On this page: What is domestic violence? | Who does it happen to? | How to recognise it | How are children exposed?| The effects on children | Safety planning | Where to get help | Domestic Violence Directory of Services | Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)
Domestic violenceWhat is domestic violence?Domestic Violence is physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse. It is also harassment. It can happen between adults who are, or have been intimate partners or family members, and regardless of their gender or sexuality. It forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour.Who does it happen to?Research shows that domestic violence is most commonly experienced by women and perpetrated by men. Any woman can experience domestic violence regardless of race, ethnic or religious group, class, disability or lifestyle.Domestic violence can also take place in lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender relationships, and can involve other family members, including children. How to recognise domestic violence
If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, this indicates that the person you are worried about may be experiencing domestic violence. Domestic violence may include a range of abusive behaviours, not all of which are in themselves inherently 'violent'. Examples of the different types of domestic violence are/can include:
Physical abuse
Emotional abuse
Sexual abuse
Financial abuse
Harassment
How are children and young people exposed to domestic violence?Children and young people can 'witness domestic violence' in a variety of ways. Below is a list of some of the examples:
All children witnessing domestic violence are being emotionally abused. From 31 January 2005, Section 120 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 came into force, which extends the legal definition of harming children to include harm suffered by seeing or hearing ill treatment of others, especially in the home (domestic violence). What are the effects of domestic violence on children and young people?The majority of children and young people witness the violence that is occurring and in about half of all domestic violence situations, they are also being directly abused themselves.A child or young person can experience both short and long term cognitive, behavioural and emotional effects. Each child and young person will respond differently to trauma and some may be more resilient and not exhibit any negative effects. A child or young person's responses to the trauma of witnessing Domestic Violence may vary according to a multitude of factors including, but not limited to, age, race, sex and stage of development. It is equally important to remember that the common effects experienced by a child or young person can also be caused by something other than witnessing domestic violence and therefore a thorough assessment of a child or young person's situation is vital to ensure appropriate treatment. Children and young people are individuals and may respond to witnessing abuse in different ways. These are some of the effects described in a briefing by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2004):
What is 'Safety Planning'?Safety Planning is about thinking about what one already does to avoid violence and developing a plan of action if things get more dangerous and one has to leave home. The following advice can be given to your client who might be/is suffering domestic violence:An emergency plan can include:
Above all it is important to keep themselves and their children safe. This information will hopefully allow you to explore with them the options available to them if she/he does decide to leave an abusive relationship. Violence frequently gets worse when the victim leaves and starts to become more independent, so planning ahead is a sensible option. Getting some help from one or more of the agencies listed in the Domestic Violence Directory of Services will give the victim more confident to take the practical steps necessary to start leading a life free of from violence. Who can I advise my client to call and where can she/he get help?If you think someone you know or working with is in an abusive relationship and want to spot the violence or leave, there are a number of agencies that can help her. They are not alone and do not have to suffer in silence.Below is listed some of the agencies in the Wandsworth Borough that can offer you advice and support around domestic violence. For more detailed list, see Domestic Violence Directory of Services. In an emergency please call 999. Local Services Wandsworth Safety Net - Offers ongoing support and information to anyone who has, or is currently, experiencing domestic violence. Victim Support Wandsworth - Offers ongoing support and information to anyone who has, or is currently, experiencing domestic violence. Victim support also provides a young Person's Service to 10-16 year old who has been affected by crime and/or domestic violence, etc. Wandsworth Women's Aid - Provides a service to women and children experiencing domestic violence. Imani family support project - Parenting support to women and their children who have left or are living in abusive relationships. Shanti Women's Aid - Provides advice, support, information and short-term emergency housing, for Asian women and children fleeing domestic violence. South London African Women's Organisation - Provides counselling and advice to survivors of domestic violence from the African community. ASHA Project - Support for Asian women with children who have been subjected to domestic violence. Mushkil Aasaan - Free confidential advice, information and support for asian families.
Emergency and Out Of Hours ServicesBattersea Police Station - 112-118 Battersea Bridge Road London SW1 3AF Wandsworth Police Station - 146 Wandsworth High Street Wandsworth London SW18 4JJ National Domestic Violence Freephone Helpline - 24hour helpline providing access to emergency refuge accommodation and information about domestic violence issues and safety planning. St George's Healthcare Trust - 24 hour, seven days a week, emergency services, including senior accident and emergency staff and equipped to deal with serious injuries and illnesses. Victim Support - This helpline is available from 9.00am-9.00pm Mon to Fri; 9.00am-7.00pm on weekends and 9.00am-5.00pm on bank holidays. The Samaritans - 24 hour helpline that offers confidential, emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that may lead to suicide ChildLine - Free 24 hour helpline for children in distress or danger Wandsworth Children's Specialist Services The Children's Refuge - 24 hour emergency service for people under 16 who need a safe place to stay and are unable to stay at home or with their carers. MARAC - Multi-agency Risk Assessment ConferenceThe goal of the MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference) is to provide a forum for sharing information and taking actions that will reduce future harm to very high-risk victims of domestic violence and their children. Increasing safety of men, women and children experiencing domestic violence is the aim of the MARAC. This will be done through:
The above will be key to agency responses. A key element of the MARAC is the risk assessment. The risk assessment has three main objectives:
In a single meeting, the MARAC will consider up to date risk assessment information with a comprehensive assessment of a victim's needs and link them directly to the provision of appropriate services for all those involved in the case: victim, children and perpetrator. Responsibility to take appropriate action is with individual agencies, the MARAC will monitor outcomes and appropriate actions and information sharing. By improving victim safety other safety indicators can be measured. It is anticipated that repeat victimisation will decrease and if repeat incidents are suffered they will be reported at an earlier stage. MARAC should also contribute to agency accountability towards client safety as well as improving staff support in high-risk domestic violence cases. The Metropolitan Police Community Safety Unit will chair the MARAC in Wandsworth. The meeting will take place every four weeks. Referrals can be made from any agency that identifies a client as being very high risk. Referrers will be invited to attend the meeting if their client constitutes a high risk as defined by the MARAC. If a client is not considered to have reached the threshold of risk to be discussed at the MARAC a referral will be made to Wandsworth Safety Net for additional support. Together, through multi-agency intervention, the MARAC envisages to promote the safety of high-risk victims of domestic abuse in Wandsworth. A CAADA Risk Indicator Form must be completed and submitted with each referral form. Click here for the CAADA Risk Indicator Form Please email completed referral forms to: MARAC REFERRALS MAILBOX |
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