domestic & sexual violence the human response · the human response “coercive control”...
TRANSCRIPT
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:
077 3646 3050
www.zoelodrick.co.uk
