This presentation is part of an awareness session on Domestic Violence and abuse and its effects on women. There are some concepts that were discussed on the training which were not included on the training such as: legal civil and criminal options to survivors. Policies, the effect on children etc. This training was aim to mental health professionals to understand the complex dynamics of the abuse and the effects on victims.

1. DOMESTIC
ABUSE
AWARENESS
TRAINING
Lic. Maria Fernandez Peterson

2. •
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
AIMS & EXPECTATIONS
TOPICS
GROUP LEARNING AGREEMENT
WARNING: THE COURSE MATERIAL IT
HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO PROVOKE
EMOTIONAL REACTIONS ON
PARTICIPANTS AS PART OF THE LEARNING
PROCESS.

3. SAFETY – GROUP LEARNING
AGREEMENT
• To listen and be listened in the learning context
• To respect the feelings, experiences and perspectives of others
• To be aware of diversity issues and to promote inclusive practice
• To listen to differences in views and to question them in a
constructive way that enables the group to learn
• Confidentiality
• To take responsibility for our own learning and to share as well as
to receive learning.

4. MYTHS AND FACTS
• Someone who beats up their partner is not a risk to other
members of society.
• Often the victim does something to provoke the abuser to
violence.
• Abusers suffer from mental health issues
• Some people attract violent partners.
• S/he could leave if they wanted to
• Arranged marriage is an offence in UK
• Domestic Violence is not a criminal offence.
• Abusers can control their actions.
• Alcohol causes Domestic Violence
• Perpetrators have survived child abuse

5. STATISTICS
2 women are killed every week by a current or former partner
in the UK.
1.2 million women experienced DV 2010/11
A quarter of all young adults have been severely maltreated
and or witnessed Domestic Violence.
56% of women survivors of DV are diagnosed with a psychiatric
disorder
Rates of depression with survivors of violence are four times
higher than non abused women
Domestic violence leads to pain and suffering. The human and
emotional costs of domestic violence amount to almost £10
billion per yea

6. THE HOME OFFICE DEFINES DOMESTIC 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."
This includes issues of concern to black and minority
ethnic (BME) communities such as so called
'honour killings'
Maria Fernandez Peterson

7. DOMESTIC ABUSE IS A
SERIOUS FORM OF
GENDER BASE VIOLENCE
Domestic violence involves the abuse of POWER and
CONTROL by one person over another whom are in an
intimate relationship and ESCALATES in frequency
and SEVERITY over time
Maria Fernandez Peterson

8. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS
UNACCEPTABLE
WE HOLD A CERO TOLERANCE
ATTITUDE TOWARDS GENDER
VIOLENCE AND ABUSE
Domestic Violence IS NOT having an ARGUMENT or
CONFLICT in your relationship. It is a dangerous
form of abuse and it is destructive!
Maria Fernandez Peterson

9. CONFLICT ABUSE
It happens between two equal
partners
It can lead to resolution and be
resolved with negotiation between
the parties
It focus on real life problems or
emotions
Both adults accept differences
and responsibilities
Respect- value of other
Decrease with understanding,
acceptance and willingness to
change
IT IS ACCEPTED
Partners are not equal as one has
power over the other.
INEQUALITY.
Not place for negotiation or
resolution. It is ABUSIVE.
It is based on unrealistic
expectations or demands.
IRRATIONAL
Abusers don’t accept
responsibility, blame others for
the abuse.
It escalates in time, there is not
understanding or acceptance,
promises to change but there is
not willingness to change.

11. STAGES OF THE ABUSIVE
RELATIONSHIP
Seduction stage
•Very insistent, attentive and often very protective. Showing vulnerability and often
disclosing childhood problems. Gains any disclosures from the victim. Quickly moving
into ‘you and me against the world’ ideas.
Commitment stage
•Often quick to move in, plan children, suggest marriage and seek ways of securing the
relationship, even by force at this stage. Any abuse is justified as a passionate rage
born out of love so events become distorted. Early moves to gain control of
finances/activities/options. Threats about the consequences of ending the relationship.
Isolation stage
•Makes the victim’s friends/family feel awkward about visiting/phoning. Put downs to
shatter victim’s confidence, distorts contact with the outside world. Enforces victim’s
increased dependence and humiliates victim for being dependent. Makes victim doubt
their sanity and tells victim no one will believe them.
Maria Fernandez Peterson

12. Breakdown stage
•Events escalate. Uses increased threat and violence to prevent victim leaving, or
relies on the tactics used in the seduction and commitment phases, or both. Often
uses a pretended compliance to Probation orders, legal sanctions, alcohol
treatment, contact etc. May seduce workers into colluding inadvertently. Or may
escalate personal risk behaviour by drinking more, breaking legal sanctions etc.
Separation stage
•Refuses to accept ending, tries everything from other phases. Often manipulates
agencies, ie reports victim to Social Services, distorts their behaviour, claims victim
is harassing them etc. Tracks victim down, uses child contact to get access to
them, threats to kill, kidnap, rape, extremes of violence and murder. May continue
attempts at seduction and be so persistent that the victim takes him back.

14. WARNING SIGNS OF ABUSE
MANY OF THE SIGNS VICTIMS ARE TAUGHT TO INTERPRET AS
CARING, ATTENTIVE, AND ROMANTIC ARE ACTUALLY EARLY
WARNING SIGNS FOR FUTURE ABUSE.
• POSSESSION AND JEALOUSY: Accuses you of flirting/having
sexual relationships with others; monitors your
clothing/make-up.
• INTRUSION: Constantly asks you where you are going, who
you are with, etc.
• ISOLATION: Insists that you spend all or most of your time
together, cutting you off from friends and family.
• NEED FOR CONTROL: Displays extreme anger when things
do not go his way; attempts to make all of your decisions.
• JUSTIFICATION : not taking responsibility for the abuse,
blaming others, you, alcohol, mental health issues etc.
•
BE AWARE that THERE ARE MANY MORE WARNING SIGNS

15. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IMPACT
Maria Fernandez Peterson

16. THE EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE
UPON VICTIMS
Physical
• Bruising
• Recurrent sexually transmitted infections
• Broken bones
• Burns and stab wounds
• Death
• Gynaecological problems
• Tiredness
• General poor health
• Poor nutrition
• Chronic pain
• Miscarriage
• Maternal Death
• Premature Death
• Babies with low birth-weight
Stillbirth/ Injury / Death
• Self –Harming behaviour
Psychological
 Fear
 Increasing likelihood of misusing
Drugs, Alcohol or prescribed anti –
depressants
 Depression / Poor mental health
 Wanting to commit or actually
committing Suicide
 Sleep Disturbances
 Post-traumatic stress disorder
 Anger
 Guilt
 Loss of self confidence
 Feelings of dependency
 Loss of hope
 Feelings of isolation
 Low self-worth
Maria Fernandez Petesron

17. WHY ?
To support victims of violence
is crucial to understand what
is stopping victims of leaving
the abuser and the complex
dynamics of the abuse.
Maria Fernandez Peterson

18.
DYNAMICS OF ABUSE
Isolation
•Encouraging phobias/depression
•accompanying her everywhere
•Separating victim form family and friends
•not allowing her to communicate or withholding aids to communication
Enforced trivial demands
•demanding exacting/impossibly high standards
•setting up the situation to ensure the woman fails
Degradation
•making her beg for food, money or transport
•humiliating her in front of others, including her children
•Calling her names, jokes, making her to feel dirty, guilty embarrassed.
Threats
•making general threats
•threatening to have the children taken from her
•threatening to tell people in authority, particularly if she relies on her husband/
partner for residence

19. Displays of total power
•speaking for her, lying about her abilities
•patronising her, undermining her ability to do things for herself
•moving things around
•controlling her finances
•making her believe she has no other option
Occasional indulgences
•sometimes being helpful
•advocating on her behalf
•supporting her and challenging others
Exhaustion
•not allowing her to rest or sleep
•expecting her to do more than she can manage
Distorted perspectives
•encouraging phobias/depression
•blaming her for the abuse
•use of medication to confuse her
DYNAMIC
S OFABUSE

21. VICTIMS DEVELOPED COOPING
STRATEGIES TO SURVIVE THE ABUSE
AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT VICTIMS PERSPECTIVES,
COOPING MECHANISMS AND
RESOURCES

22. WHY DON’T THEY
LEAVE?
Responsibility
for domestic abuse
always lies with the perpetrator
never with the person
who is or has been abused
Maria Fernandez Peterson

23. RISK ASSESSMENTS -
OVERVIEW
MODELS:
• SPECSS
• CAADA ACPO DASH Risk Identification Checklist
(For cases of domestic abuse, stalking and ‘honour’-
based violence)
Maria Fernandez Peterson

24. RISK ASSESSMENT MODELS :
SPECSS Model CAADA –DASH
Separation (child contact)
Pregnancy / New birth
Escalation: The attacks becoming
worse and happening more often
Cultural issues and sensitivity
Stalking
Sexual assault
Injuries
Victim’s fears
Weapons / objects
Threats to kill
Suicide attempts/ depression
Criminal history
Mental health issues/ substance
misuse
HBV
Takes into account perception of
the victims and workers
24 questions.

25. DOMESTIC ABUSE
THE LAW
Domestic Abuse is dealt with both under the
criminal law and the civil law
The civil law is aimed at the protection of the
victim
The criminal Law is aimed at punishing and
holding the perpetrator accountable for his/her
behaviour and protect society.
Maria Fernandez Peterson

26. -ENDING AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
MAY INCREASE VIOLENCE!
They might also:
• Not be safe if they leave an abuser.
for many women the abuse continues after a relationship
has ended
• Be afraid of the abuser
• Be anxious about living alone, not being able to cope or
the unknown
Maria Fernandez

27. LEAVING THE ABUSER
ABUSERS MAY PREVENT THE VICTIMS TO LEAVE BY :
-BY PUNISHING VICTIMS FINANCIALLY, E.G. FREEZING/CLOSING
BANK ACCOUNTS, REFUSING TO PAY ANYTHING FOR THE VICTIM
OR THE CHILDREN – IF DEPENDENT.
-LIMITING CONTACT WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY SUPPORT –
SPREADING ‘POISON’ AGAINST VICTIM BY ‘GETTING IN FIRST’
WITH DISTORTED MESSAGE ABOUT THE BREAK UP.
-MAKING PHYSICAL/EMOTIONAL THREATS TO VICTIM, FAMILY,
FRIENDS AND ESPECIALLY THE CHILDREN
-TRYING TO USE OTHERS TO FIND VICTIM/REGAIN CONTACT BY
USING THE COURTS/CHILD CONTACT ORDERS
-PROMISING TO CHANGE, ATTEND A VIOLENCE PREVENTION
PROGRAMME VOLUNTARILY, THEN DROPPING OUT
Maira Fernandez Peterson

28. HOW CAN PROFESSIONALS
HELP?
• Think of your conversation as the start of a process, not
a one-off event.
• Never accept culture as an excuse for domestic abuse
• Might you need an advocate?
• Might children been involved?

29. DOMESTIC ABUSE
ROUTINE ENQUIRY
Women in a refuge study indicated that the most helpful
response from a health professional would be:
• To be asked
• To be believed
• To be treated with respect
• To be given time
• To be given information
Maria Fernandez Peeterson

30. RESPONDING TO DISCLOSURE
A GOOD RESPONSE INCLUDES AWARENESS OF:
• Safety issues
• Offering emotional / practical support
• Acceptance
• Sensitivity
• Non judgmental
• Empathy
• Providing information and assess to help
• Empowerment –not taking over

31. A good response also includes:
• Letting her know that she is not to blame and no one deserves
to be treated this way
• Respecting her decision
• Ask about children’s safety but do not reframe into child
protection issue
• Additional difficulties faced by some groups e.g. language and
immigration
Maria Fernandez Petesron

32. RESPONDING TO DISCLOSURE
Simply asking about Domestic abuse is an
effective intervention itself.
Women experiencing Domestic abuse
require validation of their experiences, and
asking lets her know you will take her
seriously.
Maria Fernandez Peterson

33. THE IMPACT OF
SUPPORTING VICTIMS OF
ABUSE
• Vicarious traumatization (VT) is a transformation in the
self of a trauma worker or helper that results from empathic
engagement with traumatized clients and their reports of
traumatic experiences. Its hallmark is disrupted spirituality, or
a disruption in the trauma workers' perceived meaning and
hope. McCann and Pearlman(1990a) coined this term
specifically with reference to the experience of
psychotherapists working with trauma survivor clients

34. IMPLICATIONS – REACTIONS IN
WORKERS AND
PSYCHOTHERAPISTS
• Becoming critical of their own relationships and those
around them
• Becoming overly involved in the cycle of the victim
• Feeling frustrated that they don’t have answers
• Having difficulty managing boundaries
• Also might include a range of positive feelings

35. SAFETY STRATEGIES – TAKING
CARE OF ONE SELF!
• Consult regularly with supervisor
• Remember boundaries
• Be aware if it is becoming too much
• Discuss with peers (without breaching confidentiality)
• Managing ENDINGS
• Take care of yourself (take breaks, use recreational
activities)
Maria Fernandez Petesron 2014

36. EMPOWERMENT &
HOLISITIC APPROACH
Form my professional experience I’ve learnt that:
• Women who suffered domestic abuse are more likely to succeed in ending the abuse if
they get support form external agencies and significant others.
• Trying to negotiate and agree with partner may increase violence
DO NOT WORK IN ISOLATION
Tackling ABUSE is a MULTI AGENCY ISSUE!
Maria Fernandez Peterson

37. Thank you very much for attending this training
Lic. Maria Fernandez Peterson
psicologosenlondres@gmail.com