Domestic abuse support
Give your Polish clients the opportunity to learn about the nature of domestic abuse, its impact on them and their children
Domestic abuse remains to be a hidden problem in the Polish community. We know that domestic violence in Polish families can be dangerous - almost half of the women who contacted our Polish Domestic Violence Helpline were at a high risk of serious harm or death. The recent report on domestic homicides and suspected victim suicides in 2020-2023 prepared by the National Police Chief's Council, College of Policing and the Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme shows that victims of Polish nationality were the second most common after victims of British nationality across the three-year dataset. Polish was also the next most commonly recorded nationality for suspects after the British.
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Polish perpetrators of domestic violence often don't receive enough attention and support to help them address their behaviours that led to the breakdown of their families. They often pose a risk to victims even after separation. They also struggle to come to terms with failed relationships and are very reluctant to ask for help. Suicide rates among Polish men are one of the highest in the EU, and men tend to end their lives five times more often than women.
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We help Polish victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse to reduce their fear of speaking up about their experiences and guide them to the most appropriate support. We help them understand the nature of abuse and its impact on them and their children and empower them to move forward with their lives.
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How can we help?
“I feel more confident now. I know that I will manage on my own if I leave my partner.
I will try to have a “healthy” family. I will never give up. I am my own person.”
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“I understand now that I am not the only one in this situation. I understand my strengths better and I know how to protect myself and my children”
Support for victims/survivors
The Gateway Programme
The Accredited and evidence-based domestic violence recovery and awareness programme for victims was designed and developed by Tools4Change CIC, who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of those who have experienced controlling abusive relationships.
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We worked closely with them to adapt the programme for Polish clients and have successfully delivered it to groups and individuals since 2015.
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Aim of the programme: to raise awareness of domestic abuse, assist the recovery and encourage safer and informed choices for the future
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Objectives:​
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Promote an active understanding of the dynamics of controlling relationships.
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Reduce isolation, self-blame, denial and minimisation
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Improve safety planning strategies.
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Increase understanding of the impact of domestic abuse on parenting skills and children’s lives.
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Consider potential early warning signs in new relationships.
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Identify support mechanisms through formal and informal provision.
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Duration:
one-to-one - 5 weeks - 1,5-hour sessions; group course - 6 weeks - 2-hour sessions
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The referrers are provided with a report detailing the client's engagement and recommendations for further support.
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We offer the course remotely to clients living in all parts of England and Wales.
The sessions are facilitated by our accredited Gateway facilitators, who are Polish-speaking Independent Domestic Violence Advocates. They have extensive practical knowledge of the British care system and a wealth of experience supporting victims at all risk levels.
"Vesta's course has equipped me with a map for life that I should follow. The choice was mine alone.
I have discovered areas of my personality that I had not known before. I have learnt to show emotions and control them.
Vesta's course and my work on myself have taught me assertiveness, empathy, and taught me to accept other people's opinions and criticism - now, I can consider the other person's opinion, although I do not always agree with it."
Support for perpetrators
Towards Change Programme
The programme has been designed by an experienced probation officer specifically for Polish perpetrators. It aims to improve clients' understanding of abusive behaviour and its impact on their families and themselves, to increase clients' knowledge about safe methods of managing their behaviour by gaining more insight into their thoughts, feelings and emotions and to increase the safety of victims of domestic violence.
Aim of the programme: explore and start addressing perpetrators’ issues and to give them foundations for further work on their beliefs and behaviour.
​Objectives:​
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Improve clients’ understanding of abusive behaviours.
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Increase understanding of the impact of their abusive behaviours on children, partners and themselves.
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Increase clients’ knowledge about safe methods of managing their behaviour by gaining more insight into their thoughts, feelings and emotions.
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Increase the safety of victims.
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Duration:
one-to-one - 6 weeks - 1,5-hour sessions
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We deliver this programme in close cooperation with the referring agency and an organisation that supports victims. We also offer partner support to ensure the safety of the family during our involvement with clients.
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​​Referrers are provided with a written report summarising outcomes achieved during the programme and outlining recommendations for future support.
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We offer the course remotely to clients living in all parts of England and Wales.
The sessions are facilitated by a Polish-speaking specialist who has worked for the National Probation Service since 2006 and supported different types of offenders from low to high risk on a one-to-one basis and in group work. She delivered a variety of accredited programmes, including the Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme (IDAP) and Building Better Relationships (BBR). She is also a qualified and practising counsellor registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews (former Domestic Homicide Reviews)
Expert advice
We work with Domestic Abuse Related Death Review panels in cases involving Polish nationals.
The reviews are conducted when the death of a person aged 16 or over has, or appears to have, resulted from violence, abuse or neglect by an intimate partner, ex-partner, family member or member of the same household.
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The purpose is to establish what can be learned from death regarding how local professionals and organisations work individually and together to safeguard victims.
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We share our expertise on domestic violence within Polish families and help the panel recognise cultural aspects of the situation.
We can assist the panel with contacting relatives in Poland to ensure that their views are heard and considered in the report.
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We can offer training sessions to panel members about domestic abuse in Polish families and cultural differences affecting engagement with families.
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We are pioneers in domestic abuse support for Polish people in the UK. We set up the first UK-wide Polish domestic violence helpline and developed specialist services for Polish victims and perpetrators to address their complex needs. We organised two national conferences raising awareness of domestic abuse in Polish families. In 2017, we were a shortlisted finalist for the prestigious Diversity Award in the gender category, a great recognition of our work with Polish women who experienced domestic violence. We have over ten years of experience in supporting Polish victims of domestic abuse through direct support, publications, events and expert advice.