Policy Framings of Domestic Violence and Abuse and the Consequential Impacts on Professional Interactions with Relationships of Adult Family Violence.

Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) holds a prolific space in research, however, there is increasing consideration that understandings of DVA are based around a heteronormative ‘public story’ of intimate partner violence (IPV) (Donovan & Hester, 2014). In comparison, other relationships have not received the same attention. Research on adult family homicide has shown that this is a potentially complex form of DVA (Bracewell et al, 2022) therefore this lack of research is disappointing. This is exacerbated by risk assessment development, aimed to prevent and reduce harm, being based upon intimate partner homicide data. Therefore it is unclear whether adult family violence (AFV) is adequately responded to in practice.

Using a ‘messy methodology’, this PhD explores whether the ‘public story’ of DVA as IPV has impacted experiences of risk assessing and responding to AFV. Drawing on documentary policy analysis, mixed methods analysis of police case file information and qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, this PhD explores how policy framings of DVA and risk shape organisational practices and practice interactions.

Preliminary findings presented in this poster highlight how policy framings of DVA as a relationship of power and control between two actors overlooks the complexity of AFV. This impacts practice with practitioners highlighting tensions in using standard safety planning and risk assessment measures for these relationships. This suggests a need to develop guidance on the nuances of AFV and provide practical guidance for practitioners on risk assessing this typology of DVA.

Bracewell, K., Jones, C., Haines-Delmont, A., Craig, E., Duxbury, J., and Chantler, K. (2022), “Beyond intimate partner relationships: utilising domestic homicide reviews to prevent adult family domestic homicide”, Journal of Gender-Based Violence 6, 3, 535-550, available from: < https://doi.org/10.1332/239868021X16316184865237

Donovan. C, & Hester. M, (2014), Domestic violence and sexuality: what’s love got to do with it? Bristol, Policy Press