Effective Responses to Domestic Abuse Disclosures

Domestic abuse remains one of the most significant factors in safeguarding work both within adult and children’s practice.

The Domestic Abuse Act (2021) expanded the definition of abuse to include not only physical violence but also emotional abuse and coercive control. Additionally, the Act recognised children as victims in their own right. Despite these advancements, there has been a 37% increase in violent crimes against women and girls, underscoring the need for professionals to deeply understand and manage the risks associated with domestic abuse.

The Reality of Domestic Abuse Today

I have been providing training and supervisory support for professionals working with domestic abuse for many years. I remain concerned that despite domestic abuse being recognised as a significant risk factor, effective engagement from families remains poor.

A report in March 2024 by the National Police Chiefs Council cited suicide as a result of domestic abuse also now being recognised within the statistics recorded against domestic homicide cases.

In my role as a Domestic Abuse Lead within the NHS, I have certainly seen an increase in the severity of abuse perpetrated alongside an increase in victims coming forward who have not experienced violence but are experiencing coercive control.

I have also seen a shift in the demographic of victims. Disclosures from elderly victims with caring responsibilities for partners with dementia, couples within same-sex relationships, adolescents, abuse perpetrated by children on carers and parents as well as more male victims of domestic abuse coming forward. Whilst the vast majority of deaths as a result of domestic abuse occur amongst the female population, the above changes also highlight the need to change our perspective on how we approach domestic abuse as professionals.

I have participated in numerous Domestic Homicide Reviews where the commonality of the statement ‘victim did not engage with professional support’ is always evident.

So what can we do to change this narrative and as professionals provide appropriate and valued support for victims that could ultimately reduce the risks they face as victims of domestic abuse?

Barriers to Professional Engagement

As a survivor of domestic abuse and coercive control, I have firsthand experience with the challenges victims face when seeking help.

My personal experience of professional support following my disclosures concerned me at the time. I can certainly state that I felt blamed for my situation, and that support was often contradictory and not victim-led. As a victim, I felt I was just a ‘tick box’ exercise, as various professionals completed risk assessments leading to perfunctory recommendations that for me in my situation were not feasible or safe for me or my family. From this perspective, I was curious to find out if my experience was replicated by other victims.

For the past four years, I have trained part-time as a psychotherapist and hypnotherapist. To consolidate my training I have been working therapeutically with victims of domestic abuse. Themes have emerged in respect of their personal experiences of domestic abuse disclosures that do present as real barriers to professional engagement. I think it is fundamentally important that professionals recognise these barriers as they could help generate a change in approach towards victims.

I have incorporated some of the anonymised scenarios victims presented to me within my training and safeguarding supervision sessions, but common themes emerging were:

Lack of confidentiality and consent following disclosure.
This was by far the biggest barrier. A feeling of loss of autonomy and control once disclosure was made. As professionals, we are all too aware of our reporting obligations regarding risk, but there seemed to be very ‘muddled’ thinking around sharing information. From a victim’s perspective a sense that very sensitive and private information was being shared often without the victim’s knowledge or consent. This undoubtedly led to a feeling of being at increased risk, a feeling of stigmatisation and ultimately led victims to withdraw, minimise or deny the original disclosure.
Overwhelming Number of Professionals Involved.
We know from numerous other research articles on domestic abuse that victims often cite a lack of consistency with a particular professional as a barrier to disclosure. However, I was being given examples of victims receiving contact from numerous professionals post a disclosure. This was viewed as overwhelming and at times frightening for victims. Some victims stated they were contacted several days or weeks after the disclosure and were very unclear about what that professional’s role was in relation to their abuse.
Inadequate Focus on Perpetrators
Responses to domestic abuse are very victim-focused. Victims described that beyond the criminal justice route, there was little or no intervention for the perpetrator. Perpetrator views are often absent from any assessments. Many of the victims were very candid about their own role within the domestic abuse, it is not always as straightforward as victim/perpetrator but the current system is very much set up for viewing it as a polarised situation with a definitive abuser. We need to change that narrative in order for victims to be able to be more honest about their experiences without feeling like they will be judged.
Feeling Judged and Pressured
This was also a very dominant theme and also a significant factor in withdrawing from professional contact. Making assumptions about what is best for a victim to do, threatening social services interventions with children and urging separation from the abusive partner were all recommendations made to victims. Every situation is unique and all the victims I spoke to had applied a form of safety plan, but they felt enormous pressure to make changes quickly. We know that financial, practical and emotional factors play a big part in leaving abusive relationships, but victims often described a lack of understanding of these factors from professionals. This resulted in victims distancing themselves from professionals or adapting to the situation by utilising disguised compliance.
Misuse of Tools and Alert Systems.
As professionals, we are often reliant on systems to support our practice but it is vital that when these systems are utilised, those using them know how to apply them effectively. I had many victims talk about the use of the CAADA-DASH risk checklist. Having a risk score applied to the abusive situation was for many very stressful. The perfunctory way the tool was used was also a common theme. There were also various scenarios regarding alerts that had been applied to record-keeping systems that had also increased risk. We need to approach domestic abuse intuitively, trusting professional judgements, listening to client responses and working alongside victims.

The Path Forward: A Holistic Approach to Domestic Abuse

While these challenges were very dominant in my sample group, there were also a few examples of exceptionally good practice. This often took the form of one professional working closely with the victim and the whole family in a transparent and non-judgmental manner.

Recognising and working with ongoing risk and supporting the family to manage the risks that potentially exacerbate the violence. There were also examples of good practice that involved the wider community or family. This approach led to the victim and their family feeling safer and more able to engage effectively.

It’s vital that we change our approach to domestic abuse as professionals going forward and employ a more holistic approach.

My bespoke domestic abuse training delves deeper into these issues, providing anonymised case scenarios and practical strategies for professionals. Book a training session to learn how we can improve our response to domestic abuse and better support those affected.