Disclosure Of Domestic Violence Research Articles

What can veterinary professionals do? Measuring the effect of one domestic violence training pilot program on veterinary professionals' capacity to recognize, respond, and refer human victims of domestic violence.

Veterinary professionals have a key role in facilitating multi-agency collaboration to prevent and respond to domestic violence (DV) in situations where animals may be directly or indirectly involved. Yet despite their position as potential touchpoints for victim-survivors with animals, many veterinary professionals do not feel equipped to act on suspicions or disclosures of DV. In response to this identified need, one service operating in Melbourne, Australia, developed the Vet-3R's training program (Recognize-Respond-Refer) which was piloted on 65 veterinary professionals in Melbourne's Eastern Metropolitan Region. This is an exploratory study aimed at measuring the effect of the Vets 3-R's program on veterinary professionals' confidence and capacity to recognize, respond and refer victims of DV. Participants were invited to complete online surveys before and after the training to evaluate their understanding of DV and their capacity to support suspected victim-survivors with animals who present at their service. The pre-training self-evaluation scores indicated that while most veterinary professionals are aware of the link between animal abuse and DV, they lack the confidence to respond and refer individuals when confronted with suspicions or disclosures of abuse. However, upon completion of the Vets 3-R's program, participants reported marked improvements in their ability to recognize, respond, and refer victim-survivors. The most significant improvement could be seen in participants' self-reported ability to respond appropriately to suspicions of DV. While results are indicative only due to the small sample size, this study suggests that veterinary professionals may be an underutilized intervention point for DV victim-survivors with animals. The Vet-3R's training program can be a useful tool for increasing effectiveness of this intervention point to safely assist DV victim-survivors. More research on similar programs with a larger cohort of participants would be beneficial to measure the impact of such programs on a wider scale.

Rendering them responsible: victim-survivors experiences of Clare’s Law and domestic violence disclosure schemes

This article presents empirical findings from a British Academy funded project concerned to explore victim-survivor experiences of domestic violence disclosure schemes (DVDS) in the UK. In so doing it draws on the concept of responsibilisation as one way of making sense of the experiences reported. It goes on to suggest a note of caution for the development of these schemes in other jurisdictions, since the failure to take account of victim-survivor voices in relation to DVDS in the UK has contributed to such schemes rendering victim-survivors responsible.

Should we be concerned? A qualitative study of educators’ perceptions of medical student wellbeing in domestic violence training

Introduction Domestic violence (DV) is common in the Australian community so it is likely that there will be medical students who are affected personally by DV. Some of these students may find DV training confronting or even re-traumatising. A trauma-informed medical education (TIME) framework utilising trauma-informed care principles may minimise this risk to students. We aimed to explore educators’ perceptions of student well-being in Australian medical school DV training. Method This descriptive qualitative study interviewed 13 educators with experience teaching DV in Australian medical schools using an interpretivist methodology and a TIME framework. Interview data was thematically analysed to identify themes. Results Four key themes included (1) educators thrown in at the deep end; (2) keeping students emotionally safe; (3) a trauma-informed learning environment and; (4) challenges of student DV disclosures. Few of the participants had received training in DV. Educators used methods such as trigger warnings and ground rules to improve student’s emotional safety. Experienced educators dealt with disclosures of DV by students which led to role confusion. Discussion There is a need for increased training of medical educators that includes awareness and implementation of TIME principles when training medical students in DV as well as increased supports and resources for educators.

Self-blame and (becoming) the crazy ex: Domestic abuse, information sharing and responsibilisation

The 2021 Domestic Abuse Act puts the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (Clare’s Law) on a statutory footing which allows police forces to share someone’s criminal history to prevent domestic abuse. In this article, we draw on the findings from a wider study on women’s experiences of accessing such schemes and instead highlight the informal ways in which women shared and received information about domestic abuse experiences among each other to prevent domestic abuse. These experiences are located within a ‘red flag’ discourse which we argue inadvertently responsibilises women, who in turn blame themselves for failing to leave abusive relationships. The conclusion makes some suggestions as to how a better understanding of the reality of victim-survivors’ everyday lives might inform the practices of those tasked with supporting women in making sense of disclosures of domestic abuse and providing appropriate support at the right time.

Screening for and Disclosure of Domestic Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of the PRICOV-19 Cross-Sectional Study in 33 Countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic left no one untouched, and reports of domestic violence (DV) increased during the crisis. DV victims rarely seek professional help, yet when they do so, they often disclose it to their general practitioner (GP), with whom they have a trusting relationship. GPs rarely screen and hence rarely take the initiative to discuss DV with patients, although victims indicate that offering this opportunity would facilitate their disclosure. This paper aims to describe the frequency of screening for DV by GPs and disclosure of DV by patients to the GP during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify key elements that could potentially explain differences in screening for and disclosure of DV. The PRICOV-19 data of 4295 GP practices from 33 countries were included in the analyses, with practices nested in countries. Two stepwise forward clustered ordinal logistic regressions were performed. Only 11% of the GPs reported (much) more disclosure of DV by patients during COVID-19, and 12% reported having screened for DV (much). Most significant associations with screening for and disclosure of DV concerned general (pro)active communication. However, (pro)active communication was performed less frequently for DV than for health conditions, which might indicate that GPs are insufficiently aware of the general magnitude of DV and its impact on patients and society, and its approach/management. Thus, professional education and training for GPs about DV seems highly and urgently needed.

Using criminal histories to empower victim–survivors of domestic abuse

The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) was first introduced in England and Wales in 2014 and has since been reproduced across the world. Its aim is to empower victim–survivors by giving them access to a partner’s criminal history and thereby helping them make informed decisions about their relationship. Yet the relationship between information and empowerment in this context remains contested and unexplored both theoretically and empirically. This paper draws on findings from the largest qualitative study of the DVDS to date as well as coercive control, to show that police are using disclosures to undermine perpetrators’ ‘monopolies on perception’ and in doing so aiming to empower victim–survivors to redefine their own realities. The implications for practice-oriented models of empowerment and evaluation methodologies are explored.

Identification, disclosure and education support of domestic violence and sexual abuse (DVSA) victims

Aim: Supporting Domestic violence and sexual abuse (DVSA) victims at education paradigm.Objective: To find practical methods of disclosing, identifying, and supporting DVSA victims in the education paradigm.Methodology: A phenomenological descriptive literature review study explores what is known from different authors about identification, influence, disclosure tools and support of DVSA victims to clarify the phenomenon, approaches of disclosure tools and victims’ support at education paradigm.Conclusion: Improving factual knowledge and awareness among students and teachers.National policies are mandating the teaching of violence prevention in the national curricula, allocation of budgets, and resources.The need for more comprehensive studies on this subject, educating educators about this paradigm, structuring effective practical disclosure aids, and raising funds and professionals for highly flexible individualised methods of victim’s support.RecommendationsTools chosen should consider the target population, screeners’ skills and experience, and the evaluation’s objective and context.Educators and healthcare providers must ensure that adequate referral and follow-up are provided to those identified through screening to ensure the efficacy of DVSA interventions.Teacher’s lack of confidence, conviction, and expertise could jeopardise the intended message; educator’s training is recommended.To establish DVSA forum at educational institutes, starting with the “digital generation” at tertiary education or secondary and lower educational levels. Students can write, discuss, share, and disclose at this forum anonymously. The details are accessed by a specialised individual who can implement policies and communicate with students who disclosed the information or are suspected of DVSA.

‘Social Care Told me I Had to’: Empowerment And Responsibilization in The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme

Abstract Domestic Violence Disclosure Schemes (DVDS), recently introduced in many jurisdictions, aim to empower victim-survivors of domestic abuse by giving them access to information about their partner’s criminal history. This paper presents findings from the largest study of the police implementation of the first such scheme, introduced in the United Kingdom in 2014. It finds that the disclosure process is increasingly being shaped by a child protection agenda that makes victim-survivors responsible for protecting their children from the harms of domestic abuse. It examines tensions and dilemmas this raises for police seeking to safeguarding and empower victim-survivors, and draws on feminist ethical theory to develop a more nuanced understanding of the dynamics between the professional spheres of domestic abuse and child protection.

Testimonial Smothering and Domestic Violence Disclosure in Clinical Contexts

AbstractDomestic violence and abuse (DVA) are at last coming to be recognised as serious global public health problems. Nevertheless, many women with personal histories of DVA decline to disclose them to healthcare practitioners. In the health sciences, recent empirical work has identified many factors that impede DVA disclosure, known as barriers to disclosure. Drawing on recent work in social epistemology on testimonial silencing, we might wonder why so many people withhold their testimony and whether there is some kind of epistemic injustice afoot here. In this paper, I offer some philosophical reflections on DVA disclosure in clinical contexts and the associated barriers to disclosure. I argue that women with personal histories of DVA are vulnerable to a certain form of testimonial injustice in clinical contexts, namely, testimonial smothering, and that this may help to explain why they withhold that testimony. It is my contention that this can help explain the low rates of DVA disclosure by patients to healthcare practitioners.

Qualitative experiences of Australian mental health staff with students exposed to domestic violence

The prevalence of domestic violence is concerning due to its debilitating impact on the psychological, social and academic functioning of children. This study explored the experiences, strengths and challenges of school mental health staff in relation to students exposed to domestic violence. Interviews with 10 school wellbeing staff working in Victoria, Australia, showed that these staff felt confronted and distressed, and were unsure of their role in managing the complexities associated with students’ exposure to domestic violence. Staff reported the need for educators, students and parents to be educated on domestic violence, and for improved school structures and policies that encourage staff consultation and self-care following students’ disclosures of domestic violence. The results of this study are discussed within the context of trauma-informed practice and multi-tiered mental health promotion in schools.

Barriers and facilitators of disclosing domestic violence to the healthcare service: A systematic review of qualitative research.

Domestic violence victims are in frequent contact with the healthcare service yet rarely disclose. Therefore, it is critical to understand victims' experiences and perceptions regarding disclosure in healthcare settings. The goal of this review is to provide an updated synthesis of qualitative research identifying barriers and facilitators, advice, and positive and negative outcomes of adult victims' disclosure of domestic violence to healthcare professionals (HCPs). A systematic search of PsychINFO, CINAHL and Web of Science was conducted in January 2018. Thirty‐four eligible studies were identified, including 783 domestic violence victims (781 females). Formal quality assessment indicated variable study quality. Barriers of disclosure included negative HCPs attitudes, victims' perceptions of safety and concerns about the consequences of disclosing. Facilitators of disclosing included a positive relationship with the HCP, HCPs directly asking victims about abuse, and HCPs ensuring that the environment is safe and disclosure is confidential. Victims advised increased awareness of HCPs reactions to disclosure and avoiding mirroring their perpetrators minimization. HCPs were encouraged to engage in direct questioning and maintain a supportive and secure environment. Positive and negative outcomes of abuse were identified, such as being able to leave the abuser or, on the other hand, the victims' situation not changing. Our results indicate that barriers for disclosure of domestic violence in healthcare settings persist despite the widespread implementation of policies and guidelines to counter them. Based on these findings, we provide recommendations for clinical practice and future research to help improve disclosure in healthcare settings.

Organisational policies and responses to employee disclosures of domestic and family violence and sexual assault: What constitutes best practice?

Organisational policies and responses to employee disclosures of domestic and family violence and sexual assault: What constitutes best practice?

Reaching out and seeking help from frontline professionals: experiences of men perpetrating partner violence

Background: Research on help-seeking behaviour in partner violence has mainly focused on victims. This article reports on a multi-country qualitative study exploring the views and experiences of men perpetrating partner violence and their contact with frontline professionals. The study was part of a wider programme of training for professionals to enable disclosure of domestic violence by perpetrators (project ENGAGE). Methods: Eleven semi‐structured interviews and one focus group discussion with seven men were conducted and thematic analysis was used to analyse their responses. Emphasis was on understanding how professionals’ responses prevented or facilitated disclosure and seeking support and/or professional help. Results: The men revealed the difficulties they face in the process of disclosure and that help-seeking from non-specialised professionals had a negative emotional impact for most men. Four themes emerged: barriers to help-seeking for men; helpful responses from professionals; unhelpful responses to avoid; and recommendations for professionals to improve their interactions with men. Conclusion: This study has implications for the training of frontline professionals and underlines the need for changes in services to ensure that all men consistently receive an appropriate response and are directed to perpetrator programmes or specialised services.

Barriers to women\u2019s disclosure of domestic violence in health services in Palestine: qualitative interview-based study

BackgroundDomestic violence (DV) damages health and requires a global public health response and engagement of clinical services. Recent surveys show that 27% of married Palestinian women experienced some form of violence from their husbands over a 12 months' period, but only 5% had sought formal help, and rarely from health services. Across the globe, barriers to disclosure of DV have been recorded, including self-blame, fear of the consequences and lack of knowledge of services. This is the first qualitative study to address barriers to disclosure within health services for Palestinian women.MethodsIn-depth interviews were carried out with 20 women who had experienced DV. They were recruited from a non-governmental organisation offering social and legal support. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and translated into English and the data were analysed thematically.ResultsWomen encountered barriers at individual, health care service and societal levels. Lack of knowledge of available services, concern about the health care primary focus on physical issues, lack of privacy in health consultations, lack of trust in confidentiality, fear of being labelled ‘mentally ill’ and losing access to their children were all highlighted. Women wished for health professionals to take the initiative in enquiring about DV. Wider issues concerned women’s social and economic dependency on their husbands which led to fears about transgressing social and cultural norms by speaking out. Women feared being blamed and ostracised by family members and others, or experiencing an escalation of violence.ConclusionsPalestinian women’s agency to be proactive in help-seeking for DV is clearly limited. Our findings can inform training of health professionals in Palestine to address these barriers, to increase awareness of the link between DV and many common presentations such as depression, to ask sensitively about DV in private, reassure women about confidentiality, and increase awareness among women of the role that health services can play in DV.

‘No black and white answer about how far we can go’: police decision making under the domestic violence disclosure scheme

ABSTRACT Domestic violence disclosure schemes are being adopted by police forces in countries around the world, yet they remain controversial and empirically under-researched. This paper presents findings from the largest study of police implementation of such a scheme to date, drawing on in-depth interviews and Freedom of Information data from 12 police forces in England and Wales. We reveal that victims of domestic abuse face a ‘postcode lottery’ of disclosures, with some receiving minimal or no information about the criminal histories of their partners, and others receiving lengthy and detailed descriptions. We identify and analyse two contrasting police approaches to disclosure: ‘risk-averse’ approaches, which are driven by efforts to avoid costly legal action by disgruntled offenders, and to minimise the resource implications of the scheme; and ‘permissive’ approaches, which are more explicitly victim-centred, reflect an increasingly prevalent ‘coercive control’ discourse, and are informed and guided by close collaboration with specialist partner agencies. The discussion sheds light on the shifting culture of domestic violence policing in the UK, yields immediate recommendations for the regulation and best practice of domestic violence disclosure schemes, and has methodological implications for efforts to assess their effectiveness.

A brave new world: the new normal for general practice after the COVID-19 pandemic.

General practice in the UK transformed almost overnight in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Practices largely shut their doors, face-to-face consultations almost exclusively became remote consultations, research evidence was implemented within days of being published, and much routine work postponed and labelled ‘non-essential’. As we settle into this (temporary) new way of working, we have a unique opportunity to reflect on our old and new working practices and decide what we should continue, change, and stop doing. Specifically, we consider what this ‘new normal’ could be in terms of remote consulting, practice re-organisation, use and implementation of evidence, advanced care planning, patient behaviour and chronic disease management, and implications for future practice, research, and policy. The reluctance to introduce, and the limitations of technology to enable, video consultations vanished overnight. Practices introduced a remote ‘total triage’ model in order to protect both patients and the workforce from COVID-19.1 Remote consultations currently appear well-received by patients and clinicians, and may improve access to general practice for working age adults, patients with children, those with anxiety or agoraphobia, housebound patients, and those living in remote locations.2,3 Mitigating the positives are concerns that remote consultations may increase health inequalities, including for those without access to remote video consulting via smartphones, may disadvantage non-English speakers, and may negatively impact doctor–patient relationships, patient satisfaction, and patient safety.2,4 Patients may not disclose some health problems by telephone, including symptoms of serious disease such as cancer. Privacy issues may also make disclosure of domestic violence, safeguarding issues, and mental health problems difficult for vulnerable patients. For older people living alone and palliative …

Longitudinal evaluation of a domestic violence training program for midwives

Background: In Australia, 36% of women who experienced violence by a partner reported that this occurred when they were pregnant.1 Around seventeen percent of women experience domestic violence (DV) for the first time during pregnancy. Routine enquiry about domestic violence during pregnancy is now accepted best practice. Training is essential to improve knowledge and practice. Yet very few studies have undertaken a comprehensive evaluation of training impact over time. Aim: This presentation will provide an overview of an evaluation of the longitudinal impact of a domestic violence training and support program to promote midwives’ routine antenatal enquiry for domestic violence using a mixed methods design. Method: Data sources included (1) surveys of midwives at 6 months post-training, (2) interviews with key stakeholders at 12 months, (3) chart audit data of screening, risk, and disclosure rates (for 16 months). Measures included midwives’ knowledge and preparation for routine antenatal enquiry, and perceptions of organisational barriers to routine enquiry. Findings: Forty (out of 83) participant surveys could be matched and responses compared to baseline and post-training scores. Wilcoxon signed-rank test identified that all 6-month follow-up scores were significantly higher than those at baseline. Level of preparedness increased from 42.3 to 51.05 (Z = 4.88, p 90%) reported improved confidence to undertake routine inquiry. A chart audit of screening rates for 16 months post-training revealed of the 6671 women presenting for antenatal care, nearly 90% were screened. Disclosure of domestic violence was low (<2%) with most women at risk or experiencing violence declining referral. Contribution to policy & practice: Training, support processes, and referral pathways, contributed to midwives’ sustained preparedness and knowledge to conduct routine enquiry and support women disclosing domestic violence.

Reflections on the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (England and Wales)

The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) aims to reduce harm through improving access to background information for people with concerns about a romantic partner’s behaviour. This reduction is predicated on the disclosure recipient taking steps to ensure their safety, either by managing the situation or ending the relationship. As fewer than half of the thousands of annual applications result in disclosures, and no information is held about any subsequent steps taken by applicants or recipients, it is unclear whether or not the DVDS is actually reducing domestic violence. Nonetheless, Scotland and Northern Ireland have implemented their own variations of this policy, as have some Canadian and Australian states. This policy analysis draws on empirical research into the DVDS in terms of its national and local operation in order to assess the strengths and limitations of its capacity to reduce harm. The analysis outlines how the policy may be difficult to access; deflect – rather than prevent – harm; shift safeguarding responsibilities onto the most vulnerable; and be incorrectly interpreted in terms of outcome. The paper makes recommendations for improvement in order to enhance the policy’s efficacy.

Reflections on the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (England and Wales)

The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) aims to reduce harm through improving access to background information for people with concerns about a romantic partner’s behaviour. This reduction is predicated on the disclosure recipient taking steps to ensure their safety, either by managing the situation or ending the relationship. As fewer than half of the thousands of annual applications result in disclosures, and no information is held about any subsequent steps taken by applicants or recipients, it is unclear whether or not the DVDS is actually reducing domestic violence. Nonetheless, Scotland and Northern Ireland have implemented their own variations of this policy, as have some Canadian and Australian states.&lt;br /&gt;This policy analysis draws on empirical research into the DVDS in terms of its national and local operation in order to assess the strengths and limitations of its capacity to reduce harm. The analysis outlines how the policy may be difficult to access; deflect – rather than prevent – harm; shift safeguarding responsibilities onto the most vulnerable; and be incorrectly interpreted in terms of outcome. The paper makes recommendations for improvement in order to enhance the policy’s efficacy.&lt;br /&gt;key messagesDomestic violence prevention policies which require active citizenship may be less effective at preventing victimisation.&lt;br /&gt;The monitoring of outcomes following a DVDS application/disclosure is required.&lt;br /&gt;Care needs to be taken to ensure engagement with the DVDS does not put people at a greater risk of harm.

Whatever Happened to 'Clare's Law'? Reviewing the Available Evidence on the Effectiveness of the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme

While the overall trend has been for the rate of applications and disclosures under the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) in England and Wales to increase over time; there is an emerging 'postcode lottery' as to how the DVDS is operated across those forces concerned. Meanwhile HMICFRS have made it clear to forces that more needs to be done to deploy preventive measures aimed at reducing the risk of domestic violence toward those vulnerable to such abuse. These measures can be said to include the DVDS in England and Wales. However, there is mixed evidence available in the public domain as to the overall effectiveness of the DVDS at preventing domestic abuse arising through the bringing to an end of a risky relationship, or through the empowerment of victims through the ability to increase their knowledge of their partners' abusive past. The results of a recent freedom-of-information study underpinning this report show that 45.6% of 'early wave' recipients of disclosures under the DVDS have gone on to be victimised by the very partner they were warned about; while there are suggestions from reported cases from the courts that recipients of disclosures are not always able to act on the warnings provided in order to keep themselves safe. Police forces in England and Wales should undertake an exercise to establish whether the disclosures they have made under the DVDS in the last 12 months have had an effect; entailing checking to see if recipients of disclosures have since reported victimisation by the subjects of the disclosures concerned. Follow-up qualitative research may be required, however, to fully explore the problem should a force discover that 'Clare's Law' disclosures are not contributing as effectively as might be hoped to the challenge of protecting potential victims from the harms of domestic abuse. In this way, police forces in England and Wales can begin to evaluate whether recent disclosures under the DVDS have been having a positive impact on the safety and empowerment of victims; or whether more needs to be done by the force to establish how 'Clare's Law' disclosures can be managed and made effectively in conjunction with other preventive measures aimed at tackling domestic abuse. This sort of effectiveness evaluation is particularly important now that domestic abuse disclosure schemes have been taken up outside of England and Wales, in both Scotland and Northern Ireland; and further afield in New Zealand and some parts of Australia.