Potential impact of abuse on victims/witnesses Flashcards
Psychological Effects of Abuse
Anxiety
Avoidance
Confusion
Denial
Detachment
Disorientation
Dissociation
Irritability
Memory loss
Minimisation
Panic
Withdrawal
Effects of Abuse on Children
Affects a child’s health, relationships and education.
Adults abused as children may find it harder to cope with life’s stresses, get a good job or be a good parent.
ACE’s
Adverse Childhood Experiences that have life-long consequences for physical/mental health.
More ACE’s leads to more significant impact on the brain from excessive stress.
What are the 11 ACE’s?
Verbal abuse
physical abuse
sexual abuse
physical neglect
emotional neglect
parental separation
household mental illness
household domestic violence
household alcohol abuse
household drug abuse
incarceration of a household member
Two types of sexual abuse
Contact and non-contact
Sources of support for victims?
Mind - mental health
Victim’s support - Mentioned if a person wants referred to Athena
Rape Crisis Organisation
Independent domestic advisors
Search/ask locally
RARA
Remove Risk - arrest/remand suspect
Avoid Risk - rehouse victim/significant witness
Reduce Risk - Join intervention, victim safety plan etc
Accept and manage risk - intervention planning, monitoring etc
Protection Orders
(any action that) Helps prevent a person causing harm or annoyance to another person.
Restraining Order
Last 5 years
Determined by a court and can be granted before or after a case is resolved (even if unsuccessful)
Non-Molestation Order
Civil order granted by the Family Court. It can be any former cohabitant or spouse etc. Breaching is a criminal offence.
Occupation Order
Civil order - allowing an owner, tenant, spouse or civil partner to seek the removal of an occupant from his or her home and the recipient will be forbidden from entering the property.
Clare’s Law
The domestic violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS), Or Clare’s Law enables the police to disclose information to a victim or potential victim of domestic abuse about their partner’s or ex-partner’s previous abusive or violent offending.
Sarah’s Law
The child sex offender disclosure scheme, also ‘Sarah’s Law” allows a person to ask the police whether someone with access to a child has a record of child sex offences (Home Office, 2021)
Case Reviews
Undertaken when it is deemed that something has gone wrong. It is a way of reviewing how the case was conducted and learning lessons.
Domestic Homicide Reviews
DHRs are multi-agency reviews of the circumstances around a homicide.
From 2011 it is a statutory requirement to conduct a DHR if the death has resulted from: Violence, abuse or neglect by a person related to them, who they were in an intimate relationship with, or a member of the same household.
Principles of Victim Consent and Privacy (Ministry of Justice, 2021)
Victims have the following rights (when looking through their phone for example)
-To be treated with respect, dignity, sensitivity, compassion and courtesy
-Make informed choices that are fully respected.
-Have their privacy respected by service providers in accordance with privacy and data protection laws
-Have services provided in a professional manner, without discrimination of any kind.
The right to withdraw consent at any time.
Ongoing Victim Risk Management Interventions
-Arresting suspects
-Conditions on pre-charge bail
-Obtaining civil injunctions
-Early identification of trends and effective problem-solving should help to prevent future victims from being targeted.
-Issue of personal attack alarms
-Issue of evidence capturing devices
Multi-Agency Assessment
Multi agency professionals and partners build a comprehensive victim risk assessment to support victims who may have dependent, are primary carers or may be parents of further victims/witness.
Witness Care Unit
WCUs provide information and support to victims/witnesses i cases progressing through the criminal justice system. They are the single point of contact.
National Crime Agency - Specialist Witness Team
Provide expert advice and operational support to investigation teams and partner agencies on the management of vulnerable and intimidated witnesses
Victim Contact Scheme (VCS)
Aim of VCS is to provide the victim with information at key stages of the offender’s sentence. E.G. offender is up for parole, escapes, absconds from custody or becomes eligible for transfer to open conditions.
FLO
Family Liaison Officer
