Tag: suicide

Perpetrators of domestic abuse employ a wide range of tactics to control and abuse their partners or ex -partners. Survivors report a range controlling, emotional and destructive tactics all of which can have devastating effects on their emotional and mental well-being and without effective support, risk assessment and safety management many women feel there is no escape and are dying by suicide due to the actions of their abusive partner or ex partner.

Research by Professor Jane Monckton-Smith and other academics have highlighted many suicides are in fact the ‘hidden victims’ of domestic abuse with Professor Monckton – Smith developing an 8 Stage Suicide Timeline to aid risk assessment and safety management.

This session seeks to explore the literature and emerging research in this area, enabling consideration as to how best safety and risk can be considered in this context, potential indicators, the principles of safety planning and the importance of signposting to specialist services.

 By the end of the session you will be able to:

• Identify the impact of domestic abuse on those who experience it and how it affects their physical and emotional health.
• Recognise the relationship between suicide and experiencing domestic abuse.
• Describe the main issues in asking and responding to anyone experiencing domestic abuse where suicide may be a concern.
• Reflect and build upon the skills, knowledge and tools to better identify risk, assess protective factors and increase safety for those experiencing domestic abuse.

Trainer: Judy is the National Training Coordinator at Scottish Women’s Aid, a certified Safe & Together Trainer and a qualified IDAA Judy spent nearly 10 years working in a specialist domestic abuse service and 5 years serving on the board of Scottish Women’s Aid. Judy works widely across a arrange of settings and is passionate about improving the understanding of, and response to anyone experiencing domestic abuse.

With women being killed every week as a result of domestic abuse and these experiences often not even making the headlines, we pay even less attention to the number of women taking their lives as a result of domestic abuse.  Sylvia Walby’s research in the UK found 1 in 8 female suicides related to domestic violence and abuse. “This equates to 200 women taking their own lives and 10,000 attempting to do so due to domestic abuse every year in the UK. That’s nearly 30 women attempting to complete suicide every single day.”  Furthermore, in 2018, a study of 3500 women accessing services that support women and children experiencing domestic abuse, established that 24% had felt suicidal and 18% had made plans to end their life

This session seeks to explore the literature and emerging research in this area, enabling consideration as to how best safety and risk can be considered in this context, potential indicators and responses to suicidal ideation, the principles of safety planning and the importance of signposting to specialist services.

By the end of the session you will:

• Understand the impact of domestic abuse on those who experience it and how it affects their behaviour and choices
• Have an enhanced understanding of the relationship between suicide and domestic abuse deaths and killings.
• Have greater knowledge, skills confidence and motivation to recognise and respond to someone who is experiencing or has experienced domestic abuse.
• Have considered the skills, knowledge and tools to better identify risk, assess protective factors and increase safety for those who may experience suicidal ideation as a result of experiencing domestic abuse.

Facilitator: Judy Ferguson, SWA National Trainer.

Judy Ferguson worked as the Trainer with East Ayrshire Women’s Aid for nearly 10 years, leading on all Domestic Abuse and Gender Based Violence multi agency training within the local Violence Against Women Partnership,  including securing the establishment and roll out of Safe & Together across Children & Families Social Work and the local Health & Social Care Partnership.  As a SafeLives Subject Matter Expert Judy also delivered the Domestic Abuse Matters training programme to Police Scotland supporting the roll out of the ground breaking Domestic Abuse Scotland Act (2018).  Judy joined the team at SWA full time in July 2021. Judy bringing a wealth of experience and a burning passion for working to end domestic abuse and violence against women in all its forms.