‘I think it just made everything very much more intense’: A qualitative secondary analysis exploring the role of friends and family providing support to survivors of domestic abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic, and associated social restrictions, have amplified women’s experiences of domestic abuse (DA). In usual times, female DA survivors reach out to those around them (friends, family members, neighbors, and colleagues) for support. Accessing of both professional and informal support by survivors has increased during the pandemic. Informal supporters are often deeply invested and immersed in situations of DA because of the closeness of relationships. The accounts of informal supporters are rarely sought, yet these are people who may have a considerable awareness of what is happening. The aim of this study was to explore how the pandemic had impacted people’s assessment of abusive situations and their ability to provide informal support. This paper reports a secondary analysis of qualitative data collected in 2020 in England. The data were gathered in 18 in-depth interviews with people who knew a female friend, relative, neighbor, or colleague who had experienced DA. The age range of participants was 25–69 years, three were men and fifteen were women. A reflexive thematic analysis was carried out. Findings indicated: (i) the pandemic had changed people’s ability to read situations and assess risk (ii) perpetrators were exploiting the pandemic to further abuse (iii) within the context of the pandemic there was additional challenge to offering support (iv) informal supporters found creative ways to remain in-touch and to continue offering support. Further research with informal supporters is needed to ascertain how best to support and equip people, without imposing an impossible burden

Session A4: Monitoring Fish Pass Performance: Towards a European Standard

Abstract: We need more, and better, fish pass performance data in order to inform and improve on our current fish pass designs. Relatively few fish pass construction projects currently budget for accompanying monitoring programmes and those monitoring studies that do take place vary widely in terms of the terminology and methodology used. This variability of data and lack of transferable knowledge is a major constraint on the development of fish pass design internationally. In order to maximise the benefit from expensive monitoring studies, the results need to be pooled and compared, which is not possible when studies measure different efficiency and effectiveness metrics. A standardised approach which defines the terminology, metrics and provides a framework for experimental design to achieve robust measurement of these metrics would help to address this issue. Standardising fish pass evaluation would help to improve the accuracy of efficiency and effectiveness estimates and provide information in a transferable form that can then be used to compare across studies and fish pass types, ultimately improving fish pass designs. Methodological standards in Europe are developed through the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN); typically taking 3 years to reach publication. A ‘Fish Pass Evaluation’ New Work Item proposal has been submitted to CEN with the UK’s Environment Agency leading the project. This presentation will provide an outline of the CEN Standards process, the vision for what a fish pass monitoring standard could contain and an update on progress. It is hoped that this will stimulate discussion and involvement from fish passage scientists, both within and beyond the 33 Member States, which is critical to the successful development, implementation and potential exportation of a European Standard, thereby increasing the pool of comparable data

The Impact on Informal Supporters of Domestic Violence Survivors:A Systematic Literature Review

Domestic violence (DV) is experienced by 1 in 4 women in the United Kingdom during their lifetime, and most survivors will seek informal support from the people around them, even if they choose not to access help from professionals. Support from these relatives, friends, neighbors, and colleagues can provide a buffer against effects on the survivor’s physical health, mental health, and quality of life, and has been shown to be protective against future abuse. There has been an absence of research studying members of survivors’ networks and, in particular, investigating how the impact of DV might diffuse to affect them. A systematic literature review of reported research (either in peer-reviewed journals or in gray literature) was undertaken to explore the impacts of DV on survivor networks. Of the articles found, 24 had data relating to the topic area, though no study addressed the question directly. Framework analysis and meta-ethnography generated the following themes: physical health impacts, negative impacts on psychological well-being, direct impacts from the perpetrator, and beneficial impacts on psychological well-being. The studies in this review indicated that informal supporters may be experiencing substantial impact, including vicarious trauma and the risk of physical harm. Currently, there is little support available which is directly aimed at informal supporters of DV survivors, thus these findings have practical and policy implications, in order to acknowledge and meet their needs. </jats:p

Qualitative study to explore the health and well-being impacts on adults providing informal support to female domestic violence survivors

Objectives Domestic violence (DV) is hazardous to survivors\u27 health, from injuries sustained and from resultant chronic physical and mental health problems. Support from friends and relatives is significant in the lives of DV survivors; research shows associations between positive support and the health, well-being and safety of survivors. Little is known about how people close to survivors are impacted. The aim of this study was exploratory, with the following research question: what are the health and well-being impacts on adults who provide informal support to female DV survivors?Design A qualitative study using semistructured interviews conducted face to face, by telephone or using Skype. A thematic analysis of the narratives was carried out.Setting Community-based, across the UK.Participants People were eligible to take part if they had had a close relationship (either as friend, colleague or family member) with a woman who had experienced DV, and were aged 16 or over during the time they knew the survivor. Participants were recruited via posters in community venues, social media and radio advertisement. 23 participants were recruited and interviewed; the majority were women, most were white and ages ranged from mid-20s to 80.Results Generated themes included: negative impacts on psychological and emotional well-being of informal supporters, and related physical health impacts. Some psychological impacts were over a limited period; others were chronic and had the potential to be severe and enduring. The impacts described suggested that those providing informal support to survivors may be experiencing secondary traumatic stress as they journey alongside the survivor.Conclusions Friends and relatives of DV survivors experience substantial impact on their own health and well-being. There are no direct services to support this group. These findings have practical and policy implications, so that the needs of informal supporters are legitimised and met