News & Campaigns

All the latest from HER-itage and our affiliates

14 February 2021 19:00 ~ All in Your Head: a one woman show based on real women’s accounts of coercive control and domestic abuse – Online

A live theatrical online experience.

With calls to domestic abuse helplines doubling since lockdown, this important performance will be followed by a panel discussion with survivors of domestic abuse and representatives from women’s organisations.

Women’s experiences of domestic abuse and coercive control will be given voice in the one-woman show All In Your Head, a pay what you can, livestream theatrical experience for socially distanced audiences across the world.

Theatre has a power to transport audiences to a different time, place, mindset, or emotion. As one of the earliest forms of public entertainment, theatre has always held a mirror up to society, reflecting what is illuminated in the lights or hidden in the shadows.

All In Your Head voices the experiences of survivors, showing that “just leaving” isn’t as simple as it sounds.

Followed by a panel discussion

The panellists include Rebecca Twydell from West Mercia Women’s Aid , survivor and advocate Cara Craven, Researcher Dr Emma Katz , and Lynne Tooze from Respond .

  • 2020 will forever be remembered as the year of COVID-19, and the ‘ shadow pandemic ’ too.
  • 2020 marked five years of coercive and controlling behaviour being in the UK Serious Crimes Act, and the prevalence of coercive control and domestic abuse was made starkly public by the pandemic.
  • While the statistics are shocking, it must be remembered that each statistic represents a woman or child, a survivor or a homicide victim.

This live performance will be presented on Youtube and will run for 105 minutes, including a 45 minute post-show Q&A.

Book tickets – pay what you can – at https://www.cptheatre.co.uk/production/all-in-your-head-digital/

February 10, 2021

BPAS urges governments to make telemedical abortion care a permanent option for women

New research from Scotland reaffirms the safety and efficacy of the service

  • A study published in the BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health has found that telemedicine abortion is safe, effective, and preferable for many women.
  • Telemedical abortion care was introduced in Scotland, England, and Wales in March 2020 as a temporary measure to control the spread of COVID-19.
  • In Scotland, women under 12 weeks of pregnancy can access a telemedical consultation from the privacy of their own home, and, if clinically suitable, have abortion medication sent by post without the requirement that they attend a clinic.
  • Researchers analysed interviews and clinical notes from over 600 women in Scotland who underwent an early medical abortion at home following a telemedical consultation between 1st April and 9th July 2020.
  • 98% of women who ended their pregnancy by telemedicine had a complete abortion and required no further treatment. An overwhelming majority of women (95%) reported that they felt the service was acceptable and that they felt prepared to administer their treatment at home.
  • Following a public consultation which closed in January, the Scottish government is now considering if telemedicine should be provided beyond the pandemic. Consultations remain open in England and Wales until 26th and 23rd February, respectively.
  • The charity the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, BPAS, said that the research “provides yet more evidence that telemedical abortion care is safe and effective” and should be made a permanent option for all women who need it.

The reproductive healthcare charity the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, BPAS, has welcomed new research which reaffirms the safety and efficacy of telemedical abortion services. Telemedical abortion care was introduced in Scotland, England, and Wales in March 2020 as a temporary measure at the beginning of the pandemic. This allows women under 12 weeks of pregnancy in Scotland to undergo a telemedical consultation from privacy of their own home, and, if clinically suitable, have abortion medication sent by post without the requirement that they attend an in-clinic appointment. The Scottish government are currently considering making telemedical care a permanent option for women.

The peer-reviewed paper, Telemedicine medical abortion at home under 12 weeks’ gestation: a prospective observational cohort study during the COVID-19 pandemic was published in the BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health journal this week. Researchers evaluated the experience of 663 women living in Scotland who accessed abortion care via telemedicine and found that “women reported high levels of preparedness to use the medications in their own homes, acceptability of care was high, and the majority of women expressed a preference for choosing this model of care again in the future.”

Key results from the research include:

  • 98% of women had a complete abortion and required no further treatment.
  • 95% women rated their care as very or somewhat acceptable.
  • 95% of women felt they were prepared for their treatment following the telemedicine consultation.
  • 95% of women rated the abortion experience as ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ acceptable and more than two-thirds (71%) of women stated that they would opt for a telephone consultation again if they required an abortion in the future.

The authors conclude that the study “provides support for continuation of this model of care in this setting beyond the current pandemic.”

Part of a longer press release at https://www.bpas.org/about-our-charity/press-office/press-releases/bpas-urges-governments-to-make-telemedical-abortion-care-a-permanent-option-for-women-as-new-research-from-scotland-reaffirms-the-safety-and-efficacy-of-the-service/

 

February 10, 2021

Clare’s Law – Survey of women who have used the scheme

Domestic Violence Disclosure Schemes (DVDS), also known as ‘Clare’s Law’, was rolled out in England and Wales in 2014. It allows police to disclose normally confidential information about a person’s criminal history to someone deemed at risk of future abuse, with the view that this will help them make more informed choices about their safety.

However, there has been no research to date that has involved asking victim/ survivors about their experiences of these schemes. To address this gap in understanding, we want to hear from women who have used the scheme themselves, or from those who have accessed this on behalf of someone they care about or work with. This could be a family member, a friend, or a professional.

We want to reach as many people as possible which is why we are offering the opportunity to complete a short survey, participate in an interview, or both if you would prefer. You can also complete this survey if you faced barriers accessing the scheme, or, even if this is the first time you have heard about it, there are sections that will be relevant to you too.

We want to hear from a broad range of diverse backgrounds and needs. To be effective, Clare’s Law needs to reach all whom it may help. You can help us by sharing this survey far and wide.

If you decide you would like to tell us more about your experiences, you can tell us your story during an interview which will take place via telephone or video call. You can find details on who to contact at the bottom of the survey.

Please take the 10 minute survey by going to
https://clareslawexperiences.wordpress.com/clares-law-survey/

More information about the Clare’s Law Experiences Project at
https://clareslawexperiences.wordpress.com/

February 2, 2021

Self harm in women’s prisons rises during lockdown

Self-harming among women in prison has risen sharply during the coronavirus lockdown, official figures have shown.

The rate of self-harm incidents, which remained steady during the first three months of the pandemic last spring, leapt by 24 per cent during the following three months from July to September – a period when most prisoners remained confined to their cells for most of the day.

There were 3,515 self harm incidents during the quarter in England’s 12 women’s jails, the highest quarterly total since 2010. The figure was up from 2,846 in the previous quarter and 2,821 in the quarter before that, before the pandemic struck. The rate of self harm is now 3.6 incidents per woman per year.

By contrast, in male jails the rate of self-harm is only 0.6 incidents per man per year – and the number of incidents has fallen since the start of the pandemic. Ministers and charity leaders have put the differing trend in women’s and men’s jails down to women feeling isolated during the lockdown and missing the support of their peers, whereas some men are thought to find life less stressful when they have less contact with other prisoners.

Other findings from the Safety in Custody statistics showed that over the past 12 months there were 331 incidents in which women harmed themselves so badly that they had to be taken to hospital.

There were 318 deaths in prison custody in the 12 months to December, an increase of eight per cent on the previous 12 months. The rise was more than accounted for by 71 deaths of prisoners with coronavirus. There were 67 apparently self-inflicted deaths during 2020, a fall of 21 per cent on the 2019 total. The number of assaults dropped sharply after the start of the lockdown, but has started to creep back up in the most recent quarterly figures.

Part of a longer press release at https://insidetime.org/self-harm-in-womens-prisons-rises-during-lockdown/

February 2, 2021

The Disabilities Trust welcomes revision of Domestic Violence Protection Notices

New statutory guidance will recognise that survivors of domestic abuse may have sustained an acquired brain injury (ABI) for the first time – following campaigning from the Disabilities Trust.

The Trust, a leading provider of neuro-rehabilitative care for people with brain injury, is delighted that statutory guidance will now include consideration of brain injury as part of the Domestic Abuse Bill, currently being debated by the House of Lords, following work to raise this important issue, alongside Chris Bryant MP.

Domestic abuse protection orders – designed to protect victims from all forms of domestic abuse – will now consider acquired brain injury as part of the range of needs any survivor may have.

Where police are attending a call out to a domestic incident, in the community, they could be accompanied with or shortly after visited by an Independent Domestic Violence and Abuse Advisor who would be able to offer expert support to the survivor, including in relation to ABI.

This commitment from the government will also introduce new standard questions to ensure all prisoners in England will be screened for acquired brain injury sustained through domestic abuse from April 2021. The Disabilities Trust findings were put forward by Chris Bryant MP, who has long campaigned for recognition of the needs of those with a Brain Injury and has worked with The Disabilities Trust and UKABIF in a collaborative approach to highlight the need for this change.

Both initiatives – which will create a powerful impact in terms of protection and support – are the translation of five years of research from The Disabilities Trust in female offenders highlighting the link between domestic abuse and brain injury. Our research showed that nearly two-thirds of women (64%) at HMP Drake Hall had a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI). From the women identified through our brain injury service at HMP Drake Hall, 62% reported they had sustained their brain injury through domestic violence. Violence, trauma and addiction often represent life shaping events in women’s pathways to prison. Research has shown there is a clear link between life trauma, offending and poor health outcomes for women in prison, and this was reflected in the histories of women with TBI that we worked with. Furthermore, a third of the women reported sustaining their brain injury before their first offence with the average age of first brain injury reported at 25.

The women The Disabilities Trust supported in HMP Drake Hall described to us prolonged periods of intense violence that was often directed towards their head while they were unconscious. This is backed up within international research which shows survivors of abuse commonly suffer blows to the head and strangulation, leaving lasting psychological and physical trauma, with symptoms which are often ‘unseen’ and unrecognised by services. Research from The Ohio State University found 81% of domestic abuse survivors had experienced a blow to the head, perpetrated by their partner and a similar number (83%) had experienced strangulation.

Whilst the physical symptoms may be obvious, brain injuries can also result in behavioural, cognitive and emotional consequences, which can be considered “hidden” but nevertheless can affect someone for the rest of their lives. Some of these symptoms include poor memory, lack of concentration or difficulties multi-tasking, poor impulsive control, aggression, irritability, but also mental health difficulties such as anxiety and depression.

Part of a longer press release at https://www.thedtgroup.org/foundation/news/the-disabilities-trust-welcomes-revision-of-domestic-violence-protection-notices

 

February 2, 2021