Domestic abuse – why it’s such an important subject

Helen Onion from the Elm Foundation, who is hosting a workshop on Domestic Abuse, discusses her journey to delivering online training around this really important subject and what impact the COVID pandemic has had on victims of domestic abuse.

I began working for The Elm Foundation in April 2019, following a career break and well needed change of direction. After a 13 year career as a Speech and Language Therapist and a brief stint working in my local pub, I was ready for a new challenge.

So, when an opportunity came along that allowed me to continue to do something I enjoy - deliver training - and combine it with the important subject matter of domestic abuse, I jumped at the chance and felt very privileged to be offered the post. I set about delivering training to various health professionals across numerous clinical settings. Then March 2020 hit, and everything changed.

The impact of COVID has been devastating for so many of us in many ways. Personally, I have been fortunate to have escaped the virus so far, along with my close family, nor have I lost anyone to this dreadful disease. My ability to do my job, however, was initially hugely affected. I was no longer able to deliver face to face training. Health professionals were (appropriately) redirected to managing this awful virus and training around domestic abuse was no longer an immediate priority.

More importantly, what was becoming obvious was the devastating impact the national lockdown was having on victims of domestic abuse. With many avenues of support shut down, victims and survivors were left with nowhere to turn and faced prolonged periods at home with their abusers. There was no escape and we saw a huge surge in people contacting national domestic abuse helplines and our own helpline in Derbyshire, for support, advice, and ways to escape. Sadly, we also saw a sharp rise in the number of domestic homicides across the country.

The Elm Foundation, along with our colleagues in domestic abuse support services across the county and nationwide, continued to offer a lifeline of support for victims and survivors. Our workers, while unable to meet face to face with service users, were continuing to support them through telephone calls, emails and when safe to do so, through video calls. We have been able to offer refuge for the most at-risk victims; and provide them and their children a place of safety. Although working differently we continued to be committed to supporting victims in what have been the darkest, and for many the most dangerous of times.

One positive thing that the pandemic has done, is create an increased awareness of domestic abuse, in a way that we probably haven’t seen before. News reporters were covering multiple domestic homicides and providing much needed information about domestic support services as part of their reporting. We even saw Victoria Derbyshire visit a women’s’ refuge, talk about her own experiences of abuse as a child and provide the National DA helpline number covertly on her hand during a news bulletin. More people were aware of domestic abuse and were talking about it.

We had an opportunity to capitalize on this. So, I innovated, found out about ways to offer training through zoom and MS Teams and switched the training online. I offered this more widely across volunteer sectors and the general public. The interest has been incredible. I have delivered domestic abuse awareness training to hundreds of people online since last summer.

Now many people locally have a better understanding of what constitutes domestic abuse (it’s not just physical!). They are equipped to spot the warning signs that someone may be a victim and have learnt about safe, sensitive ways to ask about domestic abuse. Those who have attended my training now know how to signpost victims appropriately to the right support for their needs and for them to be safe.

After all we all have a responsibility to keep people safe. Domestic abuse is a hidden crime, and abusers rely on keeping abuse hidden. If we all understand what domestic abuse is, what it looks like and how to help victims; we make abuse visible and that makes it easier to stop!

I was thrilled when Kate from Community Chesterfield contacted me about offering our Introduction to Domestic Abuse workshop. I am passionate about adult learning but more so about spreading awareness of domestic abuse and what people can do to help. I’m so looking forward to delivering this session in October.

The aim of the session is to help attendees to develop your understanding of what domestic abuse is, how it is perpetrated, how victims present, and ways to help them. It includes the updated domestic abuse definitions and the types of abuse victim’s experience, how we can recognise someone is a victim of domestic abuse, safe ways to ask about abuse and how to support victims and survivors. You will also find out about the local and national support services and how to contact them. Along with national safety initiatives you can share with victims and survivors to support their safety.

The training is free to University of Derby staff and students with a connection to Chesterfield, as well as those working at or volunteering for Derbyshire-based not for profit community organisations helping people in Chesterfield.

To book your place visit our Eventbrite page here.