domestic & sexual violence the human response · the human response “coercive control”...

Sheila Simons - Chair, SEDVP

Paula McQuade – Vice Chair, Ards & N Down PCSP

Zoe Lodrick

DOMESTIC & SEXUAL VIOLENCE THE HUMAN RESPONSE

“Coercive Control” Sheila Simons

Chair SE Domestic Violence Partnership

#humanresponse

Brainwashing ?

Is an invasive form of influence.

It requires the complete isolation and dependency of the subject. The abuser (brainwasher) must have complete control over the victim so that sleep patterns, eating, using the bathroom and the fulfilment of other basic human needs depend on the will of the abuser. In the brainwashing process the abuser systematically breaks down the victims identity to the point that it doesn’t work anymore. The abuser then replaces with it with another set of behaviours, attitudes and beliefs that works in the victims current environment,

The effects of the process are more often short term, the brainwashed victim’s old identity is not in fact eradicated by the process, but instead is in hiding and once the new identity stops being reinforced the persons old attitudes and beliefs will start to return.

Barriers to disclosure

For Victims Fear that disclosure and accepting help will be worse than the current situation and could be fatal Minimise experiences and not define them as domestic violence Fear children will be taken into care. Fear the perpetrator will find them again through lack of confidentiality. Fear death Believe perpetrator’s promise that it will not happen again Feel shame and embarrassment and may believe it is their fault. Fear that there will not be follow up support Fear abuser will have them detained Fear they will be deported Fear they will expose the family to dishonour Fear an escalation of violence/past use of weapons/animal abuse (disturbing correlation between

cruelty to animals and domestic violence control) Be scared what the future will hold. Be isolated from family/friends Previous poor experience when they disclosed. Be dependant on abuser as their carer. Simply not ready

Intimate Interpersonal Trauma:

Neuroscience, threat response in humans and

implications for investigation & safeguarding

Zoe Lodrick

Psychotherapist

Human response to

threat…....

Brain function when threatened.........

Amygdala

Thalamus

Hippocampus

Cortex

high arousal

Hypothalamus

Chemical release

The amygdala mediated response:

Brain function when threatened.........

Amygdala

Thalamus

Hippocampus

Cortex

3/1000 second after sensory input a pulse

goes to cortex: “what are you making of this”.

high arousal

Hypothalamus

Chemical release

Human defensive

responses to threat....

The Five Fs: Defensive fear responses

Friend

Fight

Flight

Freeze

Flop

active defences

passive defences

The amygdala mediated response:

Brain function when threatened.........

Amygdala

Thalamus

Hippocampus

Cortex

3/1000 second after sensory input a pulse

goes to cortex: “what are you making of this”.

high arousal

Hypothalamus

Broca’s

Wernicke’s

‘Fear chemicals’ suppress left

hemispheric functioning.

Chemical release

explicit

memory

implicit

memory

Attachment; its awfully

useful…....

Attachment in action:

A B A

C

C

C

C C

Attachment in action expanded:

A B A

C

C

C

C C

Trauma bonds…....

Bonding is a survival strategy.....

The amygdala will prioritise the

preservation of attachment over individual

threat response.

There are many, many examples of love

overcoming fear.........

Bonding / attachment is more vital to the

survival of the human species than one

individual’s life!

Trauma bonds (or ‘Stockholm Syndrome’)

Foundation: Perceived threat to integrity.

Harsh treatment interspaced with small kindnesses.

Isolation from perspectives other than the ‘abuser’s’.

Perceived inability to escape.

Develops after only 4 days.....

Trauma bonds cont...

Symptoms: Positive feelings toward ‘abuser’.

Negative feelings toward potential ‘rescuers’.

Support of ‘abuser’s’ reasons and behaviour.

Inability to engage in behaviours that will assist release / detachment.

Trauma is cyclic…....

Relational patterns persist.

A psychologically

healthy individual

An individual

with a few

‘psychological

knocks and

scrapes’

A nice fit............

A poor fit............

feels empty

A nice fit............

Man hands on misery to man.... (Phillip Larkin; ‘this be the verse’)

Feeling ‘bent out of shape’....

The

professional

Highlighting the

psychological

injury

The challenge for professionals....

The new psychological shape....

Categories of

psychological trauma….

Three main categories:

• Primary

• Secondary

• Vicarious

All can be

accumulative

The accumulative nature

of trauma…....

The ‘trauma pot’

The ‘trauma pot’ overwhelmed......

The ‘trauma pot’ accumulatively

overwhelmed......

Contact details:

zoe.lodrick@googlemail.com

077 3646 3050

www.zoelodrick.co.uk

TEA and CONSENT

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