Enhanced Understanding of Violence Against Women,

Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence for Organisation Champions

“Ask & Act” - group 3 training

Toilets

Breaks

Taking care of yourself and each other

Mobile phones

Smoking

Housekeeping...

- Name - Job title - What would you say is your biggest knowledge gap in relation to

Ask & Act? - Describe one useful thing you learnt during your Ask & Act group 2

training.

Introductions...

- Confidentiality

- Do you need support?

- Timings

- Respect

- Silence is agreement Any others?

Ground rules...

Video clip How to ask and respond...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnUQCEosjTU

Learning objectives..

LO 1 Understand violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual

violence (VAWDASV) in the context of the whole family.

LO 2 Understand risk in relation to VAWDASV.

LO 3 Understand how to support colleagues in relation to VAWDASV.

In small groups, imagine your ideal workplace

Ask & Act champion, and describe the qualities, values,

skills, & knowledge, you believe Group 3 Champions need to

possess, in order to be an effective support to their colleagues and

service users.

What is the role of Ask & Act Group 3 Workplace Champion?

10 minutes

Group 3 professionals Have a knowledge of VAWDASV and support colleagues to:

Raise awareness of Ask & Act within the organisation and amongst other practitioners

Promote awareness of the local referral pathway and the Helpline as sources of support for professionals

and service users

Know what to do when there are complex needs

Follow Local Safeguarding procedures

Support colleagues to make appropriate referrals to specialist

providers

Work with a colleague to consider a case where there are

ongoing concerns

The ‘whole family’ approach

In small groups, discuss how your organisation could interpret and apply

the above definition of whole family approach to VAWDASV

A Whole Family Approach is "working with the whole family, viewing every family member

as one part of a complex picture, and including perpetrators in this picture as far as

possible.... This requires taking a different perspective on balancing short and long-term

risk, and rethinking the support that both parents, and children, need in order to recognise,

understand and break out of damaging family dynamics."

10 minutes

Department for Education:

https://innovationcsc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/LS-1-Domestic-Violence.pdf

Things to consider when taking a whole family approach to tackling VAWDASV

Practitioners informed by

combination of practical, theoretical,

therapeutic and systemic knowledge.

Understanding of underlying issues for perpetrators

Data sharing within and between teams

Separate workers for victims and

perpetrators and for adults and children

Early intervention

Involving family members in interventions to put

them in control of change Co-location of specialists

By starting with the survivor – her strengths, her

needs, her resources, the context in which she is living

– you will address issues of diversity because you are

addressing who she is and where she is at that point in

her life. She is made a real person and not just a client.

Working with survivors

(Stakeholder interviewed for Welsh Women’s Aid Change that Lasts: Transforming

responses to domestic violence and abuse.)

Multiple disadvantage & complex needs

In small groups:

Identify some examples of groups experiencing multiple disadvantage and/or complex needs.

What additional needs may some people within these groups have?

What additional risks may some people in these groups be facing?

10 minutes

Intersectionality

10 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1islM0ytkE

Experiences of institutional

racism / discrimination.

Provision of services

that are “gender-

responsive”.

Experiences of

hate crime.

A woman, newly living in

the UK is unsure of the

cultural norms. NRPF

Perpetrator is also

carer.

A note of intersectionality

Race

Gender identity

Disability Sexual orientation

Nationality

Barriers to accessing support

How can your organisation add to barriers for people with

multiple disadvantage/complex need?

What can you do as Workplace Champion to break down barriers when

engaging with people with multiple disadvantage/Complex need?

10 minutes

What do survivors want?

In small groups, discuss and list responses, services and support

you believe survivors want and need from your organisation.

10 minutes

To be given help to get themselves and their children safe

Survivors said they want

How a service is delivered is as

important as what is delivered.

To be believed– not to have their

experienced minimised

That violence is more than

physical assaults

For professionals to know that abuse is universal and multi-layered, and complex in how it affects survivors and children.

To be treated with dignity and respect

Break

What to consider…

When there are children involved.

Stats The severity of the violence

against the mother is predictive of the severity of

abuse to the children.

In 2016, domestic violence with the most common

factor identified by

child in need assessments.

Between

4 & 9 women in every 100

are abused during their

pregnancies and/or after the birth.

62% of children exposed

to domestic abuse

have also been

directly harmed.

15.5 million children live

in households

where domestic violence has occurred within the

past year at least once.

At least 750,000 children and young people,

witness domestic violence a year.

Domestic abuse as main context for child abuse - Domestic violence is present in two thirds of all serious case reviews into child deaths or serious injury. (Radford, L. et al (2011) Child abuse and neglect in the UK today)

- Men’s abuse to female partners is the most common context for child abuse;

- Male domestic abuse perpetrators are more likely to be abusive to children and more extremely so;

- The more severe the violence to a female partner, the more severe the abuse of children in the same context.

- Children may experience multiple forms of abuse in the context of domestic violence.

- GANGS, GROOMING, CSE

“160,000 Children”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbuW91_z7HE

Cognitive

Emotional

Physical

Behavioural

Interpersonal

Impacts on children Diminished concentration, dissociation, impaired self esteem, low confidence, self-

blame,apathy, fragmented memory, minimisation, problems with decision-making.

Mood swings, hopelessness, anger, aggression, shame, guilt, fear, sadness,

preoccupation with danger, anxiety, depression.

Sleep disturbance, eating difficulties, migraines, impaired immune system, STIs,

pregnancy, physical injuries from assault or self-harm, body dysmorphic disorder.

Self-harming, suicidal ideation, substance use, risky sexual behaviour, impulsive

and aggressive behaviour, irritability, problems with school performance and

truancy, loss of interest in activities.

Withdrawn, difficulties with trust, angry outbursts, expectation of rejection,

problems relating to others, lack of interpersonal boundaries, issues with

intimacy, difficulties with power assertion.

Children and Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHR)

00:00

00:00

https://avaproject.org.uk/resources/?types=videos#content-anchor

Key practice points - Consider what partnerships with other organisations will help you respond better to children and young people. Feed any ideas to your safeguarding lead or safeguarding board.

- Consider what you and your organisation can do to build a child or young person's resilience.

- Protecting and supporting the non-abusive parent will have a positive impact on the children.

- Recognition of the impact of coercive controlling behaviour on child or young persons.

- Remember the indicators from Group 2 - it is important to consider all forms of VAWDASV.

- Specialist support and safeguarding are crucial.

What to consider with perpetrators

Perpetrators of violence & abuse

In your groups, discuss how you might encounter a

perpetrator of VAWDASV within your existing role. Give three examples of tactics used by perpetrators.

10 minutes

- Mainly use verbal &

emotional abuse. - More likely to damage their own

property. - Much more likely to use an object as

a weapon.

- More likely to use physical

violence, threats and harassment,

and be verbally abusive. - Most likely to result in intense fear and

control of partners. - More likely to damage the victim &

children’s property.

"Who does what to whom?"

Nearly 100 women per year killed,

most of their killers were men.

Nearly 30 men per year are killed,

60% of the killers were men &

30% of the killers were women.

M.Hester; Bristol University

Female perpetrators Male perpetrators

Perpetrator characteristics

In small groups, consider how perpetrator

characteristics may affect, influence and restrict

survivors' ability to disclose and engage with your services.

15 minutes

Perpetrator characteristics Coercion and Threats

- Mentioning Social Services

- Threats to arrest victim if she doesn't calm down

Intimidation

- Allowing perpetrator to make jokes

- Laughing with the perpetrator

- Abuser attempting to bond with officers

- Allowing abuser to speak on her behalf Isolation

- No interpreter available, but still discussing

- Saying that victim can't stay in the area - moves

away from friends and family

- Can't determine who the primary aggressor is, so

arrests both Children

- Not giving children a voice

- Not acknowledging their presence

Emotional

- Telling victim how upset perpetrator is

- Telling victim that they're not protecting the children

Minimising

- Treating incident as an argument - especially when there

is a history

- Accepting perpetrator’s use of words to describe their

actions

Using Privilege

- Allowing him to keep a key

- Making decisions for victim - especially removing from

property

- Advice without discussion and/or understanding

Economic Factors

- Telling a working woman that she needs an Injunction

- Advising to leave without discussing/considering

economic impactwledging their presence

Responding to perpetrators

Secret agreement or alliance

with the other person A shared position Questioned person may feel

at ease you maintain trust

but lose critical distance Can you tell me what really

happened?

To work, one with another to

cooperate with the other person A neutral position Questioned person may feel at

ease you maintain trust and

retain critical distance Can you tell me what happened

from your perspective?

Challenging accusatory to

work upon or at the other

person An adversarial position Questioned person may feel

judged & not at ease you lose

trust while retaining critical

distance Can you tell me what you

claim happened?

Collusive Collaborative Confrontational

Avoiding collusion & confrontation

In pairs, think of 2 questions or statements that

is worded, inadvertently, as colluding or confrontational,

and re-word it to be more collaborative or neutral.

Abusive behaviour - Perpetrating VAWDASV is about exerting Power & Control.

- Aggravating, or co-presenting factors, may influence behaviour, but does

not cause abuse.

- The perpetrator is responsible for his / her use of abusive behaviour, and

the use of such behaviour is a choice.

- Future choices can be different from past.

Lunch

Risk and safety planning

A reminder of what we mean by risk

In groups, choose 1 area of VAWDASV from the list

below, and discuss the kinds of risks victims may be

facing, consider survivors and children:

- Domestic abuse (DA)

- Sexual violence (SV)

- "Honour" based violence (HBV)

- Female genital mutilation (FGM)

- Forced marriage (FM)

Risk identification & assessment

In your groups discuss the case study you have

been given and respond to the questions.

Safety planning Effective safety plans need to be strength based, needs led, trauma

informed.

With this in mind, in small groups...

- What do you think is the purpose of safety plans? - What should they include? - Who should be involved in drawing up a safety plan? - What should a safety plan NOT be?

Multi agency support

In groups, complete the jigsaw of specialist organisations

and support services in your area. Can you think of any other types

of organisations and / or specialist that isn't on the jigsaw?

Short term housing

Self-help Support for

children

Physical health

Financial advice and information

Crisis intervention

Long term housing

Legal advice &

information

Safety planning

Medication

Immigration advice Advocacy

Counselling

Multi agency support

Information gathering & sharing

In your group:

Discuss and list types of information you would gather.

Give five reasons why you would need to gather information.

Effective multi-agency working

In your groups: - Discuss how the LA/organisation you work in is

responding to, and being affected by the implementation

of Ask & Act? - Discuss and identify the benefits and challenges of collaborative

partnership working and agree on positive ways to overcome and

potential challenges. 15 minutes

Case studies

Break

It is very tempting to take the side of the perpetrator. All the

perpetrator asks is that the bystander do nothing. He appeals to

the universal desire to see, hear, and speak no evil. The victim, on

the contrary, asks the bystander to share the burden of the pain.

The victim demands action, engagement, and remembering. . . .’.

Supporting staff

Judith Herman. Trauma & Recovery, 1992

This work requires us to bear witness to terrible events …

Supporting staff

In your groups, discuss how supporting survivors

of VAWDASV can affect staff.

10 minutes

Potential negative effects on workers of working on VAWDASV

Vicarious Trauma – A process which involves the identification with the

pain of people who have endured terrible things, and their grief, fear, anger,

and despair enters one’s own awareness and experience.

Burnout – Emotional and physical exhaustion caused by a prolonged period

of stress and frustration.

How could you support a colleague experiencing vicarious trauma / burnout?

In small groups, discuss and list: - Some clues, signs, symptoms that a colleague may be experiencing

burnout / vicarious trauma? - How can the person affected deal with the burnout / vicarious trauma? - How can your organisation support the employee affected? - The rewards for supporting survivors of VAWDASV? 15 minutes

Key messages - You are not alone – a lot of professionals are receiving

training; - Ask and Act is about creating ‘space for action’ so survivors

have more information and earlier access to the support they need for

themselves and their children; - Understanding the complexities of VAWDASV is an ongoing process that

requires training and learning; - Keep talking about Ask and Act – transform your workplace so that we are

no longer silent about VAWDASV and we are delivering the best possible

service to our clients, but also to our teams and colleagues.

Closing Any questions?

One thing that you’ve learned.

One thing that you need for on-going development / support.

One thing you will do to look after yourself.

EVALUATION FORMS!!

Ask & Act Group 3 End of the full day version of

Ask & Act (group 3 professionals)

Diolch yn fawr - Thank you