Intimate partner violence (IPV) and brain injury
Do you work in the field of intimate partner violence (IPV)?
Headway – the brain injury association is launching two new ‘Intimate partner violence (IPV) and brain injury’ training packages in November 2023.
Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBI’s) at a high rate. This condition can be misunderstood and difficult to spot, due to the hidden consequences. In addition to physical effects, a brain injury can affect an individual’s emotions and behaviour, psychological state and thinking skills. This can have a detrimental impact on survivors' ability to leave an abusive relationship, as well as their capacity to keep themselves safe. High rates of ABI have also been found in the female prison/probation population, with many women sustaining their injuries through domestic violence Making the link – Female offending and brain injury. The Disabilities Trust.
Not everyone who has sustained a brain injury will have received medical treatment. This is particularly likely to be the case for those who sustain brain injuries as a result of intimate partner violence (IPV). Survivors/victims may have no recollection of the incident or may not recognise the impact a blow to the head has had. A history of attempting suicide may also indicate a brain injury, as depending on the method, it may have caused hypoxia/anoxia (deprivation of oxygen to the brain). The 2021 Domestic Abuse Act also introduced non-fatal strangulation as a specific offence, recognising not only the increased risk of a perpetrator going on to commit domestic homicide, but also the potential long term consequences of ABI.
Headway has developed two separate training packages, tailored specifically for professionals’ working with survivors/victims and perpetrators.
Survivor/victim focussed.
Aims:
- An understanding of what an acquired brain injury (ABI) is and IPV related causes.
- An understanding of the consequences of brain injury and how these may present in IPV survivors/victims.
- An understanding of risk levels and prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and non-fatal strangulation.
- An awareness of ABI specific safeguarding considerations.
- An awareness of resources and pathways of support available for victims/survivors with a confirmed or suspected ABI.
Perpetrator focussed.
Aims:
- An understanding of what an acquired brain injury (ABI) is and IPV related causes.
- An understanding of the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and non-fatal strangulation.
- An understanding of the consequences of brain injury and how these impact on sentence planning and risk management.
- An awareness of ABI specific safeguarding considerations.
- An awareness of resources and pathways of support available.
