Domestic Abuse

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Domestic Abuse

• Alison
• Outreach and Childrens Service Manager
• East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services

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Aims of the session

• To recognise and understand the different aspects
  of domestic abuse
• To gain an awareness of the impact of domestic
  abuse on children and young people
• To identify support agencies available to
  survivors and agencies and to understand the role
  of outreach

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What is domestic abuse?

• Physical
• Sexual
• Verbal
• Financial
• Emotional

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Emotional Abuse

• Isolation
• Disability/Exhaustion
• Degradation
• Occasional indulgences

• Threats
• Enforced trivial demands
• Distorted perspectives
• Displays of total power

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Home office definition

• Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence
  or abuse (psychological, physical,sexual,financial
  or emotional) between adults who are or have
  been intimate partners or family members,
  regardless of gender or sexuality
• An adult is defined as any person aged 18 years
  or over. Family members are defined as mother,
  father, son, daughter, brother, sister and
  grandparents, whether directly related, in laws
  or step-family.
• Home office and ACPO, 2005

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• It occurs across all communities regardless of
  social class, family income, age, sexuality,
  religion, ethnic or racial background, mental or
  physical ability
• It arises from the misuse of power and control of
  one person over another
• It is primarily directed at women and children by
  a male partner, ex partner or family member

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The true cost of domestic abuse

• 1 in 2 murders in Surrey are domestic related
  compared with 1 in 4 murders in London.
• Surrey Police 2005
• 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will be a victim of
  domestic abuse in their lifetime, with women at
  greater risk of repeat victimisation and serious
  injury.
• Crime in England and Wales 2006/7 report

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The true cost of domestic abuse..

• The cost of domestic abuse to services and the
  economy is 5.7 billion a year this does not
  include the human and emotional costs estimated
  at over 17 billion a year.
  Local Government Association, 2006
• Domestic abuse nationally accounts for 16 of all
  violent crime.
  
• Crime in England and Wales, 2006/7
• In Surrey, 932 domestic abuse incidents a month
  were reported between August 2006 and August
  2007.

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• The Effects of Domestic Abuse on Children and
  Young people

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How children and young people witness abuse

• Sense the tension in the build up
• See or hear it
• Caught in the middle
• Intervene to help or stop the abuse
• Targeted by the abuser
• Experience the aftermath

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Effects of DA on children and young people

• Physical problems
• Stress related problems
• Changed sleeping patterns
• Aggressive behaviour
• Passive behaviour

• Emotional problems
• Interpersonal problems
• Development of an unhealthy belief system
• Impaired cognitive functioning

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Impact on children and young peoples belief
system

• A child witnessing abuse may believe
• Violence is an effective way to solve problems
• It is OK to hit someone if you are angry or upset
• Men have power and control over women
• They are responsible for the abuse
• They are responsible for stopping the abuse

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Good Practice Guidelines

• Work in partnership with other agencies to
  promote safety and minimise the risk faced by
  survivors and their children.
• Hold perpetrators accountable and offer
  appropriate support.
• Empower survivors to make informed decisions
  about their future which will promote the safety
  and well-being of them and their children.
• Ensure your organisation has a work based policy
  on Domestic abuse

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Support available

• 24 hour help line service
• Outreach services
• Childrens services
• Refuge services
• Mens Advice Line
• Respect
• Relate
• Victim support
• CAB
• Police

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