A groundbreaking project to advance understanding the impact of domestic violence and brain injury, aimed at empowering support services to increase support for survivors, is being launched.
The Disabilities Trust is working with five domestic abuse services across the country to establish an estimate of the prevalence of brain injury and how that impacts on the day to day lives of survivors of domestic abuse.
The partnership is unique in the UK and aims to help increase the understanding of brain injury in domestic abuse services, enabling them to offer the bespoke support that each survivor needs.
Statistics from The Disabilities Trust show that two thirds of domestic abuse practitioners in the UK are unprepared to support someone with a brain injury, highlighting the urgent need for change.
Now, The Disabilities Trust – which has helped to lead vital research in this area for many years, including securing the screening of all prisoners for ABI suffered through domestic violence – is spearheading the charge to make positive change to the lives of those living with brain injuries caused by intimate partner violence (IPV).
By effectively engaging survivors and addressing the issues they face, it is hoped resulting behavioural problems – including offending behaviour – can be tackled in new and innovative ways.
The Disabilities Trust is now recruiting for a dedicated researcher to lead the year-long project and compile its pioneering findings.
“We are working hand in hand with the domestic abuse sector on what is truly a groundbreaking project,” Jocelyn Gaynor, Head of Foundation at The Disabilities Trust, tells NR Times.
“We know from research that there is a gap in detailed knowledge from both the brain injury and domestic violence sectors in how best to support survivors, and that there is an absence of specialist training.
“To help address this, we want to understand the impact of brain injury on everyday functioning and the practical implications of this on people’s lives.
“We want to ensure people working in this sector have the skills and tools they need to support survivors, and we’re delighted this project has been embraced as it has been.”
Working with the five services across the country, the project will speak with survivors about their experiences of domestic violence and accessing support. The subsequent report will make recommendations around policy and practice, highlighting where change is needed.
The Disabilities Trust has consulted with a number of international partners, including some globally-significant domestic violence researchers, to help develop the scope of the study.
It is now looking to appoint its project lead, with the study set to get underway as soon as the appointment has been made.
“This is an excellent opportunity for someone to be the driving force of this research, to engage with the host sites and to compile and analyse the findings,” says Jocelyn.
“This research is the first of its kind in the UK, and potentially globally too in terms of looking into the prevalence of brain injury. It will certainly help to support thinking in this area nationally and internationally too, as well as identifying how we can make positive change to help survivors everywhere.”
