Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 says that domestic abuse happens when someone behaves abusively towards another person they are ‘personally connected’ to.  This could be someone you’re married to, engaged to, in a relationship with, or related to.  Abuse can include:

• Physical abuse – like hitting, shoving, throwing things, or choking
• Sexual abuse – like pressuring someone into sex or touching them in ways they don’t want
• Emotional abuse – like putting someone down, controlling who they see, or isolating them from friends and family
• Threats and intimidation – like threatening to hurt or kill someone, following them, or harassing them
• Financial abuse – like controlling money or not giving someone enough money to live on
• Coercion and control – like stopping someone seeing friends, taking their money or telling them what they can and can’t do every day

The law also recognises that children are victims if they see, hear, or are affected by domestic abuse in their home.

At the Royal Devon, we take domestic abuse and sexual violence very seriously for both our patients and staff.  We aim to respond in a way that understands trauma and provides strong support:

• We have Health-Based Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) who support victims and help them get the right help through the Devon Domestic Abuse Alliance – ddaa.org.uk
• Our Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) support anyone who has been raped or sexually assaulted, providing healthcare, ongoing therapy, and help from Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) – sarchelp.co.uk

Royal Devon is committed to the NHS Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (DASV) Programme, set up in 2022 to improve how the NHS supports patients and staff affected by abuse.  The named lead for this work is Louise Barraclough, Associate Director of Safeguarding and MCA.