For centuries women have experienced domestic violence from men they know, as a consequence of which many turn to public services for support. Traditionally, these services have failed to provide adequate support, yet it is through these interactions with the services that abused women's lives are shaped and defined. Service providers therefore need to hear their voices in order to develop effective support services that enable survivors to 'move on' with their lives. A government initiative ¬- the Supporting People Programme (SPP) - has the potential to ensure that housing support providers develop their services in this manner. The main aim of the SPP is to place service users at the 'heart' of the system through user participation. Whilst this is certainly a step in the right direction, my concern is whether this actually happens or whether services adopt a tokenistic approach to user participation that marginalises and silences women survivors. My primary research question, therefore, is: 'What is the impact of the SPP on women survivors of domestic abuse?¿ Using a research design that included document analysis, observation and semi-structured interviews, I argue that the SPP has the potential to improve the lives of survivors and even to ameliorate, if not eradicate, domestic abuse. However, far from achieving this, the SPP through lack of commitment to ensuring that services actually meet the funding requirement of user participation continues to marginalise and silence the voices of women survivors.

In this article we take a critical stance toward the rational progressive narrative surrounding the integration of domestic violence within health care. Whilst changes in recent UK policy and practice have resulted in several tangible benefits, it is argued that there may be hidden dilemmas and challenges. We suggest that the medical model of care and its discursive practices position women as individually accountable for domestic violence-related symptoms and injuries. This may not only be ineffective in terms of service provision but could also have the potential to reduce the political significance of domestic violence as an issue of concern for all women. Furthermore, it is argued that the use of specific metaphors enables practitioners to distance themselves from interactions that may prove to be less comfortable and provide less than certain outcomes. Our analysis explores the possibilities for change that might currently be available. This would appear to involve a consideration of alternative discourses and the reformulation of power relations and subject positions in health care.

This practicum project is an investigation into the design of a second-stage house and the role that interior design can play in creating a healing environment based on a trauma-informed approach. Approaching the design with a knowledge of the trauma of domestic abuse, the effects of this trauma, and the recovery process was central to the project. Through a process of literature review, four key themes in recovery of domestic abuse were found. The key themes of safety, empowerment, social support and psychological healing became the design guidelines for the project. Using these four guidelines as a foundation, concepts in environmental psychology were explored. The concepts of privacy, territory and restorative design were chosen for their relevance to the design guidelines. Through an exploration of these design concepts in conjunction with the four themes of recovery, a trauma-informed second-stage housing design called River Tree is proposed.

Domestic violence against women and children is a significant international issue. There are many obstacles survivors face, and the problem is more complex than is often perceived. This interior design practicum responds by focusing on the design of a transitional housing facility that creates a paradigm shift away from the institutional approach. The key interior spaces include areas that help individuals nourish and heal from their challenging experiences; the overall approach focused on establishing community networks amongst the residents. The overarching architectural language and designs were informed primarily by Japanese Zen, Theory of Supportive Design, Lifeboat theory, and Experiential Learning Theory. Additional literature investigation on Shinrin-yoku and Therapeutic Landscapes have helped to shape the final programme and design. Along with relevant precedent studies, a design has been proposed called Hana's Place, a transitional housing facility that is aimed at being a place survivors of domestic violence can call home.

This practicum project is an investigation into the design of a second-stage house and the role that interior design can play in creating a healing environment based on a trauma-informed approach. Approaching the design with a knowledge of the trauma of domestic abuse, the effects of this trauma, and the recovery process was central to the project. Through a process of literature review, four key themes in recovery of domestic abuse were found. The key themes of safety, empowerment, social support and psychological healing became the design guidelines for the project. Using these four guidelines as a foundation, concepts in environmental psychology were explored. The concepts of privacy, territory and restorative design were chosen for their relevance to the design guidelines. Through an exploration of these design concepts in conjunction with the four themes of recovery, a trauma-informed second-stage housing design called River Tree is proposed.

Domestic violence against women and children is a significant international issue. There are many obstacles survivors face, and the problem is more complex than is often perceived. This interior design practicum responds by focusing on the design of a transitional housing facility that creates a paradigm shift away from the institutional approach. The key interior spaces include areas that help individuals nourish and heal from their challenging experiences; the overall approach focused on establishing community networks amongst the residents. The overarching architectural language and designs were informed primarily by Japanese Zen, Theory of Supportive Design, Lifeboat theory, and Experiential Learning Theory. Additional literature investigation on Shinrin-yoku and Therapeutic Landscapes have helped to shape the final programme and design. Along with relevant precedent studies, a design has been proposed called Hana's Place, a transitional housing facility that is aimed at being a place survivors of domestic violence can call home.

This paper analyzes how female leaders affect the attitudes towards women in Nicaragua and Brazil. It discusses general and specific literature on the historical and current situations in each country. It analyzes the effects colonialism, culture, religion, traditions and the law have on the perceptions of women. The paper further analyzes and measures how past and current female leaders like President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro and President Dilma Rouseff affect people’s views towards women. The rates of violence against woman and domestic abuse in Nicaragua and Brazil are analyzed and compared to Latin America and the world. This paper argues that women in positions of leadership lead to changes in the general attitudes towards women, but it is not clear if women leaders decrease the rates of violence against women.

This study uses qualitative research consisting of six semi-structural interviews of treatment workers who, in various capacities, have worked with men who use violence against their female partners. The purpose has been to show what the treatment counselor understand to be the reasons behind the men’s violence, what kind of backgrounds and problems they believe these abusers have and, lastly, how they view the male abusers as clients. The empirical data was analyzed through four perspectives and explanatory models derived from the past thirty years of Scandinavian research on the reasons behind men’s violence against women. Connell’s theory of masculinity was used as a filter along with the four theoretical perspectives when interpreting the data. The study revealed that the respondents found no consistent group of men who abuse. The respondents brought up reasons such as possible earlier exposure to violence, fear of abandonment, jealousy, feelings of powerlessness, and failed expectations of gender roles to be some consistent causes behind the violence. In general, according to the treatment workers, the male abusers they encounter tend to struggle with their self-image and how they fulfill perceived male ideals.

Paper one: The attitudes and reasoning of abusive behaviour in adolescents who have been exposed to domestic abuse Exposure to domestic abuse in childhood can go on to negatively affect every aspect of that individual’s life. During adolescence, the impact of exposure to domestic abuse may go beyond the borders of the family and the individual, and affect the development of intimate relationships. This study explores the attitudes and reasoning of eleven young people who have been exposed to domestic abuse and are displaying perpetrator behaviours. Results reveal a complex interaction between experiences and skill deficits at a crucial time of identity formation, resulting in the formation and maintenance of destructive attitudes and contradictory reasoning about abusive behaviour. The direct implications of this study, suggestions for further research, and for Educational Psychology Services are discussed. Paper two: An evaluation of an intervention for adolescents who have been exposed to domestic abuse and are displaying perpetrator behaviours Where domestic violence occurs, children and young people are likely to have been exposed to such abuse. Evidence suggests that this is likely to have a detrimental impact on them. There is an acute gap in provision for such individuals, despite evidence suggesting a link between exposure to domestic abuse in childhood, and involvement in abusive dating relationships in late adolescence and adulthood. There has been little research testing the effectiveness of intervention programmes which aim to reduce this risk. In this study a before and after design was used to evaluate a cognitive-behavioural intervention programme for young people who have been exposed to domestic abuse and are displaying abusive behaviours. This evaluation was based on the views of the young people on this programme. Results indicate that certain elements of the programme were more successful in achieving the programme aims. Considerations for the development of further programmes which target this client group are discussed.

The co-occurrence of domestic violence (DV) and child maltreatment is high. Response to both problems has historically been via two different systems. However, child protection workers are increasingly asked to respond to this co-occurrence since research has identified that exposure to DV can negatively impact on children and that child maltreatment often co-occurs with DV. This study looks at child protection systems response to families affected by DV by using two research methods. First, a systematic review was conducted using research papers focusing on child protection workers response to families experiencing DV. Second, a critical discourse analysis of current Australian child protection policies was conducted. Findings from the systematic review show that child protection workers' response to abused mothers went from treating them as 'mad' in the 1980s, to labelling them 'failure to protect' in the 1990s and early 2000. These findings showed continued focus on abused mothers rather than on perpetrators of DV. Some contradictions were found around child removal data. However, important links were found between re-notification of children and subsequent removal. Findings from the Australian policy analysis revealed that most policies referred to DV as a child protection issue and used a feminist definition of DV. However, not all states had detailed guidelines on how to intervene safely and effectively with families affected by DV. Discussions and recommendations focus around the pressing need for more DV expertise within child protection systems. It also discusses the issue of responsibility placed on abused mothers while perpetrators of DV remain invisible. Finally, it discusses the response to children exposed to DV compared to the response to children exposed to DV who are also victim of direct child maltreatment. The key recommendations of this study are to have DV expertise within the child protection systems, to empower abused mothers rather than blaming them, which implies putting the responsibility back on the perpetrator of DV and to have resources and systems in place before responding to child exposure to DV as child maltreatment per se.