1. Domestic Abuse Information and Awareness
Claire Paine for Aylesbury Women’s Aid

2. Some facts
One woman is killed by her partner or ex-partner every 3 days in England and Wales (52% of all women who are murdered)
On average a woman will be assaulted by her partner or ex-partner 35 times before reporting it to the police
On average women contact 11 agencies before they get the help they need

3. What is domestic abuse ?
Domestic violence or abuse is ‘domestic’ in nature if the perpetrator is associated with the victim. ( intimate partner, family members, former partners)
It is not limited to physical violence (emotional, psychological, financial, sexual)
It is not confined to incidents in the home (stalking, harassment, forced marriages, FGM)

4. Definitions of Domestic Abuse
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 abuse: psychological physical sexual financial emotional Home Office 2013 This includes FGM and Forced Marriages

5. Coercive control
Controlling behaviour is a range of acts designed to make a person feel subordinate or dependent. Isolating them from sources of support. Exploiting their resources for personal gain. Depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance or escape and regulating their everyday behaviour.
Coercive behaviour is: an act of pattern of assaults threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish or frighten their victim.

6. Coercive control

8. Risk factors
Safe Lives have identified 15 factors which would indicate risk of serious harm:
Victims perception of harm, separation, pregnancy or new birth, escalation, community issues/ isolation, stalking, sexual assault, strangulation, credible threats to kill, use of weapons, controlling/jealous behaviour, child abuse, animal or pet abuse, substance misuse, attempted or threats of suicide.

9. Domestic abuse and women with learning disabilities
Research has been done with women who have physical and sensory disabilities. It indicates a high prevalence of DA with less access to specialist DA services.
Those at the most able end of the learning disability spectrum may be outside of social care services ; this renders them vulnerable to abuse
“he used to take the piss out of me because of my learning disability. He used to show me up in front of his mates if I couldn’t work something out.”
From: Domestic violence and women with learning disabilities. NIHR School for Social Care Research. Tizard –University of Kent.

10. Domestic abuse and disability
People with a learning disability are 1.6 times more likely to experience violence
Experience of DA more severe, frequent and lasts for longer- (intimate partners, family members, carers, social isolation)
May be less likely to understand boundaries, recognise abuse, know rights and how to report
May find it harder to disclose because abuser accompanying them
(Public Health England (2015) Disability and Domestic Abuse)

11. Domestic abuse and disability
May be worried about losing care package and support if have to move
Perpetrators may manipulate a sense of invisibility and normalise the abuse that the person may have experienced through their lives
Remember to consider HBV, Forced Marriages, FGM, Domestic Servitude

12. Responding to the challenge
Only 27% of DA services had attempted to reach disabled people or partner with disability services
Only 12% of police officers said they have sufficient training in communication
People were rarely asked about their experience of domestic abuse
Insufficient screening by health and social care – Annual Health checks may be a good opportunity to ask about DA.
Training for DA staff
Training for social care, health and voluntary sector
(Public Health England (2015) Disability and Domestic Abuse)

13. Video https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thefreedomprogramme

14. Aylesbury Women’s Aid 2017 – 18 assisted 469 women
Threatened with homelessness – 389
Age profile:
6- 17 = 0
18 – 35 = 207
36 – 59 = 161
60+ =19
Household composition:
Lone parents = 182
Single = 53
Couples with children = 72
Couples = 48
Not known = 34

15. What we can offer

16. What we can offer

17. What we can offer

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19. What we can offer

20. What we can offer