ADVANCE programme – substance use and IPV

The Secretary of State for the Home Department in the UK is tendering for the development of a written training pack to support frontline professionals working with people who may be victims or perpetrators of domestic abuse who are also experiencing alcohol misuse. The frontline professionals and practitioners that this training pack will support are those working in domestic abuse or alcohol treatment services, GPs and police. Levels of knowledge and experience of domestic abuse, alcohol misuse and the interplay between them is likely to vary between professionals in these groups, depending on the primary role and focus of the service in which they work.

The purpose of the training materials is to:
• raise awareness of the impact alcohol misuse can have in relationships where domestic abuse is present;
• encourage practitioners to actively seek to identify where alcohol misuse and domestic abuse are co-occurring and to give pointers on signs, risk assessment and responses covering both victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse; and
• encourage greater join-up between alcohol and domestic abuse services and engagement by GPs and police through the incorporation of these materials into training and practice.

The closing date is 12th February 2019.

To find out more click here.

The report ‘Hand in Hand’ was co-produced by peer researchers with the charities AVA (Against Violence and Abuse) and Agenda, the alliance for Women and Girls at Risk, for the National Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence and Multiple Disadvantage.

The peer researchers were made up of 11 survivors of domestic and/or sexual abuse. The report is based on their interviews with women facing ‘multiple disadvantage’ – who have experienced violence and abuse, and continue to face issues like homelessness, mental ill-health and substance use.

The report found 1/3 of the women involved had received a mental health diagnosis, just under a 1/3 described using drugs to cope with their situation and 1/4 reported that social services were involved with their children. Chlo Winfield (a peer researcher on the project) commented that:

“Our report paints a bleak picture for the most disadvantaged women – with too many falling through gaps due to service failures, cuts to support and ever-increasing thresholds for getting help,”