Case details

Emma is 32. She is recorded as having a learning disability and attended a “special school” but does not currently receive any social care services. She lives in rented accommodation provided through a housing association.

Emma is known to the police due to repeated reports by her neighbours. Incidents have involved noise, intimidation of neighbours by visitors, fights between groups of young men and a complaint by Emma that her ex-partner Darren had locked her in the bathroom.

Emma and Darren had been together for five years. Darren moved into Emma’s flat very quickly after they started their relationship, offering to take care of the bills and shopping using a joint account. He said that because of her learning disability she shouldn’t be in charge of the money. At first Emma had enjoyed having a boyfriend and had felt ‘normal’ but he had soon started to just use her flat as he wanted and tell her what to do ‘as if she was stupid’. Darren has taken out a loan in her name and she is receiving letters related to repayments which she can’t afford. Emma used to be really close to her mum who lives nearby, but hasn’t seen her in a while.

The housing association sent Emma a letter saying that she will be evicted if there are any other incidents of her visitors causing distress to other tenants. After the housing association letter Emma ended the relationship. Emma calls herself an idiot for letting him into her life in the first place.

Since the breakup Darren frequently turns up at her flat, banging on the door, shouting and threatening her. Darren is texting her constantly and has threatened to send intimate photos of her to her Dad if she doesn’t let him move back into the flat. He says he knows she will want him back like she has done before. He always seems to know where she is for example, turning up when she goes to the food bank or at the bottom of her Mum’s road.

Following an incident where Darren broke down Emma’s front door the police have raised an adult safeguarding concern. The referral states that Darren is unemployed and does not receive JSA as he failed to actively apply for work. He has two previous offences for possession of marijuana and for theft of alcohol. The referral states that Emma does not want to give evidence to support police action against Darren as she is scared of what he might do to her. She consented to a safeguarding referral being made.

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How would you make safe enquiry with Emma?

Who will meet with her?

Where?

How will you contact her to arrange the meeting?

Assessment

In this section are two downloadable PDFs – one is a partly completed assessment form related to this case study, and another is an example of what a completed form could look like.

Suggested exercise

Use the partly completed assessment form:

• What actions would you discuss with Emma to ensure her immediate and longer term safety?
• What precautions would you need to take to avoid putting her at higher risk of harm?
• What is your analysis of the situation? Is coercive control occurring? What is the evidence of this?
• What is your conclusion?

DASH- RIC

The purpose of the DASH risk checklist is to give a consistent and simple tool for practitioners who work with adult victims of domestic abuse in order to help them identify those who are at high risk of harm and whose cases should be referred to a MARAC meeting in order to manage their risk. If you are concerned about risk to a child or children, Safe Lives recommend that you should make a referral to ensure that a full assessment of their safety and welfare is made.

There are two downloads on this page.

One shows a blank DASH risk checklist, with quick start guidance from Safe Lives. The key point is to remember that your professional judgement is key in making a decision about risk; a tool can help, but the score it comes out with is not definitive.

This is especially relevant when working with people with care and support needs, for whom some of the questions may not be relevant.

The other shows an example of a completed DASH relating to this case study, for you to critique and appraise.

Suggested exercise:

• Read the case details and full assessment document for this case study.
• Using the information contained, fill out a blank DASH risk assessment tool.
• Discuss how you found it; did you have all the required information? Would you be able to get all the required information in practice? Would you make a referral to MARAC?

Topics

Tools

• Tool 1: Design a ‘learning together’ event

Designing a learning event: Don’t put up with it!

This tool uses a video produced by the Tizard Centre and made with and for women with learning disabilities in the UK. The video describes what domestic abuse is, and explains how people who experience it can get help.

The tool prompts reflection on how the video could be used as a learning tool for people with learning disabilities, carers, and social care practitioners.

• Tool 2: Revenge porn –what you need to know

This leaflet has been produced by Revenge Porn Helpline and South West Grid for Learning. It is aimed at people who have experienced revenge porn, but is also useful for professionals.

 

Tool 1: Design a ‘learning together’ event

Watch the video in supervision, with peers, or in a team meeting:

*Don’t Put Up With It! Domestic Violence and women with disabilities (15:26 mins) Tizard. University of Kent

 

Discuss together how this video resource might be used as a learning tool:

With people with learning disabilities? Reflection for action: what would you need to consider in preparing for the learning event?	With carers of people with learning disabilities? Reflection for action: what would you need to consider in preparing for the learning event?	With students/ASYE candidates/other professionals/teams? Reflection for action: what would you need to consider in preparing for the learning event?
e.g. Be aware people may be affected by the content – make time and space for disclosures and know what to do if this happens Be ready to talk about how people can support each other if necessary have signposting materials, details of local support services and further advice ready to hand out.

 

Reflection on action:

Using feedback from the event, what other strategies might be used to protect people with learning disabilities and others vulnerable to being coerced into abusive & controlling relationships?

Individually

In your team

At organisational level

* Don’t Put Up With It! Domestic Violence and women with disabilities  Tizard. University of Kent, shown with permission of the author, Michelle McCarthy

 

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Tool 2: Revenge porn – what you need to know

This leaflet has been produced by Revenge Porn Helpline and South West Grid for Learning. It is aimed at people who have experienced revenge porn, but is also useful for professionals.

It details

• What revenge porn is
• Where it might be
• The law around revenge porn
• Reporting revenge porn – to the police and to online platforms
• What other action can be taken?
• Further support.

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References