Activate: Sixteen Conversations about Gender-based Violence: Recent Episodes
Anna Knight
Created for 2022's 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based violence campaign, Activate aims to bring you up-to-date and intersectional views on gender-based violence and domestic abuse. Our guests are a mix of survivors and professionals working in the field of gender-based violence, and each has an important message about how we can unite to end gender-based violence for good. Bring an open mind and prepare to be inspired to carry out some easy activism yourself!
Today my conversation is with Dr Susanna Petche, a medical doctor who works with a holistic treatment approach, integrating medicine together with a personal and academic understanding of psychological trauma. Scientists have more evidence than ever before revealing the intertwined relationship between the mind and body. We see this with gut health's influence over our mental health, but we also see it with the very real physical manifestations of trauma on the body.
You'll hear about:
- Why we suppress traumatic experiences
- Our need for an expanded definition of trauma
- How our bodies process stressful events
- Links between trauma and health conditions
- Why the current separation between mind and body is artificial.
Find me: annaknight.com/links
Find Susanna: https://www.drsusannapetche.com/
Susanna's group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1380768415686192
Today my guest is Emily Jacob, founder of ReConnected Life as well as a dear friend and personal hero. We are discussing rape and sexual violence, an issue that affects more than 25% of women and 4% of men. This topic is sometimes left out of the conversation, but it's important to understand the nuances of it if we are to truly end gender-based violence.
You'll hear about:
- Who is affected by sexual violence
- What does and doesn't count as "rape"
- Why we need to believe survivors when they speak
- How to move the current picture forward
- What consent should be (enthusiastic and of course, sexy!)
Find me: www.annaknightcoach.com/links
Find Emily: https://reconnected.life/
How to challenge casual rape culture: https://www.bustle.com/p/what-to-say-when-someone-jokes-about-sexual-assault-3343722
Today my guest is Paul Withrington and we are discussing the intersection between domestic violence and modern slavery. Modern slavery is defined as "when an individual is exploited by others, for personal or commercial gain. Whether tricked, coerced, or forced, they lose their freedom." Far from being a small or localised issue, this is something we all need to bring our awareness to.
You'll hear about:
- What Modern Slavery is and what it might look like
- Why professionals need to be more aware of what to look for
- Empathy for those involved
- The overlap between gender-based violence and modern slavery
- Where we can start our awareness building and activism
Find me: www.annaknightcoach.com/links
Find Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-withrington-6624b613b/
Anti-slavery actions: https://www.antislavery.org/end-modern-slavery-five-ways/
Joining me today is Rosie Lyon, a financial abuse specialist, survivor, and winner of Young Banker of the Year worldwide in 2021. Financial and economic abuse are parts of coercive control, but as you'll hear the abuse often continues well beyond the end of the relationship and it is something that most survivors experience at some point.
You'll hear about:
- What we mean by the terms financial and economic abuse
- Rosie's own experiences with this type of abuse
- The four things needed to move financial services forward
- Rosie's 'Fairer Futures for Survivors' concept for lending
- Top tips if you are experiencing this yourself.
Find me: www.annaknight.com/links
Find Rosie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosie-sarah-lyon/
EDAC: edacuk.org/getinvolved or email info@edacuk.org
Today my guest is Suzanne Hamilton, a mental health practitioner and domestic violence practitioner. We discuss the support that survivors need after leaving the relationship and the impact that witnessing gender-based violence has on children and young people.
You'll hear about:
- The mental health conditions that might occur
- Different forms of psychological support
- Children's experiences of witnessing violence
- What "adverse childhood events" are and why we need to know about them
Find me: www.annaknightcoaching.com/links
Deserve to be heard campaign: https://deservetobeheard.womensaid.org.uk/take-action/
Conversation number four is with the incredible Amanda Warburton-Wynn. Amanda both works with and conducts research into the impact of domestic violence on older adults and people with disabilities. As you'll hear, people in these groups are uniquely vulnerable to being abused by members of their family and romantic partners.
You'll hear about:
- What we mean by "carer abuse"
- Why people with disabilities are more vulnerable
- The gaps in current services
- How we can move the picture forward and support these survivors.
Find me: www.annaknightcoach.com/links
Find the report: https://shapingourlives.org.uk/report/a-refuge-for-all-practice-toolkit/
Interview number three is with the wonderful Gemma Hinds. Gemma and I discuss non-fatal strangulation and why we all need to be aware of it. Non-fatal strangulation became its own offense earlier in 2022, but as you'll hear, public awareness of what it is and how severe the risks are is still lacking.
You'll hear about:
- what does (and doesn't) constitute non-fatal strangulation
- the longer-term risks for people who experience it
- what professionals need to know and ask
- what to do if this happens to you or someone you love
- how to support survivors when they disclose their experiences to you.
Find me: www.annaknightcoach.com/links
Find Anneli's guide to supporting survivors: https://pigletish.com/what-to-do-when-you-find-out-someone-you-love-is-a-victim-of-domestic-violence/
Conversation number two... interviewing Sam Billingham. Sam is the founder of SODA, which stands for Survivors of Domestic Abuse - her organisation raises awareness of domestic violence, reduces isolation for survivors and supports others focusing on life after abuse.
You'll hear about:
- What the term "coercive control" means
- The impact of coercive control on someone's life
- Sam's story of how her employer got things wrong for her
- Sam's "Acknowledge, Adapt and Address" motto for employers
- Signposting survivors to local and national support
Find me: www.annaknightcoach.com/links
Find Sam: https://sodahq.uk/
Sam's list of organisations that can help: https://sodahq.uk/signposting/
Conversation number one... interviewing myself. As a survivor of domestic abuse and a coach supporting women and nonbinary people who've experienced trauma, I believe that it's essential that we understand who domestic abuse actually affects, and how we move from where we are now to a better future.
You'll hear about:
- How the scope of domestic violence is hard to imagine for most people
- What 'The Freedom Programme' covers
- Who is most affected by gender-based violence
- My journey from support services to independence
- Rie Pearson's book - 'Be Kind, No Excuses'
Find me: www.annaknightcoach.com/links
Buy your copy of 'Be Kind, No Excuses': https://riepearson.com/product/be-kind-no-excuses-book/