Focusing on Safety: Safety planning in the context of same-sex domestic violence

Safety planning Increasing the safety of clients in intimate partner violence situations using a collaborative, strengths based approach P.McCorriston STGDVS, 2009

Strengths based approach
The perpetrator is responsible for the IPV
People subjected to IPV have strength and can make informed decisions
They can & do act proactively to protect themselves and their children.
People subjected to IPV are not just ‘victims’
P.MCorriston, STGDVS, 2009

Collaborative approach
Research shows repeatedly that people subjected to IPV value
being listened to
believed
having their decisions respected.

Stance to take on client’s experience
Authentic and validating client’s experience of the violence
Clients are experts in their own lives
Recognise clients as capable of making informed decisions and responsible for their own decisions
Acknowledge the value of our client’s experience
Use this knowledge to assist this client and other clients

Risk factors
Presence of guns
Previous use of weapons
Threats with weapons
Threats to kill
Chocking
Previous serious injury
Threats to suicide
D&A misuse
Forced sex
Threats or actual harm to animals
Obsessive extreme jealousy or dominance (Campbell, 1995)

Risk assessment- additional factors
Centrality of partner to abuser’s life, s/he is isolated
Depression of abuser
Repeated intervention of law enforcement
Escalation of risk taking
Separation
Hostage taking
Clients own perception of serious risk
(Pennsylvanian Coalition Against Domestic Violence)

Specific tactics used in SSDV - Homophobia
Threats to ‘out’ partner to family, friends, church, work, police.
Threats of ‘not being believed’ by friends/supports or ‘the law’ Chung 2006
This tactic increases isolation, fear and sense of entrapment.
Using ‘role sterotypeing’ to shift responsibility or blame abused partner for violence or abuse

Additional tactics used in SSDV - HIV status
Normalising abusive behaviours because of illness
Threats of HIV status being ‘outed’
Imposing unsafe sex when abusive partner is infected or having multiple partners
Denying access to treatment
Using guilt to make abused partner stay in relationship ( Chung 2006 )

Contexts that support violence in Lesbian & Gay relationships
Homophobia-fear of leaving relationship, fear of being alone, especially if 1st relationship
Homophobia-Not wanting to disclose abuse for fear of letting the ‘community’ down
Gender expectations-e.g. Men feeling shame/hiding abuse –feeling less manly because they are being assaulted
Ideal of egalitarianism-sometimes used to hide unfair treatment (Carrington 1999)
P.MCorriston, STGDVCS, 2008

Safety planning vs escape planning
They are not the same thing.
Escape planning assumes a single incident at a particular point in time.
It relates to lethality & physical danger primarily.

Safety planning
Is an ongoing process, not a one off event.
Helps the ‘victim’ to identify what s/he is already doing to reduce their risk and the risk faced by their children
Help the client to identify strategic ways of thinking and acting to reduce their risk of violence and increase their safety and the safety of their children
If children are old enough, planning may also involve them

Safety planning
Is a dynamic process that takes into consideration the client’s current situation, resources, current risks, current limitations including systems blocks
Inclusive of physical, emotional & social safety of the client & their children and pets
Is developed in alliance with the client
Respect the client as a holder of inside knowledge about the perpetrator and their behaviour

Therapeutic position
Position of the worker in safety planning work is one of advocate, but advocate with not advocate for the client.
The worker becomes a “partner in safety planning, serving as listener, guide liaison clarifier information source and strategies.” Davies,1998

Role of the Worker
We educate about:
risk factors
indicators of lethality
perpetrator tactics
safety strategies that have helped other clients

Role of the worker
To be pro-active and directive in times of
crisis.
To be non directive at other times
To provide access to resources and support access to other agencies
Advocate for client

We offer:
Our expertise from research on what helps to promote safety
Our knowledge of systems and other agencies
Access to what other clients have taught us experience
Advocacy

Key agencies/formal supports
Police/DVLOs/GLOs
DV line 1800 65 64 63
Legal services (DVAS) (02) 8745 6999
Counselling option/mental health referral
Housing-DoH and community options
DoCS Helpline 132 111

Establishing safe contact
Which forms of contact are safe to use?
How can the contact occur to optimise safety?
Who else can support safe contact between the worker and client?

Safety planning practice
Start with talking about existing safety planning & helping him/her to name it
Build on this
Educate or acknowledge that perpetrator tactics will change in response to client’s behaviour, especially major changes
Predict issues they may arise and system responses & help plan in response to these

Safety planning practice continued
Acknowledge and or educate about separation and post separation as times of increased risk
Acknowledge or educate about the distinction between a violent relationship vs high conflict relationship
May mean encouraging the client not to disclose information to his/her partner or children if this will impact on safety
Includes giving specific information and specific suggestions which may appear obvious to worker e.g. use of 000

Suggested questions to start the process
Tell me what you are already doing to keep you and your children safe?
What are risky times when abuse/violence is likely to happen?
What is similar about these times or situations?
What are the triggers/indicators that you are at risk of further abuse/being assaulted?
What supports do you have at home or near by ?
Who knows about the abuse?

Safety planning practice-Current safety concerns
What are the most pressing concerns about safety?
Is the client currently safe from their partner?
Where is the partner?
in the home
in the same area
interstate
If there are children/vulnerable others and/or pets, are they safe?

Assessing danger
When did the most recent incident occur?
Include information about severity of violence and frequency.
Has frequency increased.
How long has violence been occurring, patterns, attempts to get help/minimise violence

Reviewing safety strategies together
What safety strategies has the client used in the past?
What has worked?
What hasn’t worked?
What’s worth trying again?

Supports
Who knows about the violence?
What are their beliefs about DV?
Who is supportive of the client?
Does client need assistance to connect with informal or public/professional supports?
Has client had professional support in the past?
Is there support available hasn’t been used yet?

Using supports for self & children
Have you every had contact with the police? What happened then?
What happens when the children are in the house?
Do they have somewhere safe to go?
How do you contact your friends/family?
What will you need to do to keep yourself safe when you go home today

Practical suggestions
Do you have essential items/documents packed away somewhere else?
Do you have a code to tell your children/flatmate to go or to get help?
Are emergency numbers saved in your phone?
Do you have access to emergency money?

Factors affecting effective use of safety planning
Client unable to engage clearly in his/her own safety planning because of :
severe level of abuse
strong attachment to perpetrator
mental health problems
drug and alcohol abuse

Factors supporting safety planning
Access to informal and formal supports
Access to information and services
Active planning
Mapping of tactics and their patterns
Ongoing assistance with safety planning
Acknowleding the losses and grief
Encouragement & support

Situation1.-Jo & Chris
Jo & Chris have been together for 3 years, living together in Australia for 12 months. Jo is from the UK & met Chris there when she was on a working holiday.
Jo is referred after she & Chris attended couple counselling.
Jo describes a history of controlling behaviour by g/f including controlling who she sees, where she goes, how much she spends. Chris is insistent Jo work at least 50 a week so that Jo matches Chris’s earnings. Chris has a well paid corporate position. Chris works in hospitality.Jo says she has few friends in Sydney.
Jo describes incidents of severe violence where they both drink and then angry with each other and then hurt each other fighting. Jo is bigger than Chris & is worried she’ll be charged if the police are called Chris has threatened to out Jo to her boss on some of these occasions.

Situation 2-Brett & Dave
Dave is 37 & Brett 25. Dave is a well established professional who is well connected in the community. Brett is originally from rural Victoria. Most of his ‘Sydney friends’ are also Dave’s friends. Brett has limited funds as he works 25hrs/wk and is studying as well.
Brett is referred for counselling because he has panic attacks.
Brett states he’s confused about the relationship with Dave. He says Dave is always putting him down & humiliating him in front of their friends. He says he is sometimes scared when Dave is angry. He says he pushes him around and stands over him. He also checks up on him all the time when he is at Uni or out with friends.
He doesn’t want to leave Dave because he loves him and he feels he needs to look after him as Dave has been HIV positive for a long time & has been really sick recently..

Focusing on Safety: Safety planning in the context of same-sex domestic violence

by ACON on Oct 13, 2009

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Focusing on Safety: Safety planning in the context of same-sex domestic violence — Presentation Transcript