaten the other, observe a parent who is out of control or reckless with anger, see one parent assault the other, or live with the aftermath of a violent assault. Many children are affected by hearing threats to the safety of their caregiver, regardless of whether it results in physical injury. Children who live with domestic violence are also at increased risk to become direct victims of child abuse. In short, domestic violence poses a serious threat to children's emotional, psychological, and physical well-being, particularly if the violence is chronic.

13. CONTACT AFTER SEPARATION Unfortunately, even after separating from their abusers, many non-abusive parents find it extremely difficult to protect their children from ongoing abuse as a result of their requirement to comply with contact orders made by the family courts. On average, only 1% of applications for contact (under the Children Act 1989) are refused – yet domestic violence is an issue in up to 70% of family proceedings cases. Since the implementation of the Children Act 1989, Women's Aid has been campaigning for improvements to the safety of children under private family law. When parents separate, ongoing contact between the children and both parents is usually seen as a good thing for everyone concerned, provided the children's wishes are taken into account, and contact can take place safely.

14. CHILD-TO-PARENT/CARER ABUSE: “any act of a child that is intended to cause physical, psychological or financial damage to gain power and control over a parent/carer” (National Clearinghouse on Family Violence,2003)

15. PAST OR CURRENT DOMESTIC ABUSE IN THE FAMILY Children and young people can be isolated through their experiences of domestic abuse so that they: Are afraid of retribution Have people they feel they should protect Have developed coping mechanisms that enable them to move to ‘denial’ very swiftly Have low self esteem (feel they aren’t worthy of a different lifestyle) and /or emotional literacy Have developed an emotional literacy that is very ‘street wise’ enabling them to function to a high level in groups where anti-social behaviour is the norm Have developed advanced distraction techniques to divert the practitioner from the painful and difficult task of seeking further information to enable better support. It’s not that the young person doesn’t want the support, it’s that they don’t know how to handle the fear of ‘looking back’ at painful historic events

16. Perpetrators of Domestic Violence

17. So why do they do it ? The debate and the evidence are still live! SO: Various theories and explanations including: -“ It’s about anger management – if he could control his anger there wouldn't be a problem” -“ It’s a couples problem- they need to go to Relate” -“It’s about intoxication – you need to stop him drinking/taking drugs” -“It’s psychopathology – he needs therapy/support” -“It’s about patriarchal power – you need to deal with gender” Rather than asking for causes (why?) we propose to look at the intentions / goals of the violence (what for?) Usually, violence is used as an intent to maintain or re-establish the control over the partner, the relationship or oneself

18. How do Perpetrators talk about their abuse? A violent incident will rarely ‘just happen’- there will be a build-up, supported by distorted thinking and a set of beliefs ( usually entitlement) that will justify the abusive behaviour: A sense of male entitlement- “ she stepped out of line /broke the rules/pushed me over the edge” Partner-blaming- “ if she didn't go on at me, I wouldn't have hit her- what about her behaviour?” Denial- “ it didn't happen, she’s lying”( or commonly the Social Services conspiracy theory) Minimisation of incident: “ I only slapped her- That’s not violent” Minimisation of impact: “the kids haven't been affected, they were asleep upstairs” “ I know what I’m doing is wrong and I want to stop”

19. What about when both partners are using violence? Key questions 1.Who finishes the violence? (not who starts it) 2. Who suffers the worst injuries? (severity/lethality of violence) 3. Who is saying they are in fear for their life? ‘Mutual’ violence is extremely rare- there is usually a primary perpetrator although both parties may need an intervention programme due to the risk they pose to themselves, each other and their children.

20. Be clear that abuse is always unacceptable Affirm any accountability shown by the man Be respectful and empathic but do not collude Be positive, men can change Do not allow your feelings about the man’s behaviour to interfere with your provision of a supportive service Be straight-forward; avoid jargon Be clear that you might have to speak to other agencies and that there is no entitlement to confidentiality if children are at physical or emotional risk Good Practice in Dealing with Perpetrators of Domestic Abuse

21. Be aware that on some level he is likely to be unhappy about his abusive behaviour Convey that children are always affected by living with domestic abuse, whether or not they witness it directly Convey that domestic abuse is about a range of behaviours, not just physical violence (see power & control wheel) Don’t back him into a corner and expect an early full and honest disclosure about the extent of his abuse Be aware of barriers to him admitting his abuse and seeking help (E.g. shame, fear of child protection process, self - justifying anger) Assist him to see the likely costs to himself of continued abuse If in contact with both partners, always see them separately if you are discussing abuse NEVER disclose information to the perpetrator, that the victim has disclosed to you.

22. UNDERSTANDING RISK

23. UNDERSTANDING RISK 1.Victim’s perception of risk of harm 2.Separation (child contact) 3.Pregnancy/new birth (Under 18 months old) 4.Escalation 5.Community Issues/Isolation 6.Stalking 7.Sexual Assault 8.Strangulation (choking/suffocation/drowning): 9.Credible Threats to kill 10. Use of Weapons 11. Controlling and/or Excessive Jealous Behaviour 12. Child Abuse 13. Animal/Pets Abuse 14. Alcohol/Drugs/Mental Health 15. Suicide-Homicide

24. UNDERSTANDING RISK STANDARD No significant current indicators of risk of harm MEDIUM There are identifiable indicators of risk of harm. The offender has the potential to cause harm but is unlikely to do so unless there is a change in circumstances, for example, failure to take medication, loss of accommodation, relationship breakdown, drug or alcohol misuse HIGH There are identifiable indicators of risk of serious harm. The potential event could happen at any time and the impact would be serious.

25. CASE STUDY

26. CASE STUDY EXCERCISE What are your concerns? What are the specific risks in this case and who do they apply to? How would you respond effectively and safely to all members of this family?

27. Respond Refer Report

28. If you get a direct disclosure of DV from someone, listen to them, believe what they are telling you and ensure they have access to a safe, confidential place to talk. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT ANY ABUSE IF THEY ARE THERE WITH THE SUSPECTED ABUSER ( or indeed any family member) Safety Assessment Ask them if they feel they are in immediate danger. Ask about any history of the abuse- how long has it been going on? What is the abuser doing? Is he making threats, is he being physically violent? Is the victim talking about suicide or self-harm? Have they ever tried to receive help before? Are they pregnant or have children? Do not give advice- i.e “ you should definitely leave him” as it is extremely dangerous and difficult to leave the situation without effective safety planning but offer options such as ringing the DV helpline at a safe time Do not interrogate them!! Do not guarantee confidentiality. Consult your confidentiality policy and if there are children involved who maybe at risk of harm (even through witnessing DV) you may need to alert Children’s Services. RESPOND!

29. REPORT! If someone discloses DV to you, make sure that you discuss this with a manager or a designated person. Become familiar with your employers domestic violence policy- if they don’t have one call a DV specialist agency for guidance. You can report the matter to the police as a third party report if a criminal offence has taken place. HOWEVER, ensure that this does not endanger the victim further. Seek guidance from your managers or call the DV helpline. Encourage the victim to report to the police. Even if no further action is taken, the matter will be recorded and could be useful for a future court case and as ‘evidence’ that DV has taken place. If children are involved then you must ensure that you follow your agencies Child Safeguarding policy, even if the victim does not want you to tell Children’s Services, you have a legal duty to do so. Share information with the relevant agencies, whilst being conscious that information disclosed by the victim should NEVER be disclosed to the perpetrator

30. REFER! You should be aware of the potential life and death risks of revealing the whereabouts of an abused person ( ie to the perpetrator). Attempting to leave an abusive relationship can be the most dangerous time for a victim. Make sure you have information about Specific DV incidents, patterns of behaviour, police call outs and where this information has been obtained from. You can refer victims to the DV helpline on their behalf. You can also call any DV services for specific advice before referral.

31. LEICESTER: INTEGRATED DV SERVICES

32. DV INTEGRATED SERVICES

33. THE GATEWAY TO INTEGRATED DV SERVICES: SAFE DV Helpline: 0300 123 0918 SAFE provides Outreach, IDVA, SAFE Sanctuary, and SAFE Homes services. OTHER SERVICES THAT CAN BE DIRECTLY CONTACTED: Living without Abuse ( LWA) Family service for children affected by DV, 0300 365 0112 The Jenkins Centre Community Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programme 0116 2540101 Police Domestic Abuse Officers 0116 222 2222 or 101 LOCAL DV AGENCIES

34. CLOSE & THANK YOU