Tackling Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence

“Domestic abuse is everyone’s business, and it is vital that every agency in our communities – from health to education to banks – comes together systemically to protect victims and survivors and hold perpetrators to account. As a champion of the Coordinated Community Response in the UK, I strongly welcome the systems-focus of this important new collection. Dr Olumide Adisa is a foremost expert on domestic abuse who gets involved not just academically but also in her own community, and this gives her a unique perspective on how to make systems work for victims and survivors in reality. I encourage academics, policymakers, partnerships, practitioners and other experts to make use of this important new work.” —Nicole Jacobs, The Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales This edited book brings together a range of expert voices – academics, researchers, practitioners, activists, and policy leads – who are responding to domestic and sexual violence (DASV) in various settings. The chapters are united in the need to embed systemic responses to these social issues within a broader accountability and support system. It provides a timely and refreshing take on tackling a pervasive social issue at a time of increased complexity and crisis while exploring the real-world consequences and impacts of service provision at a systems level, emphasising the need for greater coordination and alignment. Olumide Adisa is Senior Research Fellow at the University of Suffolk and Complex Systems Theory Lead/Co-Investigator at VISION at City University, London, UK. She founded the Domestic Abuse Research Network (DARNet). As an engaged academic in the sector, she brings an enormous breadth and depth of knowledge and experience on domestic abuse, improving services and commissioning for all victims/survivors, and developing complex systems change approaches for violence prevention and mitigation. Emma Bond is Pro-Vice Chancellor Research and Professor of Socio-Technical Research at the University of Suffolk, UK. Emma has extensive research experience focusing on online risk and vulnerable groups, image-based abuse (sexting and revenge pornography), online harassment, domestic abuse, and sexual abuse, and she is internationally renowned for her work on online safeguarding.