How to Save a Life? The Power of Knowledge

ABSTRACT

Domestic abuse continues to be a growing concern across the globe where the overwhelming majority of victims are women. Women also tend to experience more severe forms of violence, which includes murder. There is growing recognition that children who live in households where domestic abuse exists are directly harmed and often show psychological problems from an early age while other children present with no symptoms and appear unaffected. Domestic abuse is rife and its impact minimised and normalised by society when it occurs in intimate partner relationships. This paper highlights the complexities of domestic abuse noting its many presentations and how siloed responses from various organisations tackled to address it are inadequate. The paper will identify learning for practitioners in an effort to turn the tide and save lives.

KEYWORDS:

• Domestic abuse
• coercive control
• children are victims
• domestic homicide
• domestic abuse related suicides
• trauma-informed

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sheila Simons

Sheila Simons is a senior manager in one of the Health and Social Care Trusts in NI working within the Safeguarding division of Children's Services. She received an MBE in the New Years Honours List (1998) in recognition of her services to Women and Children. She is an avid reader with a keen interest in social justice issues.