Transcript Document
Hayley Tuffin Training Consultant Police commissioners seek enquiry into judges leniency - perpetrator given suspended sentence after threatening victim with knife and gun.... Court to challenge legal aid decisions for domestic abuse cases, fears that more victims will die.... Elderly Domestic abuse cases doubled since 2010 Police in Kent to don ‘body cameras’ to catch more incidents outside pubs etc! Insufficient attention paid to domestic abuse during pregnancy Data from police to social care not being acted on in a robust/routine manner Insufficient analysis of previous referrals from other agencies Failure to engage with male perpetrator Insufficient evidence paid to multiple issues of alcohol and substance misuse Different agencies responding to DA in different ways – not always responding to social care, or Social care responding inconsistently Insufficient understanding of DA and its impact on children Insufficient concern on the pattern of DA Male partners were not the focus of intervention/assessment Information not shared with agencies Some studies show that in up to 50-70% of cases where a parent is being abused by an adult, the same adult is abusing the child. The more severe the abuse to the adult, so to the child. DV can be covering up sexual abuse, as well as physical abuse. Sometimes Domestic Abuse is seen as between the adults and the impact on children can be minimised. Increased powers to protect women and girls, coordinating actions and strategies across agencies..... Within education and within public sector Looking at messages in wider society including media. More information on the strategy can be found on the Home Office website. Joined up thinking Adults (Victims) Perpetrators Children How do we achieve this? There are 3,677 Medway Children who are known to be affected by domestic abuse. 2012/13 4,628 incidents of domestic abuse were reported in Medway According to CAADA 1.5% of children live in households where there is high risk (significant risk of harm or homicide) in Medway this means 613 children. As of March 2014 204 Medway children were subject to CP plans where domestic abuse is a factor three per cent of women surveyed in refuges reported having a disability (underestimated) more than 50 per cent of disabled women in the UK may have experienced domestic abuse in their lives, a rate which is twice that of non disabled women (Magown 2004) disabled women, regardless of age, sexuality, ethnicity or social class, may be assaulted or raped at a rate at least twice that of nondisabled women (Magown, 2004). 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, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse. ‘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.” * Forcing a person into marriage without their free and full consent Can include coercion by threats or other means A forced marriage is not the same as an arranged marriage. Contact the Forces Marriage Unit at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office www.fco.gov.uk/forcedmarriage 0207008 0151 Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 makes it a criminal offence to force someone to marry Including taking them overseas Marrying someone who lacks mental capacity to consent to marry, whether they are pressured or not. Does he want to change and what will happen if he does? How does violence affect him? Costs and benefits How would he think partner might benefit from him changing? Has perpetrator got support to change from family or peer group? Who can he talk to when wound up? 1) Lack of awareness that it is abuse, - problem naming perpetrator’s actions as violent - can be considered accidental or playful even minimised 2) Belief that they deserve it, learned helplessness influenced by childhood experiences (modeling, or cultural beliefs/values) 3) Fear that they may be killed 4) Hope that things will change 5) Overburdened sense of responsibility ie wanting to keep family together, not disrupt children’s lives, need for a father etc Is not always the safest thing to do, more serious assaults and murders are committed at the point of leaving Sometimes there appears to be more to lose than to gain by victims Huge barriers to overcome Often not talking to services and feel let down Civil Family Law Act 96 Injunctions Non molestation orders Occupation orders DV and Victims Act ‘04 (strengthens 96) Breach of above can lead to arrest ⇨ Housing acts Criminal Domestic Abuse is a crime – but not all is criminalised Murder, Rape, AntiStalking Laws Harassment Assault Little criminal resource for emotional abusealthough this is changing and harassment laws are already trying to address this Stalking is a pattern of repeated, unwanted behaviour that causes you to feel distressed or scared. It can be perpetrated by men or women National stalking helpline 0808 802 0300 Has stalking checklists both physical, cyber. Paladin - Advocacy service Protection from Harrassment Acts amended Domestic Violence Disclosure scheme (Clares law) – apply to police station for information. DVPO, Domestic violence Protection orders – DVPOs can be used to provide immediate protection to a victim where there is not enough evidence to charge an alleged perpetrator and provide protection to victims via bail conditions. A DVPO can last for up to 28 days, during which time the perpetrator can be prevented from having contact with the victim. DVPOs are designed to give victims the time and space they need to make decisions about their options and future safety with the help of a support agency. DVPN Mothers often don’t report DA for fear of social services intervention (fear of children being removed) Undermines relationship and attachment Parent can become unwell or physically injured, or in hospital and so unable to meet children’s needs Parent can become depressed Women living with DA often have a perception of childcare as more stressful than women not experiencing violence (Hodder & Ritchie 1991) Survivor can become abusive to children or neglectful – understanding the context of DA is critical. Possibly not able to give emotional warmth Loss of self confidence, loss of role Professionals either overlook any impact of violence on the children Or cannot see anything good in the fathering of the children There will be some good aspects.... But there could be harshness, child abuse, cruelty. Often abusive men use contact as a means to continue to control and abuse the women/or children. One study showed that where domestic abuse was a factor of relationship breakdown, 95% of women were assaulted or further abused during contact negotiations and arrangements after separation (Kelly 1996) Are you frightened of someone? Did someone hurt you? How did you get those injuries? Do your arguments ever get physical? Has your partner destroyed things in the home important to you? Does anyone prevent you from leaving the home or seeing your friends? Are you always walking on eggshells? Has your partner ever threatened to harm your children? Does your partner ever make you do things which make you feel uncomfortable, or which hurt you? Has your partner ever forced you to have sex when you didn’t want to? Has anyone ever forced you to do sexual things when you didn’t want to? Are you afraid for your safety or that of your children? • You mentioned that your partner uses drugs/alcohol. How does he act when he is drinking/on drugs? Are you (have you ever been) in a relationship in which you feel you are being treated badly? In what ways? We all have disagreements sometimes. What happens when you and your partner fight or disagree? I noticed you have a number of bruises. Could you tell me how they happened? Did someone hit you? Are you ever frightened of your partner? Many clients tell me they have been hurt by someone close to them. Could this be happening to you? Your partner seems very concerned and anxious. Was he responsible for your injuries? You seem frightened of your partner. Has he ever hurt you? Sometimes when others are over-protective and as jealous as you describe, they react strongly and use physical force. Is this happening in your situation? Who controls the finances in your house? Who makes the rules? What happens when you don’t follow the rules? Does your partner watch your every move? Accuse you of having affairs? What’s your social life like? Do you have any friends here? Taken from Office of Women’s Policy, Kelly, P. 1996, Domestic Violence Helpful Comments & Questions, 7th International Congress on Women’s Health Issues) SEPARATION (& child contact) PREGNANCY (& new birth) ESCALATION COMMUNITY ISOLATION and cultural issues STALKING/ HARASSMENT SEXUAL ABUSE + Importance of survivor’s own perception of danger Previous offending history, sexual assaults Mental health issues Attempts to kill or commit suicide Possessiveness, jealousy, psychological abuse Previous criminality or breach of court orders Child abuse Access to weapons, including firearms Status in society (ie type of job/standing) Member of a gang To demonstrate power and control over the family To isolate the victim and children To enforce submission To perpetuate an environment of fear To prevent the victim from leaving or to coerce her to return To punish the victim for leaving or showing independence Strong correlation between animal abuse/neglect and DV.