Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) is a global public health concern, a social justice issue and a human rights violation with significant implications for a person’s physical and mental health, general wellbeing and ability to work and earn a living.
Statistics from the Office for National Statistics show that 1.6 million women (aged 16 to 74), and 757,000 men (aged 16 to 74) reported experiencing some form of DVA during the year ending March 2020 in England and Wales. The Children’s Commissioner in England reported in 2020 that 800,000 children experienced DVA in their own homes.
Until recently, a greater emphasis has been understandably placed on developing support and interventions for victim-survivors of DVA, with less attention on working with perpetrators of DVA/people who harm. This has meant people who perpetrate DVA are not always held accountable for the harm they cause nor receive intervention to try and change their harmful behaviours. This is despite the fact that research documenting the benefits and importance of directly engaging people who perpetrate DVA to change their behaviour, as well as to prevent DVA, first emerged at least three decades ago.
Interventions for people who perpetrate DVA have grown in prominence in the last decade or so, and a recent review of the available research shows there is promising practice using a variety of different models and approaches. This evidence also underpins the Respect accredited perpetrator programmes currently delivered across the UK. The need to grow this evidence base, as well as develop greater consistency regarding what ‘success’ looks like when it comes to working with people who use DVA in their intimate relationships is emphasised in a literature review. Especially in relation to the outcomes achieved for people – typically women and children, but not exclusively – who experience DVA. This is because we know, when delivered competently and confidently, and in a way that is strongly focused on victim-survivors, interventions for people who use DVA can:
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contribute to changes in their behaviour and attitude
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increase their accountability
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reduce the harm caused to adult and child victim-survivors
However, work with perpetrators of DVA also has the potential to increase the risk posed to victim-survivors and consequently entails substantial responsibility. It is therefore essential that any perpetrator intervention always centres victim-survivor needs and safety, and that risk reduction is prioritised first and foremost.
Based on statistics nationally and globally, it is likely that practitioners working in adult social care will come across DVA at some point in their daily work. This could be in the context of supporting someone who is experiencing DVA, or when supporting a person who is themselves, using DVA and harming their intimate partner.
The Drive Partnership (which comprises of Respect, SafeLives, and Social Finance) coordinates the delivery of the Drive Project, which was developed in 2015, to work with high-harm, high-risk and serial perpetrators of DVA to stop their harmful behaviour and to increase safety for victim-survivors. Drive works across England and Wales with local service providers delivering the intervention in different localities in partnership with agencies such as the police, public health, and social care.
Find out more about the Drive Project.
The evidence base around domestic violence and abuse
This podcast examines the evidence base around domestic violence and abuse, perpetration and the interface with children’s social care.
The role of occupational therapists in identifying and responding to Domestic Violence and Abuse
Following a successful 10 month project delivering Occupational Therapy within our local Domestic Abuse service, occupational therapists, Lucy Clarke and Kim Jones, will be sharing their knowledge, skills and learning through an online workshop.
Working with people who perpetrate domestic violence and abuse in families: Strategic Briefing (2021)
This strategic briefing discusses work with people who perpetrate domestic violence and / or abuse (DVA), with a specific emphasis on people who perpetrate DVA in families, involved with children’s social care.