Domestic Violence:

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• Domestic Violence
• A Contemporary Social Issue

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Overview

• A contemporary social issue
• Differences in the understanding
• The impact of domestic violence
• Approaches, Resources and Services
• Summary
• Useful Source Material

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1. DV as a Contemporary Social Issue
Whatever form it takes, domestic violence is
rarely a one-off incident. More usually it's a
pattern of abusive and controlling behaviour
through which the abuser seeks power over their
victim. Domestic violence occurs across society,
regardless of age, gender, race, sexuality,
wealth and geography.  Victims of domestic
violence suffer on many levels - health, housing,
education - and lose the freedom to live their
lives how they want, and without fear. 
(www.homeoffice.gov.uk)
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Facts figures

• Although domestic violence is chronically under
• reported, research estimates that it
• accounts for 16 of all violent crime
• has more repeat victims than any other crime (on
  average there will have been 35 assaults before a
  victim calls the police)
• costs in excess of 23bn a year
• claims the lives of two women each week and 30
  men per year
• is the largest cause of morbidity worldwide in
  women aged 19-44, greater than war, cancer or
  motor vehicle accidents
• will affect 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men in their
  lifetime.

(Source Crime in England and Wales 04/05
report)
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2. Differences in the Understanding of DV

• Mooney states that, in researching domestic
  violence, the first issue that needs to be
  confronted is that of definition (Mooney, 1996
  204).
• The numerous interpretations of the term domestic
  violence are influenced by the people using them.

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Government (Home Office)

• Domestic violence is any incident of threatening
  behaviour, violence or abuse between adults who
  are or have been in a relationship together, or
  between family members, regardless of gender or
  sexuality.
• This includes issues of concern to black and
  minority ethnic (BME) communities such as so
  called 'honour killings'.
• 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 stepfamily.

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Womens Aid

• In Women's Aid's view domestic violence is
  physical, sexual, psychological or financial
  violence that takes place within an intimate or
  family-type relationship and that forms a pattern
  of coercive and controlling behaviour. This can
  include forced marriage and so-called 'honour
  crimes'. Domestic violence  may include a range
  of abusive behaviours, not all of which are in
  themselves inherently 'violent'.
• (www.womensaid.co.uk)

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NSPCC

• Domestic violence affects people of every class,
  age, race, disability, and sexuality. The
  violence can begin at any stage of a relationship
  and may continue after the relationship has
  ended.
• It's usually women who are at the receiving end
  of domestic violence, and it's often men who are
  responsible. The violence may involve physical
  abuse, sexual assault and threats. Sometimes it's
  more subtle, like making someone feel worthless,
  not letting them have any money, or not allowing
  them to leave the home. Social isolation and
  emotional abuse can have long-lasting effects as
  well as physical violence.
• (www. nspcc.org.uk)

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Broken Rainbow (support group for LGBT)

• Define domestic violence and abuse as
• 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.
• Aim is to reduce
• Same sex domestic violence
• Homophobic domestic violence
• Biphobic domestic violence
• Transphobic domestic violence
• Child abuse homophobic, biphobic and transphobic

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Mens Aid

• Domestic Abuse is a social issue and not a gender
  problem that affects men, women and children.
• It includes
• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Financial abuse
• Psychological

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3. Impact of Domestic Violence

• The Wheel of Power and Control
• Abusers believe they have a right to control
  their partners by
• Telling them what to do and expecting obedience
• Using force to maintain power and control over
  partners
• Feeling their partners have no right to challenge
  their desire for power and control
• Feeling justified making the victim comply
• Blaming the abuse on the partner and not
  accepting responsibility for wrongful acts.
• The characteristics shown in the wheel are
  examples of how this power and control are
  demonstrated and enacted against the victim.

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(No Transcript)
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Children and domestic violence

• Examples of how children can be affected
• physically abused
• witnessing can be damaging
• try to intervene to protect the adult victim,
  which puts them in danger
• copy the violent behaviour they witness, both as
  children and as adults
• develop stress-related illnesses
• they can lose confidence, be afraid and angry,
  and blame themselves for what is happening.
• (www. nspcc.org.uk)

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4. Approaches, Resources and Services

• The first Women's Aid Federation was set up in
  1974
• In 2003, 250 local projects, providing over 400
  refuges,
• In 2002 54,000 women and children stayed in
  womens Aid refuges and over 35,000 individuals
  called their Help-line
• There are less than 5 refuges specifically for
  men
• Lesbians escaping domestic violence and abuse
  routinely face homo/transphobia in womens
  refuges.
• Gay men - access to limited bed spaces in the UK.
• Both bisexuals and transgender people have
  absolutely nowhere to go, and continue to remain
  completely invisible to the system (LGBT
  200438).

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• until 1861 - the rule of thumb
• In 1861 - powers to arrest
• Domestic Violence Act 1976
• Domestic violence inc. homelessness leg. (1977)
• Family Law Act 1996
• The Protection from Harassment Act 1997
• The Crime and Disorder Act 1998
• Criminal Justice Act 1988
• Housing Acts 1996 and 2002
• 2004,Smacking Children Legislation
• The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act
  2004
• recent introduction of Specialist Domestic
  Violence Courts (SDVC) and Multi Agency Risk
  Assessment Conferences (MARACs)
• Since 1995, inter-departmental circulars have
  been sent out promoting inter- agency working
  and providing guidance to agencies.

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Progress on domestic violence since 1997

• Routine enquiry about domestic violence has been
  rolled out to all pregnant women.
• In Education, domestic violence is being included
  in all routine assessments of children.
• The Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence
  was formed, representing approximately 160
  companies and over 2 million employees.
• Domestic violence training rolling out to all
  police and CPS.
• Every police force and CPS area now has a
  domestic violence co-ordinator.
• Specialist Domestic Violence Court Programme
  continues with 64 SDVCs in April 2007.
• Accredited domestic abuse perpetrator programmes
  now in all probation areas
• High proportion of authorities across the country
  have Specialist Court and MARAC status (which
  they had to apply for)

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5. Summary

• Domestic violence may occur at the micro level,
  affecting one family at a time, but it is also a
  macro problem, calling for interventions at all
  levels of social work practice. Yes, social
  workers are involved in providing services to
  those directly involved in violent families, but
  we also must be working at the community level
  and on policies that will create a society that
  is less tolerant of domestic violence.
• The prevalence of domestic violence mandates that
  social workers must develop adequate knowledge
  and skills to respond to domestic violence,
  regardless of practice setting, in order to
  respond appropriately to situations related to
  domestic violence.
• (http//www.socialworker.com/domesticviolence.htm
  )

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6. Useful Source Material

• Examples of Websites
• http//www.broken-rainbow.org.uk/
• http//www.mensadviceline.org.uk/index.htm
• http//www.hiddenhurt.co.uk/
• http//www.mensaid.com
• http//www.hiddenhurt.co.uk
• http//www.aardvarc.org
• http//www.socialworker.com/domesticviolence.htm
• http//www.womensaid.org.uk
• http//www.nspcc.org.uk
• http//www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/downloads/FPCW/cohsar
  finalreport.pdf
• http//www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducin
  g-crime/domestic-violence/

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• Examples of Books

• Tonight with Trevor McDonald vhs 19-Jun-2006
  (362.8292 ton)
• Rowlands J (2006) Domestic abuse among gay and
  bisexual men an exploratory study in South
  Wales (362.8292 row )
• Palin-Davies, S (2006) Male victims of
  female-perpetrated domestic violence (362.8292
  pal )
• Lawson E... (et al.) Blackstone's guide to the
  Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 /
  2005 (45.02555 bla)
• Mullender A (et al) (2002) Childrens Perspective
  on Domestic Violence (362.8292 chi)
• Hester M, Pearson C and Harwin N (2002) Making an
  impact children and domestic violence a
  reader (362.76 hes)
• Mullender A (1996) Rethinking Domestic Violence
  The Social Work and Probation Response (362.8292
  mul)
• Humphreys C, Nicky Stanley N (2006) Domestic
  Violence and Child Protection Directions for
  Good Practice Jessica KingsleyPublishers
• Humphreys C (2000) Social Work, Domestic Violence
  and Child Protection Challenging Practice
  (Paperback)
• Children Living with Domestic Violence Towards a
  Framework for Assessment and Intervention
  (Paperback) by Martin Calder M, Harold G and
  Howarth E (2004)