27th October 2015
One quality an effective independent domestic violence advisor (Idva) needs is the ability to think creatively about the support they offer their clients. They need to offer victims a range of opportunities to take that crucial first step towards help, and towards building a safer future that’s both sustainable and full of hope.
1st September 2015
Are you struggling to switch off? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
As a trainer and assessor for SafeLives, I get to meet Idvas from all over the UK. Whilst there are many local issues that affect practice, there are some things I hear over and over – no matter where I go.
19th August 2015
Last month saw the first national Day of Memory to commemorate victims of “honour”-based violence and abuse. Karma Nirvana, the charity behind the event, reports that at least 12 women a year are known to have been killed as a result of “honour”-based violence in the UK, although the true number is thought to be much higher.
13th July 2015
Last month, SafeLives ran a series of seminars for Maracs – celebrating the hard work of professionals up and down the country, and taking time to think about what’s next. During the London event, I had the pleasure of seeing lots of old colleagues from my time at Advance and Standing Together Against Domestic Violence.
29th June 2015
I have been thinking about Duluth a lot recently. For those of you young enough that it was before your time (lucky you!), Duluth is a town in Minnesota where the wonderful Ellen Pence and Michael Paymar developed a model of addressing domestic abuse in a holistic way. It required commitment from the whole community and it became known as the co-ordinated community response.
