1. Specialist domestic abuse service for Deaf people and children

2. Why specialist services are needed?
No other domestic abuse specialist services for Deaf people exist that provide the same level of support
Lack of specialist knowledge of Deaf community/Culture in mainstream services
Hearing DV services – more signposting (signposting does not work for Deaf clients)
Deaf clients include many extremely vulnerable and complex cases, especially from non British born and from BAMER communities

3. Why specialist services are needed?
Around 80% of Deaf referrals for specialist counselling have experienced domestic abuse
2:4 Deaf and disabled women at risk of DV
Making the Links report 2009 Women’s Aid
90% of Deaf people have hearing parents with a large percentage of families unable to communicate effectively

4. Deaf Community issues - risks
Communication barriers prevent Deaf people from disclosing abuse
Lack of awareness of the issues of domestic abuse amongst Deaf Community
Changes in tradition – deaf clubs closing and more internet dating/socialising
Higher risk of Forced Marriage and Honor Based Violence – including Deaf LGBT
Vulnerability of Deaf people from ethnic communities coming to UK with minimal language skills and no education
Example of FM at 13
Pakistan village – victim of sexual trafficking - can’t say why/how here or where from
Cannot tell you name/address/date of birth even of family members

5. Deaf Community issues - risks
Hearing perpetrators use power and control, and also use a person’s deafness as another way of abusing them
Deaf perpetrators behaviour can be due to witnessing domestic abuse in childhood and believing this to be normal behaviour.
Lack of appropriate education for Deaf young people leads to lack of awareness of acceptable/unacceptable behaviour
Deaf perpetrators will use their Deafness as an excuse to avoid prosecution. Court cases often dropped due to no interpreters.

6. Refuges Communication barriers – both staff and other survivors
Refuges don’t have equipment for Deaf => Deaf women are delayed to go in refuges until equipment are fitted
Slower recovery rate and increased mental health issues
Many will leave refuge to return to perpetrator
Deaf refuge not an option due to the Deaf community being so small, would be hard to manage risks
Deaf women usually get on better with those hearing survivors who do not speak English as both share same communication barriers

7. Who we support Deaf led supporting Deaf people and children
Our Clients :
D/deaf (both oral and sign language users)
Deafened
Deaf/Blind
Hard of Hearing
Our Aims :
Prevention, Protection and Provision

8. Our current services IDVA Independent domestic violence
advocates – High risk clients
Outreach – Medium to low risk
Young Deaf Hope prevention workshops
Children and Families service
Survivor workshops (first in UK)
Supporting Deaf women in refuges
Training – professionals
Deaf community groups
Support deaf woman and children in refuge.

9. Where are we based? Administration only office in Balham, South London
Our services currently cover all London Boroughs, Sussex and Kent
We meet clients in their own boroughs/areas and work closely with their local dv services

10. Our team
Small team of 8 : 1 hearing, 7 Deaf
Service Manager (also IDVA)
Deaf Hope Admin/Coordinator
4 Deaf IDVA workers
1 Children and Families worker
Young Deaf Hope Prevention Officers (including 1 Deaf IDVA)
All fluent in BSL and can use International Sign Language

11. Our criteria Clients must be d/Deaf, deafened, deaf/blind
Age 16 or over in accordance with the definition of Domestic Abuse and Violence
Must be experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse
Direct support for those within our funded areas
We do not provide counselling but refer to Sign Health specialist BSL Healthy Deaf Minds

12. Deaf Hope - Referrals
Referrals can be accepted from any agency, victim support, police, health etc. within our funding areas
Self referrals also accepted
Referral form can be requested or downloaded from website.
Allocations each week or immediate for high risk
Confidentiality fears
----- Meeting Notes (13/06/ :23) -----

13. Young DeafHope – Prevention Work
6 weeks healthy relationships workshops to Deaf young people age 11-19
Forced Marriage/HBV workshops
Internet Safety/Sexting/Cyber bullying
Sexual Consent

14. Client Centred – Multi Agency Approach
Police
MARAC
Social services
Refuge
Health
Deaf Hope
Housing

15. Perpetrators identified from 2012-16 for 250 female clients.
Deaf children have hearing parents and grow up with ‘can’t’ mentality also can use their Deafness to avoid prosecution (i.e. pretend they do not understand court interpreters)
Deaf families can pressure Deaf victim to drop charges because they worry about Deaf community shame and being target from own community

16. Deaf Hope
Around Deaf women a year supported to leave abusive relationship and start new life
13 survivor workshop groups have been delivered
YoungDeafHope has delivered prevention workshops to over 500 Deaf young people 11-25
18 Deaf women and their children have been supported to successfully access refuges services by Deaf Hope

17. Deaf Hope
Supporting Deaf people and children to live free from fear and harm of domestic abuse

18. For more information Contact Deaf Hope :
Referral forms on website or on request – only for professionals and not self referrals
Telephone :
Mobile sms :
Facebook