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Remote GP contact limits domestic violence care

General Practice has a central role in identifying and supporting those affected by DVA. Pandemic associated changes in UK primary care included remote initial contacts with primary care and predominantly remote consulting.

This paper explores general practice’s adaptation to DVA care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that the disruption caused by pandemic restrictions revealed how team dynamics and interactions before, during and after clinical consultations contribute to identifying and supporting patients experiencing DVA. Remote assessment complicates access to and delivery of DVA care.

This has implications for all primary and secondary care settings, within the NHS and internationally, which are vital to consider in both practice and policy.

For further information please see: General practice wide adaptations to support patients affected by DVA during the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid qualitative study | BMC Primary Care | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Use of text mining to study Intimate Partner Violence

Computational text mining methods are proposed as a useful methodological innovation in Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) research. Text mining can offer researchers access to existing or new datasets, sourced from social media or from IPV-related organisations, that would be too large to analyse manually. This article aims to give an overview of current work applying text mining methodologies in the study of IPV, as a starting point for researchers wanting to use such methods in their own work.

A systematic review was conducted to PRISMA guidelines, searching 8 databases and identifying 22 unique studies to include in the review.

The studies cover a wide range of methodologies and outcomes. Supervised and unsupervised approaches are represented, including rule-based classification (n = 3), traditional Machine Learning (n = 8), Deep Learning (n = 6) and topic modelling (n = 4) methods. Datasets are mostly sourced from social media (n = 15), with other data being sourced from police forces (n = 3), health or social care providers (n = 3), or litigation texts (n = 1). Only a few studies commented on the ethics of computational IPV research.

Text mining methodologies offer promising data collection and analysis techniques for IPV research. However, future work in this space must consider the ethical implications of computational approaches.

For further information please see: A Systematic Literature Review of the Use of Computational Text Analysis Methods in Intimate Partner Violence Research | SpringerLink or contact Lilly Neubauer at j.neubauer@cs.ucl.ac.uk or Dr Leonie Tanczer at l.tanczer@ucl.ac.uk

Illustration: graphicwithart / Shutterstock.com

Intimate partner violence: Asking the right questions?

VISION Interim Director Gene Feder collaborated with Valeria Skafida from the University of Edinburgh and Christine Barter from the University of Central Lancashire to undertake a critical analysis of UK longitudinal and repeated cross-sectional population surveys which asked about experiences of intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA).

Seven relevant UK representative population-based surveys which asked about IPVA among adults and/or young people (16–17 years old) were identified. They critically engaged with the questionnaires to analyse the strengths and limitations of existing UK data on IPVA.

Several limitations in UK surveys were identified. Many questions still showed a bias, partly historical, towards collecting more data about physical abuse. Few surveys asked about financial abuse, abuse post-separation or through child contact, or through technologies, though improvements were under way.

Surveys still sought to count incidents of abuse, instead of enquiring about the impact of abusive behaviours on victims. Ethnicity and other demographic variables were not always adequately captured (or accessible to data users), making it difficult to explore aspects of inequality. Potentially useful comparisons within the UK were difficult to undertake given the increasingly divergent questionnaires used in different UK nations.

They discussed how future iterations of existing surveys or new surveys can improve with regards to how questions about IPVA are asked. Given that surveys across geographical contexts often suffer similar weaknesses, their findings are relevant for IPVA survey methodology beyond the UK context.

For further information please see: Asking the Right Questions? A Critical Overview of Longitudinal Survey Data on Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse Among Adults and Young People in the UK | SpringerLink

Intimate partner violence: Factor in chronic health problems

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is increasingly recognised as a contributing factor for long-term health problems; however, few studies have assessed these health outcomes using consistent and comprehensive IPV measures or representative population-based samples. Health implications of IPV against men is also relatively underexplored. Given the gendered differences in IPV exposure patterns, exploration of gender patterns in men’ and women’s IPV exposure and health outcomes is needed.

We used data from the 2019 New Zealand Family Violence Study, a cross-sectional population-based study of ~2,800 ever-partnered women and men which was conducted across 3 regions of New Zealand.

We found that women’s exposure to any lifetime IPV, as well as specific IPV types (physical, sexual, psychological, controlling behaviors, and economic abuse), was associated with increased likelihood of reporting adverse health outcomes (poor general health, recent pain or discomfort, recent health care consultation, any diagnosed physical and mental health condition). Furthermore, a cumulative pattern was observed that is women who experienced multiple IPV types were more likely to report poorer health outcomes.

Regarding men exposure to IPV, we found that while men’s exposure to IPV was associated with increased likelihood of reporting 4 of the 7 assessed poor health outcomes, specific IPV types were inconsistently associated with poor health outcomes. Experience of a higher number of IPV types among men did not show a clear stepwise association with number of health outcomes. These findings indicate that IPV against men, unlike women, does not consistently contribute to their poor health outcomes at the population level.

In sum, our findings warrant gender-appropriate clinical approaches when IPV is identified. Specifically, health care systems need to be mobilized to address IPV as a priority health issue among women. However, these findings do not warrant routine inquiry for IPV against men in clinical settings, although appropriate care is needed if IPV against men is identified.

For further information please see: Association Between Men’s Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Self-reported Health Outcomes in New Zealand | Global Health | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network and Association Between Women’s Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Self-reported Health Outcomes in New Zealand | Intimate Partner Violence | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network

Or contact Dr Ladan Hashemi at ladan.hashemi@city.ac.uk

Domestic violence fatality reviews: Thinking methodologically and ethically

Domestic Violence Fatality Review (DVFR) systems collect data on different aspects of gender, violence, and abuse required to form an evidence base for prevention. However, to date, there has been limited dialogue between practitioners and researchers about the ‘doing’ of DVFRs.

As DVFR systems vary by jurisdiction, we draw upon a case study of Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) in England and Wales. Applying the Research Integrity Framework developed by the four Women’s Aid Federations in the UK, this article examines both the practice of DHR and how it is utilised as data in research. Informed by our situated perspectives as researchers and/or practitioners working in the field, our analysis demonstrates how undertaking DHR as a practitioner parallels collecting, accessing, and analysing data from DHRs as a researcher. Guiding principles are identified to help practitioners and researchers navigate the parallel challenges they confront and, critically, inform dialogue between practice and research.

To increase transparency and confidence, we argue that more attention should be afforded to the methodological and ethical issues inherent in both the practice of DHRs, and their utilisation as a source of data in research.

For further information please see: Parallels in Practice: Applying Principles of Research Integrity and Ethics in Domestic Violence Fatality Review (DVFR) | SpringerLink

Policing Domestic Abuse hybrid seminar

This event is in the past. Wednesday 1 March 2023, 10:30 am – Noon, in person and online

Hybrid event – Policing Domestic Abuse | Faculty of Law (ox.ac.uk)

Dr Ruth Weir, Senior Research Fellow with the UKPRP VISION consortium, will be presenting with her colleagues, Chief Superintendent Katy Barrow-Grint (Thames Valley Police), Professor Jackie Turton (University of Essex) and Dr Jackie Sebire (Institute of Criminology), on their book, Policing Domestic Abuse.

The book is dedicated to improving the practice of the policing of domestic abuse. Its objective is to help inform those working in policing about the dynamics of how domestic abuse occurs, how best to respond to and investigate it, and in the longer term how to prevent it. An effective investigation and the prosecution of offenders are considered, as well as an evaluation of the success of current treatment options. Policing domestic abuse can only be dealt with through an effective partnership response. The responsibilities of each agency and the statutory processes in place when policy is not adhered will also be outlined. The aim is to help shed light on the challenges of policing domestic violence and the links between academic research and best practice.

Half of unemployed women have experienced intimate partner violence

This analysis forms part of a new briefing co-produced with Agenda Alliance. Agenda Alliance exists to make a difference to the lives of women and girls who are at the sharpest end of inequality. They are an alliance of over 100 member organisations – from large, national bodies to smaller, specialist organisations – working in collaboration to influence public policy and practice to respond appropriately to women and girls with multiple, complex unmet needs: https://www.agendaalliance.org/

The briefing casts light on a crucial but neglected topic, showing that when a woman presents to services in suicidal distress it is likely that she’s a victim of domestic abuse, and that likelihood rises for people living in poverty, especially those who are unemployed or unable to work due to sickness or disability. Professionals working in Jobcentres, housing associations and other welfare services have frequent contact with women facing financial stress and debt. It’s vital that welfare professionals, as well as those working in health and social care, recognise the very high rates of domestic abuse experienced by such women, and are aware of the extent to which their distress can manifest in self-harm and suicidality. They should be trained to ask people if they are safe and supported to act accordingly.

Please see Underexamined and Underreported Briefing (agendaalliance.org) for further information.

This report was co-produced in collaboration with the generous input of many experts from across multiple sectors, people with lived experience, and with:

Understanding neighbourhood level predictors of domestic abuse and their variation over space

Reducing domestic abuse has become a priority for both local and national governments in the UK, with its substantial human, social, and economic costs. It is an interdisciplinary issue, but to date there has been no research in the UK that has focused on neighbourhood-level predictors of domestic abuse and their variation across space.

This article uses geographically weighted regression to model the predictors of police-reported domestic abuse in Essex. Readily available structural and cultural variables were found to predict the domestic abuse rate and the repeat victimisation rate at the lower super output area level and the model coefficients were all found to be non-stationary, indicating varying relationships across space. This research not only has important implications for victims’ well being, but also enables policy makers to gain a better understanding of the geography of victimisation, allowing targeted policy interventions and efficiently allocated resources.

For further information and the article, please see Using geographically weighted regression to explore neighborhood‐level predictors of domestic abuse in the UK – Weir – 2019 – Transactions in GIS – Wiley Online Library

Photo caption: Andrii Yalanskyi /Shutterstock.com

Book launch for new publication aimed at improving police responses to domestic abuse

How to respond and investigate domestic violence

On 15 November 2022, City, University of London hosted a book launch for Policing Domestic Violence, written by Katy Barrow Grint, Thames Valley Police; Dr Jacqueline Sebire, Cambridge University; Professor Jackie Turton, University of Essex; and Dr Ruth Weir, City, University of London. The event, held in The Pavilion, was attended by local police forces including the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police as well as academics researching domestic violence. The keynote speakers were Louisa Rolfe, OBE, Assistant Commissioner of the Met, and Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner.

The book, Policing Domestic Violence, is dedicated to improving the practice of the policing of domestic abuse. Its objective is to help inform those working in policing about the dynamics of how domestic abuse occurs, how best to respond to and investigate it, and in the longer term how to prevent it. Divided into thematic areas, the book uses recent research findings to update some of the theoretical analysis and to highlight areas of good practice: ‘what works and why’. An effective investigation and the prosecution of offenders are considered, as well as an evaluation of the success of current treatment options. Policing domestic abuse can only be dealt with through an effective partnership response. The responsibilities of each agency and the statutory processes in place when policy is not adhered to are outlined.

Written with the student and budding practitioner in mind, this book is filled with case studies, current research, reports, and media examples, as well as a variety of reflective questions and a glossary of key terms, to help shed light on the challenges of policing domestic violence and the links between academic research and best practice.

Photo caption: from left to right – Dr Ruth Weir, City University; Dr Jackie Turton, University of Essex; Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner; Louisa Rolfe, OBE, Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police; and Katy Barrow Grint, Thames Valley Police

Protection or paternalism? When ethics committees review domestic violence research

In health-care settings, asking about trauma is recognised as good practice. Yet in research studies, whether to address trauma and how is contested.

Some studies prioritise inclusive samples and questions about lived experience. Others avoid potentially retraumatising topics and exclude people considered too vulnerable to participate. While ethical review and safeguarding is essential, at what point does protection become paternalism, and who gets to decide where that line is drawn? Just as harm to participants is unethical, might exclusion from research – at times – also be unethical and a form of epistemic harm?

For further information and the article, please see: Risk, responsibility, and choice in research ethics – The Lancet Psychiatry

Photo credit: fizkes / Shutterstock.com