16 Days of Action against domestic violence
Every year, approximately two million individuals in the UK suffer from some type of domestic abuse. Of these, 1.3 million are female, and during the next 16 Days of Action we will be highlighting our work to help prevent and reduce domestic violence in Lincolnshire.
The 16 Days of Action is a programme of raising awareness around issues involving violence against women. Now in its 32nd year, the global campaign seeks to address and combat domestic violence by emphasising the need for gender equality, the eradication of violence against women and the protection of human rights.
Domestic abuse is something no person should have to deal with in their lifetime, and raising awareness of available options for victims and survivors of domestic abuse is the way we can support and protect individuals from further pain.
We work alongside agencies such as Women’s Aid, EDAN Lincs and Blue Door to ensure the safety of the client. We use holistic and trauma-informed interventions, working to help women in these difficult situations.
In the last five years, on average there have been over 10,000 domestic abuse incidents reported to Lincolnshire Police every year (Lincolnshire County Council). Every Christmas, domestic abuse reports unfortunately increase because of increased alcohol consumption, stress over money or trying to juggle everything at Christmas.
During 2022/2023 Lincolnshire Action Trust has worked with 450 women who are experiencing the effects of domestic violence. We hope to see more women taking advantage of our services in the future to make a positive impact on their lives.
Our Women RISE project (Resilient, Informed, Supported, Empowered) is a new trauma informed service for women and girls delivered by women, to help to build resilience by providing information and support to empower women and girls at risk in Lincolnshire.
Below is one of many examples of a client who needs our help.
Case study - Anne
Anne, a woman with a history of domestic abuse and both mental and physical health issues, faces a complex set of challenges in her life. Suffering from unstable mental health, including complex PTSD from childhood abuse which causes feelings of paranoia.
She has been unwell for most of her adult life, but more recently her health has worsened.
Anne has various physical ailments including circulation issues, dizzy spells and blackouts. Inadequate nutrition may be contributing to her physical difficulties, but she struggles to access the support required to gain things such as food bank help, and she does not have a positive relationship with a local healthcare provider.
Living in a cold and damp house only makes her health problems worse. She is concerned for her grandson's well-being, suspecting potential domestic abuse and substance use in his family.
Anne often sounds as if she is heavily under the influence of substances or alcohol, and this has unfortunately caused the wrong treatment to be offered in the past, which may be a contributing factor to her fear of services not understanding her needs.
Anne struggles to communicate her needs concisely. When she calls for help but then doesn’t gain the help she needs, or she asks agencies for things outside their scope she ends up frustrated. Although services do respond, this is not always a positive experience for either side due to Anne’s hostility or graphic language which results in the call being terminated.
Her difficulty communicating her needs, mistrust of support services, and occasional substance use contribute to a cycle of problems and frustration, resulting in criminalisation because of an arrest for anti-social behaviour. Despite Anne needing both assessment and treatment, fear prevents her from seeking help, leaving her in a situation where police interventions unfortunately become the norm.
Anne often feels under threat from services that are trying to support her. She has suicidal ideation and she sometimes puts herself in high-risk situations or locations.
The challenge lies in bridging the gap between Anne's complex needs and the lack of support services while addressing the systemic issues contributing to her struggles.
Our team at Lincolnshire Action Trust are here for women like Anne. If you need support after being affected by domestic abuse, please reach out. Do not suffer in silence.
The 16 Days of Action begins on 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, running through to 10th December, Human Rights Day.
If you or someone you know needs support, you can find out more about our Women’s Services here, or you can contact us by calling 01522 806611 or email hello@LATcharity.org.uk.
You can also find information on how Lincolnshire Police are committed to tackling violence against women and girls and to making our county the safest place to live, work and visit.
It has created a briefing on all developments, initiatives and areas of work around tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
