APPENDIX 31
Memorandum submtited by Women's Aid Federation
of England
1. INTRODUCTION
AND SUMMARY
OF KEY
ISSUES
1.1 Women's Aid
1.1.1 Women's Aid is the national
domestic violence charity that co-ordinates and supports an England-wide
network of over 370 local organisations which provide over 500
services working to end violence against women and children (see
Appendices 3 and 4 for more details). Women's Aid services support
more than 350,000 women and children every year.[117]
1.1.2 This response is written
from the point of view of service providers and survivors, and
is informed by a special survey of our member organisations and
individual supporters (see Annex 1).[118]
1.2 Summary of key issues
1.2.1 Domestic violence is
physical, sexual, psychological or financial violence that takes
place within an intimate or family-type relationship and that
forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour. This can
include forced marriage and so-called "honour crimes".
Domestic violence may include a range of abusive behaviours, not
all of which are in themselves inherently "violent".
Research shows that domestic violence is most commonly
experienced by women and perpetrated by men,[119]
and affects every community regardless of race, ethnic or religious
group, class, sexuality, disability or lifestyle. For this reason,
we refer to women as victims/survivors and men as perpetrators
in the remainder of this response—though we recognise that
men may sometimes be victims, and abuse may be perpetrated by
other family members. One in four women experience domestic violence
in their lifetimes, and between 6-10% of women in any one year.[120]
1.2.2 Women's Aid welcomes
recent government initiatives that signal the mainstreaming domestic
violence, and its recognition as a cross-government priority,
including:
— The National Domestic Violence
Delivery Plan.
— The establishment of the Inter-Ministerial
Group on Domestic Violence.
— The amalgamation of domestic
violence and sexual violence within one department of the Home
Office.
— The explicit inclusion within
the National Delivery Plan of forced marriage, female genital
mutilation (FGM) and honour-based violence.
— The development of a strong
criminal justice response to domestic violence and holding perpetrators
to account.
1.2.3 Women's Aid is concerned
however, that there is an over-emphasis on a gender-neutral approach,
which is not effective: evidence confirms that men who report
that they are victims of domestic violence have mostly had different
experiences from women victims/survivors and require a different
response.[121]
We are also concerned that the effectiveness of the Government's
emphasis on criminal justice responses is undermined by an under-emphasis
on other issues which are of equal importance in supporting survivors
of domestic violence and ensuring their safety—including
specialist gender-specific services to meet the immediate and
long-term support needs of women and children who experience domestic
violence. (See below, and Annex 2).
1.2.4 Recommendations:
— The Government should adopt
a gender-based definition of domestic violence/abuse, as does
the Scottish Government.[122]
— This should be set within
a national Violence Against Women Strategy, which recognises the
need for specialist gender-specific services, raising awareness
and changing attitudes.
— There is a long term funding
strategy to respond to the support and accommodation needs of
women and children survivors.
2. PUBLIC
EDUCATION AND
AWARENESS RAISING
2.1 Public Awareness Campaigns
2.1.1 The National Delivery
Plan recognises the need for greater public awareness of the unacceptability
of domestic violence. Women's Aid welcomes the Home Office "Enough"
campaign in March 2007 and the Metropolitan Police campaign (targeting
perpetrators) in December 2005.
2.1.2 Such campaigns appear
to reach only a minority, however: less than 25% of respondents
to our survey had seen the national Home Office campaign.[123]
Women's Aid's public awareness campaign in February 2007 appears
to have made a greater impact: 69% saw the Women's Aid/ACT campaign,
and judged it effective.[124]
2.1.3 Recommendations:
— The Government should fund
a properly resourced high profile national public awareness campaign
(on the scale of those aimed at preventing drink driving) using
all media, including television.
— This should be part of a fully
integrated domestic violence strategy and Violence Against Women
strategy—as in Scotland.[125]
2.2 Education
2.2.1 There is wide acceptance
of abuse among young people in the UK: 45% of teenagers believe
that in some circumstances it is acceptable for a boy to assault
his girlfriend.[126]
This tolerance of abuse is linked to gender inequality and sexual
stereotyping.
2.2.2 However while local
authorities are required to promote a domestic violence education
pack[127]
for use in schools, and only half the respondents to our survey
thought that schools' responses to domestic violence had improved,
schools are not required to use the pack.
2.2.3 Recommendations:
— Domestic violence issues,
gender inequality and sexual stereotyping be included as a mandatory
part of the PHSE curriculum in all schools; integrated with work
on anti-bullying, conflict resolution and healthy relationships.
2.3 Health
2.3.1 Women's Aid welcomes
the Department of Health's revised practice guidance to health
professionals, Responding to domestic abuse[128],
and the accompanying training manual.[129]
2.3.2 Recommendation:
— The implementation of routine
enquiry, training, and outcomes should be monitored consistently
across all NHS trusts.
2.4 In the workplace
2.4.1 Since 2003, Women's
Aid has provided consultancy on workplace initiatives, producing
the Good Practice Guide for Employers on Domestic Violence in
the Workplace.[130]
3. POLICE
POWERS AND
LEGAL PROTECTION
FOR VICTIMS
3.1 Police responses to domestic violence
3.1.1 Women's Aid supports
the ACPO Guidance on investigating domestic violence,[131]
including the positive arrest policy, and the requirement that
police undertake risk assessment and ongoing risk management in
all cases of reported domestic violence, and the use of risk assessment
tools such as SPECSS.[132]
3.1.2 We also welcome the
NCPE training programme, "Response to domestic violence"[133]
to be delivered to relevant staff in all forces by 2008.[134]
3.1.3 Police practice is generally
improving,[135]
but is inconsistent: respondents to our survey reported numerous
instances of both good and bad practice (for example, the continuing
use of cautions in domestic violence cases is inappropriate) and
no consistent implementation of the ACPO guidance. Respondents
were also concerned that training might not always be directed
at the right people (ie frontline officers).
3.1.4 According to research,
only 24% of domestic violence offences are reported to the police.[136]
Women's Aid and other services provide support and information
for many victims who do not use the criminal justice process.
3.1.5 Recommendations:
— Mandatory training for all
officers on the dynamics of domestic abuse, risk assessment, risk
management of perpetrators, and evidence gathering.
— Consistent monitoring of the
implementation of domestic violence policy and procedures through
survivor feedback.
4. CRIMINAL
AND CIVIL
JUSTICE PROCESSES,
INCLUDING THE
SPECIALIST DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE COURT
PROGRAMME
4.1 Protection under the criminal law
4.1.1 Women's Aid supports
the need for a strong response by the criminal justice system
to domestic violence. We also note that 63% of prosecutions are
now "successful",[137]
due both to the work of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and
to the establishment of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts (SDVCs)
in an increasing number of areas. We would, however, like to stress
that an increase in successful prosecutions does not necessarily
lead to increased safety for survivors.
4.1.2 Other aspects of good
practice undertaken by the CPS include:
— the development of a Policy
for prosecuting cases of domestic violence;[138]
— establishing a National Project
Assurance Group;[139]
— undertaking monitoring of
every court in every region; and
— developing a Violence Against
Women strategy.
4.1.3 Women's Aid wholly supports
all the above initiatives, and recommends that all other relevant
government departments use the CPS approach as a basis for their
own strategic development.
4.2 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts
4.2.1 Women's Aid welcomes
the introduction of SDVCs and the extension of the SDVC programme,
following the positive evaluation of two pilot courts.[140]
SDVCs should enable domestic violence cases to be fast-tracked,
to be heard by specially trained magistrates, with support for
victims from specialist staff, including Independent Domestic
Violence Advisors (IDVAs).
4.2.2 There is some concern
that IDVAs are not always completely independent,[141]
and that funding for them is both inadequate and short-term.[142]
4.2.3 Recommendations:
— A national programme, monitoring
and evaluating SDVCs should be established, with input from all
local specialist domestic violence services.
— SDVCs which integrate criminal,
civil and family applications should be developed.[143]
— All magistrates, judiciary,
and court staff—in both SDVCs and other courts—should
be trained in domestic violence issues.
— Risk management of perpetrators,
and referral to court-mandated perpetrator programmes should be
standard practice.
— IDVAs should be truly independent
specialists, employed by specialist domestic violence organisations,
and have long-term secure funding to provide gender-specific services.
4.3 Protection under the civil law
4.3.1 Women's Aid welcomes
the recent implementation of sections 1 and 4 of the Domestic
Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004 (DVCVA), extending the categories
of persons who may apply for an order under the Family Law Act
1996 (FLA), and making breach of non-molestation orders a criminal
offence.
4.3.2 However Women's Aid
is concerned about limited eligibility and access to Community
Legal Services (CLS) funding[144]
for civil applications, as this can delay or prevent women using
the civil courts to protect themselves and their children.[145]
4.3.3 Recommendations:
— The new provisions of DVCVA
should be monitored, as part of a full evaluation of both criminal
and civil procedures—with full survivor feedback.
— Rapid implementation of section
12 of DVCVA (restraining orders) and section 60 of FLA (3rd party
injunctions).
— Monitoring the criteria of
eligibility and access to CLS funding for orders under the FLA
1996 and DVCVA 2004 to consider whether they should be widened.
4.4 Family courts: Contact and residence
4.4.1 Women's Aid has continuing
concerns about the safety of children, when child contact or residence
is contested, and there is domestic violence.[146]
Evidence from court files indicates that nearly 25% of private
law contact cases involve allegations of domestic violence.[147]
CAFCASS[148]
has found even higher rates from monitoring private law cases.[149]
NAPO undertook a study of 300 contested residence and contact
cases, and found that 77% of them featured allegations of domestic
violence.[150]
4.4.2 Women's Aid endorses
the position taken by the Family Justice Council Report[151]
which recommended moving away from the assumption that contact
was always the best way forward, and stressed that contact should
always be "safe and positive for the child".
4.4.3 Women's Aid welcomes
the Domestic Violence Toolkit[152]
recently revised by CAFCASS to co-ordinate with their Safeguarding
Framework. CAFCASS advises that—even when contact is felt
to be in the best interests of the child—the safety and
protection of the child and the abused parent must be paramount.
4.4.5 Notwithstanding these
recent initiatives, 65% of respondents to our survey said that
family courts still do not take adequate account of safety when
making contact/residence orders, and that there is considerable
inconsistency in practice. There is also concern about the continuing
use of mediation where there is domestic violence.[153]
4.4.6 Recommendations:
— Consistent implementation
by CAFCASS and Her Majesty's Court Service (HMCS) of HMICA's recommendations.[154]
— Independent monitoring of
cases where contact and residence are contested, to ensure consistent
good practice by CAFCASS and other court personnel.
— Establishment of a national
external stakeholder consultation group[155]
to monitor the roll-out and use of the CAFCASS Toolkit.
— Development of stronger Practice
Guidance for family courts to ensure the safety of child and adult
survivors of domestic violence.
5. SUPPORT
FOR VICTIMS,
INCLUDING FINANCE
AND REFUGE
SERVICES
5.1 Provision of specialist domestic
violence services
5.1.1 Research demonstrates
that women who have experienced domestic violence have a variety
of short- and long-term support needs.[156]
Practical and emotional support to enable survivors to re-build
their lives can best be given by specialist domestic violence
services within the voluntary sector.
5.1.2 It is essential to establish
a secure funding framework for the provision of specialist and
dedicated domestic violence services in all local areas, for all
adult and child survivors of domestic violence. Service provision
should include women-only[157]
refuge accommodation, outreach and floating support, local and
national helplines, and advocacy. Specialist services, both within
refuge accommodation and in the community, should also be available
for children and young people who have been traumatised by domestic
violence.[158]
5.1.3 Women's Aid is concerned
that the new commissioning framework means that specialist domestic
violence services are under threat, following the move towards
priorities being set and funding allocated at a local level. Whilst
women's organisations represent around 7% of the total voluntary
sector, they are severely under-represented on Local Strategic
Partnerships, comprising only 1.8% of voluntary sector representatives.[159]
Without sufficient participation in local decision-making bodies,
women's needs are not represented or prioritised in planning and
funding strategies.
5.1.4 Recommendations:
— Publication of guidance by
the Department for Communities and Local Government to ensure
that women's voluntary sector organisations are equally represented
on local decision-making bodies,[160]
as part of the Gender Equality Duty.
— Establishment of a commissioning
framework within which is embedded guidance on specialist gender-specific
services for women who have experienced domestic or sexual violence
(see Annex 2 for more detailed recommendations).
— Supporting People funding
to be extended, to ensure specialist services for the most traumatised
children and young people.
5.2 Sanctuary Schemes
5.2.1 Women's Aid welcomes
Sanctuary Schemes as one option for some domestic violence survivors
who choose to stay in their homes. Choice and safety must be the
priority, however. Anyone who has had a Sanctuary Scheme installed
should not be penalised later if they re-apply as homeless.
5.2.2 Recommendations:
— Sanctuary measures should
only be installed following proper risk assessment and risk management
measures, and with specialist support for survivors and their
children incorporated into the overall costings for any scheme.
5.3 Access to safety and justice for
all
5.3.1 Women who—due
to their immigration status, or because they have been trafficked—have
"no recourse to public funds" find it increasingly difficult
to escape abusive relationships and seek help.[161]
The "Last Resort" fund, which provided short-term funding
to enable women with no recourse to access refuge services, is
no longer available; and other potential sources of funding (eg
through local authorities) is extremely difficult to access.
5.3.2 Recommendations:
— Women experiencing domestic
violence should be exempt from the no recourse to public funds
rule.
— In the interim, refuge organisations
should be provided with adequate "last resort" funding.
— Statutory agencies should
fulfil their duty to provide financial support to families where
there is a child in need under section 17 of the Children Act
1989.
5.3.3 Other women who may
find it particularly difficult to access services include: older
women,[162]
younger women,[163]
women with mental health and/or substance use issues,[164]
disabled women,[165]
lesbians[166]
and women from BME communities.[167]
5.3.4 Women's Aid would also
like to highlight survivors' need for permanent safe accommodation,
and for long-term support, including adequate financial provision,
and—if required—support into re-training and employment.
6. PERPETRATOR
PROGRAMMES
6.1 Perpetrator programmes
that meet Respect National Service Standards should be available
in all areas. We are concerned about the long waiting times before
attending perpetrator programmes, or accessing support for partners
of perpetrators.
6.2 Recommendations:
— All those convicted of domestic
violence offences should be referred to perpetrator programmes,
whatever level of offence they have committed.
— Survivors should be offered
support as soon as their partners/ex-partners are referred to
perpetrator programmes.
— Waiting times for perpetrator
programmes and survivor support services should be reduced.
7. MULTI-AGENCY
APPROACHES, AND
WHAT BARRIERS
EXIST TO
THEIR EFFECTIVE
OPERATION
7.1 A co-ordinated community response
7.1.1 The National Delivery
Plan endorses a model of a "co-ordinated community response".
This model is based on liaison between local voluntary and statutory
agencies, utilising a variety of forums, including the MARAC[168]
process and associated information-sharing on high risk cases.
7.1.2 Women's Aid welcomes
the start of a truly co-ordinated community response to domestic
violence. However, so far, with only limited input from survivors/service
users, we have, at best, a co-ordinated multi-agency response.
7.1.3 Recommendations:
MARACs are still a new development in
many areas. Respondents to our survey have generally welcomed
MARACs, albeit with some concerns about confidentiality, the lack
of involvement (and consequent disempowerment) of survivors, and
the lack of additional resources to cover attendance at MARACs.
There is also evidence that they are sometimes used inappropriately.
— The Government should commission
a qualitative review of the impact of MARACs on survivors: repeat
victimisation monitoring is not adequate.
— Local Implementation of the
National Domestic Violence Delivery Plan should be monitored through
the local DV forum and CDRPs.
— The Voluntary Sector Compact
must be adhered to in service commissioning.
— Good practice models,[169]
which integrate strategic partnerships beyond criminal justice
focus, should be promoted.
117 See:http://www.womensaid.org.uk/downloads/WA_survey_dv_service_findings.pdf.
Data from our Annual Surveys show that 19,836 women and 24,347
children were provided with refuge-based services in 2004-05,
and a further 196,205 women and 129,193 children accessed outreach,
floating support and other services. There was a slight fall for
the year 2005-06, though the occupancy rate remains steady at
95%-100%, indicating that women and children are staying longer
in refuge accommodation due to a shortage of permanent accommodation. Back
118
We sent out a questionnaire to our contacts in September 2007,
and received more than 302 responses within a week, including
some from survivors. Back
119
See Walby, Sylvia and Allen, Jonathan (2004) Domestic violence,
sexual assault and stalking: Findings from the British Crime Survey
(London: Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate).
Their research showed that-while 45% women and 26% men had experienced
at least one incident of inter-personal violence in their lifetimes-
women are much more likely than men to be the victim of multiple
incidents of abuse, and of sexual violence: iewomen constituted
89% of all those who had experienced four or more incidents of
domestic violence. Back
120
Council of Europe (2002). Back
121
Robinson, Amanda and Rowland, James (2007) "What do men want?"
Safe Summer 2007; Coulter, Mark (2007) "Male victims
and national standards for domestic and sexual violence"
Safe Spring 2007. Back
122
Scottish Executive (2000) National Strategy to address Domestic
Abuse in Scotland available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/law/stra-01.asp
Scottish Executive (2003) A National Strategy for the Prevention
of Domestic Abuse available at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/47176/0025563.pdf. See
also-Scottish Executive (2005) Domestic Abuse: A National Training
Strategy. Back
123
This may be partly due to the fact that it was regionally targetted. Back
124
For more information about the Women's Aid campaign, see our website:
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/page.asp?section=0001000100100006&itemTitle=Celebrity+Campaign Back
125
Scottish Executive (2000) ibid. Back
126
Survey of 2000 teenagers undertaken by Sugar magazine in
2005. Back
127
Under BVPI (Best value performance indicator) 225. Back
128
Department of Health (2005) Responding to domestic abuse: A handbook
for health professionals (London: Department of Health). Back
129
Available at: http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk/domesticviolence58.htm Back
130
See:
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/page.asp?section=0001000100090006&itemTitle=Domestic+violence+and+the+
workplace Back
131
Guidance on Investigating Domestic Violence (2004) produced
on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers by the National
Centre for Policing Excellence (ACPO Centrex). Back
132
Richards, Laura (2003) MPS Domestic Violence Risk Assessment
Model (London: Metropolitan Police) available at www.met.police.uk/csu/pdfs/AppendixIII.pdf Back
133
"Response to domestic violence" modular training package,
produced by the National Centre for Policing Excellence (NCPE)
is available on CD-ROM through Centrex. Back
134
Target set in the Government's National Delivery Plan for Domestic
Violence 2005-08. There is, however, currently no information
available on progress towards this objective. Back
135
80% of respondents to our survey thought that police responses
had improved over the past two or three years. Back
136
Walby and Allen (2004) op cit. Back
137
Crown Prosecution Service (2007) Domestic Violence monitoring
snapshot (CPS Management Information Branch); available at:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/prosecution/domestic/snapshot_2006_12.html#01 Back
138
Crown Prosecution Service (2005) Policy for prosecuting cases
of domestic violence CPS Policy Directorate available at:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/prosecution/domestic/index.html Back
139
Consultation with stakeholders, monitoring the implementation
of the CPS domestic violence policy and procedures. Back
140
Vallely, C et al. (2005) Evaluation of domestic violence pilot
sites at Caerphilly (Gwent) and Croydon 2004-05 (Crown Prosecution
Service). See also Cook, D et al. (2004) Evaluation of specialist
domestic violence courts/fast-track systems (CPS and DCA). 64
SDVCs were established by April 2007. Back
141
ie employed and managed by an independent voluntary sector organisation. Back
142
Responses from WA survey September 2007. Back
143
Following the implementation of s.4 of DVCVA 2004-ie criminalisation
of breach of non-molestation orders-the integration of the two
court systems would seem a priority. Research also indicates that
the presence of children within the family has a significant effect
on attrition rates and may lead to more lenient sentences. See
Hester, Marianne (2005) "Making it through the criminal justice
system: Attrition and domestic violence" Social Policy
and Society 5:1 pp 70-90. Back
144
CLS funding-previously termed legal aid-is provided through the
Legal Services Commission. Back
145
68% respondents to our survey had concerns about this. Back
146
See: Saunders, Hilary with Barron, Jackie (2003) Failure to protect?
Domestic violence and the experiences of abused women and children
in the family courts (Bristol: Women's Aid); HM Inspectorate of
Court Administration (2005) Domestic violence, safety and family
proceedings (London: HMICA); Radford, Lorraine et al. (1999) Unreasonable
fears? Child contact in the context of domestic violence (Bristol:
Women's Aid); Aris, R, Harrison, C and Humphreys, C. (2002) Safety
and child contact: An analysis of the role of Child Contact Centres
in the context of domestic violence and child welfare concerns
(London: Lord Chancellor's Department); Saunders, H. (2004) Twenty-nine
child homicides: Lessons still to be learned on domestic violence
and child protection (Women's Aid). Back
147
Smart, C et al. (2003) Residence and contact dispute in court
(Leeds: University of Leeds, Centre for Research on Family,
Kinship and Childhood). Back
148
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service-the
body responsible for making reports to the family courts in cases
where contact and/or residence is contested. Back
149
CAFCASS (2007) Domestic violence toolkit Version 2.1, August
2007, p 11. Available at: http://www.cafcass.gov.uk/English/Publications/Publications.htm Back
150
CAFCASS (2007) op cit p 12. These documents set out how
CAFCASS will assess risk through routine enquiry (screening),
risk identification and safety assessment. Back
151
Family Justice Council Report to the President of the Family Division
on the approach to be adopted by the court when asked to make
a contact order by consent, where domestic violence has been an
issue in the case (December 2006). Available at: www.family-justice-council.org.uk/docs/Reportoncontact.pdf.
This report followed Lord Justice Wall's Report on Twenty-Nine
child homicides (March 2006) available at: http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/docs/report_childhomicides.pdf Back
152
CAFCASS (2007) op cit. Back
153
HM Inspectorate of Court Administration (2005) Domestic violence,
safety and court proceedings (London: HMICA) expressed concern
at the policy emphasis at that time on seeking mediated agreements. Back
154
HMICA (2005) ibid. Back
155
On the lines of the National Project Assurance Group established
by the CPS. Back
156
See Abrahams, Hilary (2007) Supporting women after domestic violence:
Loss, trauma and recovery (London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers);
Humphreys, Cathy and Thiara, Ravi (2002) Routes to safety: Protection
issues facing abused women and children and the role of outreach
services (Bristol: Women's Aid); Bossy, Jeanine and Coleman, Stephen
(2000) Womenspeak: Parliamentary domestic violence internet consultation
(Bristol: Women's Aid Federation of England); Parmar, Alpar, Sampson,
Alice, and Diamond, Alana (2005) Tackling domestic violence: Providing
advocacy and support to survivors of domestic violence (London:
Home Office Development and Practice Report 34). Back
157
The importance of women-only services-not only refuge accommodation-has
been emphasised by a forthcoming research report by the Women's
Resource Centre. 97% of women supported a women's right to choose
a woman-only support services following sexual assault; 90% of
women think it is very or quite important for women to be able
to choose to see a woman professional when reporting crimes of
harassment or domestic/sexual violence; and 78% of women think
it is very or quite important for women to be able to choose to
see a woman professional when accessing counselling or joining
a support group on personal issues. Women's Resource Centre (October
2007, forthcoming) Why women-only? (London: WRC). Back
158
Domestic violence is identified within Every Child Matters as
a cause of vulnerability having a negative impact on children's
ability to achieve their full potential; and, from January 2005,
under s.120 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, the legal definition
of harm to children is extended to include witnessing abuse within
the home. Providing services to address the needs of children
affected by domestic violence is an integral part of implementing
the provisions of the Children Act 1989. See Local Government
Association (October 2005) Vision for services for children and
young people affected by domestic violence (LGA Publications). Back
159
Gudnadottir, Elin, Smith, Sue, Robson, Sue and Corry, Darlene
(2007) Where are the women in LSPs? Women's representation
in Local Strategic Partnerships (London: Oxfam/Urban Forum/Women's
Resource Centre) available at:
http://www.wrc.org.uk/downloads/Policystuff/womenlsps.pdf Back
160
Such as local strategic partnerships and within local area agreements. Back
161
One service in south London found that 25% of women referred to
them had no recourse to public funds. (Bacchus et al, 2007, MOZAIC
evaluation). Back
162
See Blood, Imogen (2004) Older women and domestic violence (London:
Help the Aged); Scott, Marsha, et al. (2004) Older women and domestic
violence in Scotland: " . . . and for 39 years I got on with
it". Produced for Health in Scotland by the Centre for Research
on Families and Relationships (Edinburgh: Health Scotland). Available
at: http://www.hebs.com/research/cr; Barron, Jackie (2007) Older
women and domestic violence: An overview (Bristol: Women's Aid)
available at: http://www.womensaid.org.uk/downloads/Olderwomenanddvreport(1).pdf Back
163
Newham Asian Women's Project: (1998) Young Asian Women and Self-harm:
A mental health needs assessment of young Asian women in East
London (London: Newham Inner City Multifund and NAWP); Schutt,
Nina (2006) Domestic Violence in adolescent relationships: Young
people in Southwark and their experiences with unhealthy relationships
(London: Safer Southwark Partnership). Back
164
Barron, Jackie (2004) Struggle to survive: Challenges for delivering
services on mental health, substance misuse and domestic violence
(Bristol: Women's Aid). Back
165
Radford, Jill, Harne, Lynne and Trotter, Joy (n.d.) Good intentions-Disabling
realities: Disabled women experiencing domestic violence (Middlesbrough
Domestic Violence Forum); Magowan, Pauline (2003) "Domestic
violence and disabled women" Safe, Spring 2003; Hague,
Gill, et al. (2007) "Disabled women and domestic violence:
Making the links" Safe Issue 22, Summer 2007. The
latter was produced as part of Women's Aid's three year research
study on domestic violence and disability, and further publications
are expected shortly. Back
166
Donovan, Catherine, Hester, Marianne, Holmes, Jonathan, and McCarry,
Melanie (2006) Comparing domestic abuse in same sex and heterosexual
relationships (University of Sunderland and University of
Bristol); Ristick, Janice (2002) No more secrets: violence in
lesbian relationships (Routledge). Back
167
See for example: Parmar, Alpar, Sampson, Alice, and Diamond, Alana
(2005) Tackling domestic violence: Providing advocacy and support
to survivors from Black and other ethnic minority communities
(Home Office Development and Practice Report 35); Thiara, Ravi
(2006) African-Caribbean women and children affected by domestic
violence in Wolverhampton (Wolverhampton: the Haven); Batsleer,
Janet, et al. (2002) Domestic violence and minoritisation: Supporting
women to independence (Women's Studies Research Centre, Manchester
Metropolitan University); Siddiqui, Hannana (2007) BME women's
struggles against forced marriage and honour based violence Safe
(Summer 2007). Back
168
Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences. Back
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For example, Sheffield, West Mercia, and Greater London. Back
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