Understanding Coercive Control and Economic Abuse

This session aims to provide a broad overview of domestic abuse including economic abuse and post-separation abuse. With 96% of survivors of domestic abuse also reporting experiencing economic abuse it will increase participants understanding of how domestic abuse, also known as coercive control includes economic abuse and is more than physical abuse.

It will highlight how coercive control operates including the abusive tactics, risks and finances that trap people in relationships and the challenges that are involved to separate, remain separated safely and rebuild a life.

 It will improve confidence in how to recognise and respond to domestic abuse, including how domestic abuse may impact individuals, how you may spot the signs and signpost to specialist services if required.

 Learning outcomes:

• Understanding of domestic abuse and how it impacts on those who experience it and how it affects their behaviour and choices
• Understanding the impacts of domestic abuse and economic abuse through theory, research and survivor testimony
• Knowledge of services to ensure people experiencing domestic abuse are able to be signposted to appropriate support

Facilitator:

Judy Ferguson is the National Training Coordinator at Scottish Women’s Aid having previously spent nearly a decade with East Ayrshire Women’s Aid leading on all Domestic Abuse and Gender Based Violence multi agency training within the local Violence Against Women Partnership.

A certified Safe & Together Trainer with a passion and commitment to ensuring addressing domestic abuse becomes everyone’s business, Judy regularly provides training to COPFS, Police, Social Work, Criminal Justice Workers, Heath, Housing and VAWG partnerships and strives to improving the understanding of, and response to survivors and children experiencing domestic abuse.

Judy strives to support organisations develop robust approaches to end violence against women and girls, recognising it is a breach of human rights and unacceptable in any society and everyone has the right to live free from the threat of violence and abuse.