Weaving stories of peer sexual abuse

Summary

This project will address peer sexual abuse in schools. The creative team will collaborate with survivors of peer sexual abuse and school students, to co-produce an animation that weaves voices of those with lived experience of abuse, school responses and the wider victim-shaming culture surrounding sexual misconduct and reports of peer sexual abuse. They will pilot a lesson, assembly and CPD based around the animation and host webinar-based screenings with the aim of engaging policy makers in discussions around much-needed change to school guidance in this area.

Aims

• Support victims to disclose, report or seek help even on 'low-level' acts and contribute to improving their mental health, resilience, self-esteem and attendance.
• Support professionals to more effectively engage and support young people to challenge the tendency towards the toxic victim-shaming culture evident in school communities.

Partners

• Changing Relations C.I.C (Durham)
• Park View and Hermitage School staff
• Centre for Research in Violence and Abuse (CRiVA), Durham University
• and the local Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre (Darlington and County Durham)

A rapid impact survey to monitor the nature and prevalence of economic abuse in the UK

Summary

In 2023, SEA piloted a Rapid Impact Survey generating powerful new data about the nature and prevalence of economic abuse. SEA wishes to expand the scope of the survey to understand more about victim-survivors’ experiences of economic abuse and inform their work transforming responses to it.

Aims

• Generate new data to support improved measurement of this form of violence and increase understanding of the impact of economic abuse interventions
• Expose the links between violence, health and society by exploring economic abuse in the context intersecting inequalities
• Support evidence-led responses to economic abuse

Partners

• Surviving Economic Abuse
• University of Warwick; and
• London Metropolitan University

'Nothing about us without us’: Investigating the impact of the leadership of ethnic minority women on domestic abuse service provision in East England

Summary

Through a collaboration between Anglia Ruskin University and the Institute for Social Justice and Crime at University of Suffolk, this mixed methods research aims to explore the impact of the leadership of Black and Asian women within domestic abuse service provision in a region with a notable absence of ‘by and for’ (BFR) services.

Aims

• Establish causal pathways and connections which demonstrate how the capacity-building of minoritised women affects VAWG services and minoritised service users’ experiences.
• Establish a knowledge and evidence base by integrating information from multiple sources to advocate for the deployment of national, regional and local funding towards leadership of minoritised women within DA service provision in a region with minimal presence of BFR services

Partners

• Anglia Ruskin University
• University of Suffolk
• Petersborough Women’s Aid and
• Stonewater Asian Women’s Refuge

Enhancing the wellbeing of victims of Hate Crimes who occupy multiple minority identities

Summary

This project aims to enhance the hate crime reporting system, focusing on supporting the mental health recovery of victims with multiple minority identities. Available research underscores that these victims often endure disproportionate psychological and, at times, physical harm compared to those affected by 'non-hate' crimes. The intersections of multiple identities elevate the health risks faced by these individuals. Unfortunately, the current legislation and hate crime recording system inadequately address the complexities of multiple minority identities (such as LGBTQ and an ethnic minority). To address these deficiencies, this research will be completed collaboratively with the National Police Chief’s Council. Insights into the lived experiences of hate crime victims with multiple minority identities will also be collated.

Aims

• Establish an improved hate crime recording system and develop evidence-based policies for the intersectional coding of hate crimes
• Enhance support for victims, ensuring that diverse motivations for harm are effectively captured and prosecuted
• Improve mental health of hate crime victims, fostered by a sense of protection through the Criminal Justice System

Partners

• University of West London and
• the National Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, National Police Chief’s Council

Stalking and Young People in Wales: Exploring and increasing knowledge, awareness and understanding

Summary

A University of South Wales (USW), Calan DVS, and South Wales Police (SWP) collaboration, this study is the first of a multi-phased stalking research programme in Wales. Phase one will explore knowledge, awareness and understanding of stalking among young people (YP) aged 16-24 years in Wales e.g., recognising behaviours, reporting, impacts, and safeguarding. Findings will inform the development of framework/guidance, with accompanying materials (road map, short film, and educational/best practice resources) for workforce/organisations/communities to facilitate and enhance knowledge, awareness and understanding amongst YP.

Aims

• Explore knowledge, awareness and understanding of stalking among YP in Wales.
• Inform the development of framework/guidance and materials for YP aged 16-24.

Partners

• University of South Wales
• South Wales Police
• Celan DVS; and
• VAWDASV Research Network Wales