Breaking The Cycle Monthly Update – July 2022

Lucy’s Update

Last month I was delighted to support ‘This Week in FM’ in their article around women contractors working within Women’s Refuges and the production of a database of female contractors to support this. Whilst the segregation of women and men isn’t a long-term solution to breaking the cycle of domestic abuse, the majority of victim/survivors in Refuge accommodation are women (we don’t have many male refuges) who have been victims to intimate partner violence by a male partner. An ‘all female’ space often gives them a safe and secure time to process their trauma and heal before connecting back out in the community again. To see the article, please use the following link…. www.twinfm.com/article/maintenance-in-womens-refuges-a-call-for-female-contractors­

We are seeing an increase in the number of employers, businesses and organisations coming to us for support around building domestic abuse policies and procedures and providing awareness and training across their business or organisation. Sadly, these requests often happen after someone within their organisation has reach crisis, sometimes there has even been a death due to domestic abuse. Businesses and Organisations don’t heal very well after a member of staff is impacted, perhaps takes their own life, or is fatally injured by their perpetrator. We want to continue to work hard to raise this awareness before crisis emerges and we need your help to do that.

How you can Break the Cycle of Domestic Abuse across your Community and Workforce

There are many different ways in which you can engage with the work we do at Alpha Vesta. Whilst we deliver lots of training and consultancy services around domestic abuse across workplaces and communities, you can let your workforce and community know that you acknowledge the impact that domestic abuse has as well as commit to breaking the cycle.

You can become an Alpha Vesta Community Advocate by doing some very small things each month to create awareness about domestic abuse and foster a safe, non-judgemental space for someone to seek support within your community or workforce. We can provide you with all the tools and resources you need. There is no charge to be a Community Advocate and you will be presented with a Certificate to display. www.alphavesta.com/community-advocate

You could also sponsor an awareness session within your own community or any community as part of our Sponsorship Programme. This is for community groups and organisations out of Essex, who may not be able to pay for awareness training and workshops. Your sponsored session may be the difference between someone recognising the signs of domestic abuse in an adult or child or that slipping through the net.

You can sponsor a little as one session right up to 25 sessions with a range of additional benefits to your workforce such as private training sessions for your staff and an Alpha Vesta Domestic Abuse Policy. www.alphavesta.com/sponsorship

Spotlight on CPD Accreditations

Whilst any of our public training sessions can be accessed online in any order, certain sessions link together to form CPD Accredited Pathways. Please see attached diagram of our 3 CPD Accredited pathways and our CPD Accreditation Providers page can be viewed here:

All of the training sessions required to undertake any of our CPD Accreditations can be accessed via our Eventbrite page and if you would like to complete any of the Accreditations, please just contact the Team on enquiries@alphavesta.com.  Our Enhanced and Advanced session are fully funded across Essex, however there is a £25 delegate charge for those living or working outside of Essex.  Following a successful online assessment, your CPD Accredited Certificate will be awarded.

We will be attending the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce Summer BBQ on 14 July at Warley Park Golf Club, where we will have one of the exhibitor stands, so if you are free and want to catch up with us face to face then please book a ticket for the BBQ (link in Dates for your Diary), we would love to see you!   Then we will take a little well earned break in August from training and come back to you all with our September edition.

Look forward to seeing you soon.
Lucy Whittaker

Founding Director and Lead Trainer of Alpha Vesta CIC

So I have not been on any “Walkabout Wednesdays” for the past 7 weeks, due to a little issue of me hurrying for a train, in high sandals, on Fenchurch Street platform!  As you can see it didn’t end well and resulted in me breaking my foot, which was very painful to say the least!  I mean, who hurries for a train when they are wearing heels they haven’t worn for the past 2 years!?!?   

But as you can now see, I have had the all clear now……. at least the next 6 months, so its low, sensible footwear for me, which means, that from next week, I will be out & about in the County, raising the awareness & addressing the stigma around Domestic Abuse.

So, if you do see me, in my Alpha Vesta t shirt, come over & say hello, I promise I won’t bite!

Domestic Abuse in the News – Spotlight

The offences of ‘non-fatal strangulation and suffocation’ came into force on 7 June 2022.  These offences are closely linked with coercive control in a relationship characterised by coercive control. 

There is some interesting information in the CPS Guidance but from September 2022, we will be incorporating signs and indicators of non-fatal strangulation and suffocation in our Core 1 Workshop – Understanding Domestic Abuse and its Impact.  As with all domestic abuse, it doesn’t always look like we think it will look and there are some important indicators to be aware of such as loss of voice, swollen tongue or a bleeding ear which many wouldn’t even have considered as indicators.

The CPS are define ‘non-fatal strangulation’  as ‘obstruction or compression of blood vessels and/or airways by external pressure to the neck impeding normal breathing or circulation of the blood. This offence applies where strangulation is non-fatal and does not result in death of the victim.  It may not show any external injury at all.

The common methods of non-fatal strangulation are:

• Manual – one or two hands held around the neck of a person
• Chokehold or head lock – external pressure applied by an arm around the neck
• Ligature – for example a scarf or belt tightened around the neck

The CPS define ‘non-fatal suffocation’ as ‘depriving a person of air which affects their normal breathing. This definition is wider than that of non-fatal strangulation which requires pressure to the neck.

Methods of non-fatal suffocation could include:

• putting a hand over the mouth and nose
• compressing the chest
• any other force or suppression applied to a person to cause a restriction of breath

Domestic Abuse: in the news

• Non-fatal strangulation and suffocation 7 June 2022

• Domestic abuse victims could be identified earlier, Bristol study shows

• Pilot for domestic abuse victims sleeping rough in Birmingham extended

Dates for the Diary

National Support & Help

National 24hr Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247 For women and children experiencing domestic abuse

Men’s Advice Line 0808 801 0327 For men experiencing domestic abuse

RESPECT 0808 802 4040 For those concerned that they may be using abusive behaviours

NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000 If you are concerned about a child

Samaritans 116 123 For those struggling in terms of their mental health and feeling in crisis

NCDV 0800 970 2070 free, fast emergency injunction service for survivors of domestic abuse

Essex Regional Support & Help

Alpha Vesta 01245 791281 For employers and employees concerned about a staff member

Compass 0330 333 7 444 Compass is being delivered by a consortium of established domestic abuse support agencies including; Safe Steps, Changing Pathways and The Next Chapter. The aim is to provide a single point of access for callers to speak with a trained member of staff who will complete an assessment and ensure contact is made with the most appropriate support service.

The Change Project 01245 258 680 Committed to preventing conflict in relationships and working with both perpetrators, victims and their children.