Academics from the University of Worcester have been delivering specialist training to those working with perpetrators of domestic abuse, as part of a £3m research project.
Colleagues in the University's Centre for Violence Prevention and Psychology department have led the work with substance abuse service professionals, training them to lead group sessions on addressing violent and abusive behaviour in those they are working with. They delivered the training alongside colleagues from UK organisation RESPECT.
This training, run at the University's City Campus, forms a key part in a wider study, led by King's College London, which explores the relationship between substance misuse and domestic abuse.
The ADVANCE five-year study looks at males in substance misuse treatment who perpetrate intimate partner violence. It is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research funding stream. The aim is to develop an effective intervention for these men, which will ultimately improve the wellbeing of survivors in such relationships, reducing demand on the NHS for support services. As part of the study, researchers have interviewed perpetrators and their current or ex-partners for their views on what they think is needed and what treatments might be helpful, and have evaluated existing therapies. From there, the team, of whom a number are also consultant practitioners as well as senior academics, developed the intervention.
As part of this five-year programme of research, the ADVANCE intervention will be delivered in substance use treatment services in three areas: Bristol, London and Wolverhampton. The University of Worcester has been leading on the intervention development and staff training.
The University of Worcester's Centre for Violence Prevention is an international centre of excellence in violence prevention research, education and advocacy. It brings together a multidisciplinary team of academics and practitioners who develop and disseminate evidence-based practice.
Professor Liz Gilchrist, Head of the Centre for Violence Prevention, Forensic Psychologist, who led the intervention development team, said: "We hope our intervention will prove effective as it will be available to those in community services, and should help to tackle perpetrators" behaviour, in turn helping reduce the impact on adult victims/survivors which is the long-term goal of the programme. Through this programme we aim to gain a better understanding of the correlation between substance misuse and partner abuse and how best to help those affected. If our work proves successful, we hope that such techniques could be rolled out further afield."
To learn more about the research programme please visit the KCL webpage and subscribe to our blog https://blogs.kcl.ac.uk/advance/
There are a limited number of places available to start in September 2018 for well-qualified applicants.
For more information visit www.worcester.ac.uk or call 01905 855111.