Domestic Abuse Matters

Domestic Abuse (DA) Matters is a bespoke cultural change programme for police officers and staff in England and Wales, designed to transform the response to domestic abuse.

DA Matters is much more than a training course

Developed in partnership with the College of Policing, DA Matters is a cultural change programme designed to create long term, sustainable improvements and consistency in the response to domestic abuse.

It helps police understand what is meant by the term coercive control, challenges victim blaming, and prompts them to recognise the high levels of manipulation used by those perpetrating it, including in interactions with law enforcement.

We are committed to ensuring that this programme delivers real sustainable change that makes a difference to police practice, and to the support that victims of domestic abuse receive. Evaluations to date have consistently found material change in first responder confidence and knowledge.

Professor Iain Brennan carried out independent research into the effects of force-wide training on arrests for coercive and controlling behaviour. This research shows the positive and sustained impact of the programme, leading to a 41% increase in arrests for coercive and controlling behaviour.

SafeLives' DA Matters training really does deliver. Its slick, to the point and very impactive. Officers suggest it's some of the best training they've received. It provided the skills uplift we required sending a hugely positive message across the constabulary. It's thought provoking and has certainly influenced officers to consider better questions around coercion and control.

DA Matters police lead, Suffolk

About the programme

The work stemmed from the 2014 HMIC report, Everyone’s business: Improving the police response to domestic abuse, which highlighted the need for improvements in how police forces and officers understood and responded to coercive control.

The DA Matters programme includes several key components designed to create long-lasting impact and embed real change in the police response to domestic abuse, including:

A force health check to assess and support the force, ensuring the cultural, attitudinal, and behavioural changes achieved by the training are maintained.
A train the trainer course, creating a bank of local trainers to deliver the training both during the initial phase with SafeLives and in future sessions.
Training for first responders using real-life footage, case studies and exercises so that first responders can learn how to identify and gather evidence of coercive and controlling behaviour, recognise perpetrator tactics and understand the dynamics of domestic abuse.

To create long-term, sustainable improvements DA Matters also includes:

DA Matters Champions training, upskilling officers to check service delivery, sustain the change in skills, behaviours and attitudes, and to give feedback on great practice as well as challenge inappropriate language and behaviour. DA Matters Champions become a ‘go to’ contact within their area of police work.
A sustaining the change workshop for senior managers, ensuring change is maintained after delivery and developing leaders to safely use internal lived experience of domestic abuse to shape future responses to the public.
A post programme report, covering findings and recommendations from the training delivery phase and health check.
Immediate and six-month evaluation reports, assessing the changes in practice and attitudes.

Our DA Matters aims and objectives guide has information about the overall aim of DA Matters, as well as the outcomes for each element of the cultural change programme.

Costs

DA Matters delivery costs vary according to size of the police force, which elements of the programme are chosen and if a force uses its own staff and partners to assist in the delivery. The sliding scale used is very similar across the three licenced providers, so a force can choose based on fit and quality delivery rather than cost. SafeLives are happy to provide a quote for delivery on request.

I can honestly say it was the most impactive one day input I have ever been on. The content was excellent and the delivery was absolutely on point. Both [the trainers] showed such a passion, which demonstrated how they truly feel about how DA is understood and dealt with.

Previous learner

SafeLives adopter forces map and feedback

Since 2015, SafeLives have worked with 37 forces to adopt the Domestic Abuse Matters programme. We have trained over 60,000 learners in both Home Office and non-home office forces.

Our aim is for all 43 forces in England & Wales to adopt the DA Matters programme – bringing national consistency around Police training, and in turn service delivery to every victim of domestic abuse, no matter where they live.

DA Matters Scotland

Domestic Abuse Matters Scotland is a change programme that has allowed us to train nearly 14,000 officers and staff in identifying controlling and coercive behaviour. The programme was written and developed by SafeLives and the College of Policing in response to HMIC findings around police officers’ understanding of domestic abuse, and in particular, coercive control.

DA Matters Scotland builds on the successful delivery of our DA Matters programme in England and Wales. It is bespoke to the unique needs of Scotland, in particular around the introduction of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act in April 2019.

We worked collaboratively with Police Scotland and our partners ASSIST, the Caledonian System, Sacro and Scottish Borders Safer Communities team to develop common understanding and awareness around the dynamics of abuse, coercive control and the tactics used by perpetrators.

I was initially resistant and didn’t want to go on DAMS (Domestic Abuse Matters Scotland responders training), but it has been the most valuable training I've been on in my 29 years of service. I have since told the other sergeants in the station to keep an open mind and that they'll enjoy it too.

Police officer (Scotland)

Why was DA Matters Scotland needed?

Over 130,000 people in Scotland live with domestic abuse every year, with 68% of victims who access specialist support disclosing controlling behaviour and 56% disclosing physical harm. The police play a vital role in the response to domestic abuse – protecting adult and child victims and holding perpetrators to account.

The DA Matters Scotland training came at a crucial time, to support the introduction of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, which made coercive control a criminal offence for the first time in Scotland. It is a testament to the many survivors who helped create the programme, the partnership with Police Scotland, and the dedication and commitment of trainers, that 85% of participants said they now have a strong understanding of the new legislation. This is just the start though. We will continue to take the learning forward, with the support of over 700 Police Scotland Champions who will sustain the change in skills, behaviour and attitudes through continued support and development. The evaluation of DA Matters Scotland shows that after the training: