Our Training Courses: Why Doesn’t She (Just) Leave?

10 Jan 2019

One of the most frequently asked questions in relation to domestic abuse is ‘Why doesn’t she just leave? We hear the question time after time.  But, to keep women safe, we must understand the barriers that stand in the way of her leaving. To support women to leave, we need to know, and remember, that: 

• the risk of staying may be very high but simply leaving the relationship does not guarantee that the abuse will stop 
  
  
• the most dangerous time for a woman is at the point of separation and for a period after she leaves
  
  
• 75% of women murdered by an ex-partner are killed within 12 months of leaving
  
  
• women, more than anyone else, know the dangers and their fear is very real

Our “Why Doesn’t She Leave” training session examines this complex area in detail.  We highlight research into domestic abuse and leaving the relationship and look at particular challenges in the areas of domestic abuse, child protection and child contact where there is little, if any, integration between services with each having separate and contradictory approaches. 

At our most recent training session, held last month, attendees from different agencies and organisations came together to learn more and to work collaboratively to assist women at this most difficult of times. These are some of their comments around what they felt they took away from the session: 

• “I’m thinking much more about supporting women to increase their available space, space for movement – no longer just about trying to "convince" them to leave” 
  
  
• “I have a better understanding of the escalation of risk to safety following leaving a relationship” 
  
  
• “this helps me to understand what they have to go through when they decide to leave and after they leave”

Grampian Women’s Aid are specialist trainers providing a range of training courses to practitioners and agencies.  Our training sessions are aimed at helping attendees to understand the complexities of domestic abuse and to help then make informed decisions in a professional or personal capacity.  Each course has been prepared to the exacting standards of the Scottish Women’s Aid organisation, drawing on over 40 years’ experience of working with women, children and young people affected by domestic abuse alongside academic research and learning.

To find out more about the training courses we offer in 2019 and how to book, please follow this link:  http://grampian-womens-aid.com/training/