Promoting Health in Health and Social Care Settings
Introduction
This
report will define Domestic Abuse and identify the need to promote
awareness of this issue, setting the aims of the promotion, resources
used to achieve these aims, and achieve a successful health promotion.
It
will demonstrate national statistics to support the need to promote
this issue and reflect why the team felt it was important to the target
group.
The report will reflect the Health Promotion theories that
support the need met by this promotion, and explain the “Approach” taken
and why it was chosen as apposed to others and demonstrate how it fits
into Tannahill’s (1985) model of health promotion.
The report will
conclude with an evaluation of the promotion demonstrating Impact
process and outcome and a summary of what lessons the team has learned
that could be included to improve future promotions.
What Is Domestic Abuse
Domestic
abuse as defined by Women's Aid's is “physical, sexual, psychological
or financial violence that takes place within an intimate or family-type
relationship and that forms a pattern of coercive and
controlling
behavior. This can include forced marriage and so-called 'honor crimes'.
Domestic violence may include a range of abusive behaviors, not all of
which are in themselves inherently 'violent'. HYPERLINK
"http://www.womensaid.org.uk" http://www.womensaid.org.uk
And as
defined by Telford and Wrekin council domestic abuse is “any violent or
abusive behavior used by one person to dominate and control another
within a close personal or family relationship”. “Physical, (kicking,
punching etc), emotional, (bullying, isolation, undermining), verbal,
(name calling, shouting etc), threatening, (to harm, kill another,
including
pets or yourself), or financial, (not allowing money, personal items
etc)” Telford and Wrekin, council Community Living)
Needs for promoting awareness of Domestic violence
Domestic abuse is a “social illness” and social taboo which affects 1 in 4 woman and 1 in 6 men in the UK.
UK
police receive a call reporting domestic abuse every 60 seconds. On
average, 35 attacks occur before women seek help”. According to Telford
and Wrekin Council, (community living web page, Woman as victims)
“The
figures on the extent of violence against men vary; the 2001/02 British
Crime Survey (BCS) found that 19% of domestic violence
incidents reported were male victims and just under half of these were by a female perpetrator”.
The
cost of Domestic abuse as outlined by Baker, I.(2007) in his report no
blame no shame, (2002 – 2007 ) is that there were 1827 incidents of
domestic abuse reports from 1st April 2002 to 31st March 2003, which was
an increase of 5.5% when comparing the same period in previous years.
The
real cost is much higher if we consider the knock on affect and
emotional and physiological effects on the children, family friends and
other associates of victims of domestic abuse.
Independent social
work consultant trainer and therapist Alix Brown suggests that children
who suffer are chronically abused may develop hyperaeousal, manipulative
skills, dissociative symptoms, psychosomatic symptoms, self-blame and
guilt, violence (rage) against others and self and passivity/ placating
behaviors. Brown, A. (2002) Lecture New Options Collage Telford.
In a
report for the Princes Trust on violent victims in 1995 it was stated
that (“200 of the 781 young people (10-17) held in secure accommodation
or prison for section53 offenses.
91% had experienced abuse or loss in early life. (In only 18 cases was there no evidence of abuse or lose of carer)
72% had experience of physical, sexual or organized and ritual abuse.
29% had suffered sexual abuse.
40% had suffered physical abuse including beatings and kicking’s
57% had suffered loss of cared through death or cessation of contact.
Of those sexually abused four out of five were victims of family members.”) “The Guardian”, 33.05.95.
Reflecting the impact this hidden social illness can have in respect of the wider community.
The
statistics suggest that for every 1000 females attending TCAT,
(including staff), 250 will experience Domestic abuse during their life
and for every 1000 males including staff, 166 will experience Domestic
abuse.
This suggests a need to heighten awareness within the college of this social taboo.
Aims and objectives
Domestic
violence is a serious 'hidden social issue and taboo subject that can
affect many people within the family, not just adults, but children are
affected by what is seen or heard or are themselves victims of the
violence.
With such high statistics the issue remains a taboo subject
largely as a result of shame, fear and stereotyping and therefore
remains a hidden social illness. The aims and objectives of this
promotion are to educate and raise awareness of Domestic Abuse, the
issues that can arise in respect of domestic abuse and the affects of
this on health.
The team felt that the approaches best suited for this promotion where
the
ideas of Tannahill (1985) which encourages the process of enhancing
health and reducing risk of ill health through the overlapping spheres
of health education ,health protection decease prevention. Brown, A.
(2002) Lecture New Options Collage Telford.
The team believed that
there was a normative, felt and expressed need for this promotion and
the models of health that were best suited to achieve the objective
were those of Beattie,(1991) Tones(1995) and Aziens and Fishbein(1990) s
they followed best the humanist and holistic ideas of health. Domestic
abuse is a multi cultural and social problem and by following these
health models it was possible to educate and raise awareness by sharing
information and therefore empowering people to then encourages societal
change.
The awareness campaign
The team, Jacqueline Haynes, June
Mackendrick and former police officer Duncan Vincent, were each
responsibly for individual tasks relating to aspects of the
presentation. These tasks included requirement list for, organization
of display stand presentation, shopping for items, contacting various
organizations for promotional materials and putting together
Questionnaire.
Other tasks involved on line research, printing information etc,
compiling a PowerPoint presentation with facts and figures on the
subject to be displayed on stand in video form with music that was hoped
would draw the younger audience to the stand, a poem on social taboo
for display was also written.
Evaluation
The Health promotion was received well with lots of interest from staff, students and visitors.
Female
students appeared to be more aware of the issues and facts and the
general consensus was that there was a need for public awareness to be
raised in order to eradicate not just the issue itself but the connected
stigma attached to this social taboo.
With more clients filling
in the questionnaire than originally expected. The team estimated that
due to the subject matter, a total of 30 questionnaires were prepared.
In the end there were a total of 50 completed. The aim was to obtain
results from a range of ages from male and females, students, staff and
visitors. This was successfully achieved. There were 12 questions all
based on knowledge of Domestic Abuse, the causes and help available. A
number of helpline numbers leaflets were taken by visitors to the
display, some students were surprised that perpetrators received help.
The
results of the survey indicated that the 16 – 21 age groups in both
male and female groups was more aware of the issue with the females in
the same age group reflecting more awareness than males.
Across all
age groups, awareness was indicated but not the reasons, or number of
complaints received each year by the authorities.
Within the 40 + group, females showed more awareness, reasons and number of complaints than males.
According
to Telford and Wrekin council, (woman’s refuge), power and control are
the reasons behind Domestic abuse, out of the 50 replies relating to the
reasons, only 3 gave the correct answer. Majority of answers cited
other reasons i.e. drink, drugs, stress, unemployment and mental illness
as being the main reasons.
The need to raise awareness is apparent
public awareness and intervention from Police, social services, medical
professionals and the legal system are needed to help both the victims
and perpetrator. Conclusion
This was the fist promotion on Domestic
Abuse at TCAT and presented a successful event conclusion. It provided
insight into public awareness on the subject through a range of ages.
Highlighting that the subject is known in society but remains a social
taboo and hidden social decease.
REFERANCES
Aziens and Fishbein (1990)
Baker, I (2007) Telford and Wrekin domestic violence strategy no blame no shame 2002/7 England Telford and Wrekin
Beattie,(1991)
Brown, A. (2002) Lecture New Options Collage Telford.
Ewles And Simmett(1995) Promoting Health
HYPERLINK
"http://www.telford.gov.uk/Community+living/Safer+communities/Male+Victims+of+Domestic+Violence.htm" http://www.telford.gov.uk/Community+living/Safer+communities/Male+Victims+of+Domestic+Violence.htm
HYPERLINK
"http://www.telford.gov.uk/Community+living/Safer+communities/Women+as+victims.htm" http://www.telford.gov.uk/Community+living/Safer+communities/Women+as+victims.htm
HYPERLINK "http://www.womensaid.org.uk" http://www.womensaid.org.uk
“The Guardian”, 33.05.95.
Tones(1995)
HYPERLINK
"http://www.telford.gov.uk/Community+living/Safer+communities/What+is+domestic+violence.htm" www.telford.gov.uk/Community+living/Safer+communities/What+is+domestic+violence.htm
www. wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_violence
West Mercia Constabulary – together working for safety and justice poster, Home truths – end domestic violence.
