“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Aesop

At Aurora we are passionate about volunteering. Our CEO began her career as a volunteer on what was the local Portsmouth helpline and then with London Rape Crisis many years ago, and when the organisation was established, developing an active volunteer service was at the very top of our wish list.

Fast-forward to 2012 and our volunteer service began with the launch of our domestic abuse helpline*. Since then the service has gone from strength to strength, and the impact made by our volunteers has been felt across the service and beyond. As one example, the development and launch of Aurora New Dawn DVA cars™, was made possible because we were able to first pilot the service using our volunteers in 2012 during alcohol awareness week. These initial pilots enabled us to evidence the need for the service, resulting in the project achieving 3-year funding from the Big Lottery in 2015.

Currently the Aurora volunteer service provides out of hours support for the Portsmouth area, meaning that Portsmouth as a city has 24hr access for survivors of domestic abuse. Our volunteer helpline runs from 5pm to 8am Monday to Thursday and 24hrs over the weekend and bank holidays, picking up referrals and offering support when daytime services are closed. Most of our referrals are received from the Police, because the helpline offers immediate access to independent support for victims who might otherwise have to wait up to 48 hours (over a weekend, for example) before speaking to a specialist service. However, we also accept referrals from other professionals, and people can call the helpline themselves at any time during its hours of operation.

The total number of referrals into the Helpline Service for 2015/16 was 317. We work closely with Portsmouth City Council’s Early Intervention Project (EIP) and refer directly into their service to ensure victims receive ongoing support after their intial contact with the helpline. We also work in partnership with EIP to ensure coverage for survivors at peak times including bank holidays, major sporting events and over Christmas and the New Year.

What our volunteers say:

”Working for Aurora as a volunteer is an amazing experience and everyone is always there to support and help you. The service in itself is just great and has offered so many people the support to give them the courage to carry on and escape their situations”

“Volunteering for Aurora has given me so much insight into how brave survivors are. Their resourcefulness never fails to inspire me. I love being on the helpline.”

“What I enjoyed most was the realness of speaking to survivors; prior to volunteering, I had only ever read about domestic abuse or was told things through hearsay but this made it real and I valued myself as a human being to be able to allow another to have trust in me.”

“For me, it is great to be able to get involved and do my bit to help survivors of domestic abuse, the direct contact with the survivors is a real eye opener and I am amazed at how resourceful and strong people can be. It gives me a real sense of satisfaction to feel that I may have in some way helped or improved things for people.”

What survivors say about our volunteers:

• “Overwhelmed with how much support was available, thank you.”
• “Very friendly, helpful, good advice given, nice to talk to someone”

• “Kind – great to speak to.  Genuine and caring and supportive people who understand the issues of DV.”

• “They told her they would help her and they did.”

• “Felt help straight away.  Helped recognise other forms of abuse and gained knowledge.”

• “Really kind and helpful.”

• “Help and explanation Aurora gave was brilliant.”

• “Lots of support and felt very comfortable by knowing that there are services here to help.”

• “Very supportive and encouraging, would give her [volunteer] the best rating – very high level.”

• “Lovely people. Positive experience.”

 

The variety of skills and knowledge that our volunteers bring to Aurora is something we are incredibly proud of. Our volunteers make us richer as an organisation. Their passion and energy to support survivors in their own time motivates us as a charity to do more. And we are passionate about supporting our volunteers to grow and develop. Previous volunteers have used their experience to pursue careers in a variety of settings, including the National Probation Service, Housing, and work within other specialist domestic abuse services. Some of them even come to work for us! We’re extremely proud of the fact that a number of our current frontline team started working with us after volunteering on the helpline.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our volunteers for their time, commitment and energy. They truly are the backbone of the organisation, and give up their time for free to ensure that survivors have access to support whenever it is needed. We are lucky to have them on board.

Interested in volunteering? We are always looking for new volunteers. Time commitments are flexible and there is a full package of training provided. We are particularly interested in hearing from people with availability over peak times – including the summer holidays, Christmas and New Year. If you are want to find out more why not drop us a line at info@aurorand.org.uk

 

*Funded by the Hampshire and IOW Police and Crime Commissioner

An Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) is trained to look after the needs of victims of sexual violence, both historical and recent incidents. The role is primarily there to help survivors understand how the criminal justice process works and what other support is available to them.

If a victim does choose to go down the route of reporting to the police, the ISVA will assist them to understand what happens next in terms of reporting process, the court system and sometimes (depending on the acuteness of the incident) the importance and process of forensic DNA retrieval.

By contacting an ISVA this does not mean a survivor is expected to report to the police. The choice is always with the victim and whatever decision they make this will be respected by the advocate.

Our ISVA covers Portsmouth City and works very closely in partnership with the Early Intervention Project ISVA based within the city council team.*

What our ISVA has to say:

As an ISVA I offer practical and emotional support, advice & information for victims of rape and sexual abuse. There are many challenges facing victims and survivors of rape and sexual violence seeking justice in the criminal courts.

I work with survivors through the criminal justice system, providing individually tailored support when and where it’s most needed. I support women and men from the age of 16 years old from first disclosure and those who are contemplating reporting to police, through disclosure and through a police investigation.

If a case goes to trial I support the survivor through the Criminal Justice System and at court. I listen and assess the client’s risk and individual needs. I safety plan and risk assess as necessary.

I advocate on a client’s behalf to access support from other agencies such as:

• Police
• Health services
• Housing/Homelessness
• CAB -Benefits
• Counselling
• Social Care -CP meetings
• Legal advice

 

My role is:

• Increase their safety, those of their children and family
• Inform them of choices that are available
• Respect their decisions
• Keep the client informed of developments in their case
• Support the client before, during and after any court case
• Advocate on their behalf
• Liaise with the police, courts, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and other public agencies
• Create a safe environment to disclose sensitive and personal information
• Support them in whatever choices they make
• To build a professional rapport with all clients

 

CASE STUDY 1

I took a call in the office, from a woman who explained that she had found our number online. I asked her how I could help and she remained silent. I sensed her breathing on the end of the line, and had an innate feeling that she needed time, time to be heard and time to tell her story. I reassured her that she can take all the time she needs and that she had been really courageous in making the call today. She found her voice and started to tell me that a year ago she had been repeatedly raped by a man she had previously been in a relationship with.

Her voice was faltering and there were silences in between, and I knew that she needed to be given reassurance and the space to be heard. I told her that I did not need any details of the offences, but I wanted to create safe space where she could disclose this sensitive information.

I explained that to enable me to know how I can best support her and assess her risk and needs, I would like to go through some paperwork with her, including consent and confidentiality.

I met with the client that same week and we continue to speak or meet every week. One of my main roles was to build her trust and to empower her to take back some of the power and control that had been taken so violently from her, by someone she had once loved and trusted.

She has good days and bad days, which she recognises, and I have accompanied her to see her GP upon her request. My role there is to support her to attend, and to be her advocate, as she fears that she will not be able to find the words to explain how she is feeling and to be able to ask for what she wants from the doctor.

Currently, she is contemplating whether to make a report to the police. At this stage, she knows I am here for her, and alongside the weekly Portsmouth Abuse and Rape counselling service (PARCS)**, she is building her confidence and starting to consider her own needs now, and look ahead, rather than being rooted in the past and those feelings of what was done to her.

 

CASE STUDY 2

I received a Police referral through the secure email inbox with contact details for a woman who had been sexually abused as a child for many years, by her stepfather.

On first contact, I introduced myself and explained my role as an ISVA, to support her practically, emotionally, to sign post her to relevant agencies, and to advocate for her on her behalf. I explained that I would support her through the police investigation and though court if the perpetrator was charged.

This woman has lived with this for many years and has recently found the courage to tell her story. The impact on her direct family members has been significant; none of them knew about the abuse she received as a child. On reporting to the police she tells me she has found an inner peace, that now she has handed on this ‘terrible secret’ to the professionals.

Some of her family members have been interviewed and will be witnesses in court, if the perpetrator is charged. We met regularly at the Treetops Centre SARC, (sexual assault referral centre), a neutral place where she felt safe and able to express her fears and concerns.

This woman works full time and her manager is aware of the police investigation. There has been some unwanted indirect contact from extended family members, via social media, telling her to withdraw the allegations, but my client has acted quickly and sensibly, sending these messages direct to her police officer at Amberstone, the sexual offences unit in Portsmouth.

I work very closely with the unit at Amberstone, and when my client wanted an update on the investigation, the three of us met up to offer her reassurance whilst the police officer could tell her exactly what stage the investigation had reached.

Last week my client heard from the police that the perpetrator was being charged with the offences against her as a child. She rang me immediately, so we could talk things through, and explain each step as it would evolve, through the hearings and eventually at trial.

I have organised a pre-trial visit with her so we will attend a week before the trial so she can see the lay out of the court and meet the witness care staff. She has elected to have special measures, so she will have a curtain to shield her from the perpetrator when in court.

At the trial she has asked me to be with her. I will be there, by her side, supporting her. During the trial I will sit behind her, and am on hand to accompany her if she wants a break at any stage during the proceedings. She is ready and prepared to stand up in court and tell her story. All she wants is justice; I feel privileged to be by her side.

*Funded by the Home Office until March 2017

**ISVA’s rely heavily on specialist rape crisis centres like PARCS their work is invaluable in the process of healing for survivors

What is Persistent Stalking?

Persistent stalking has a devastating effect on the people who experience it. By no means should we dismiss stalking behaviour as simply persistence. Whilst the risks of violence in stalking cases are well known, and rightly so, the risks of persistent stalking are no less impactful.

Persistent stalking, whether or not there is no fear or threat of violence can lead to victims feeling trapped, isolated and hyper-vigilant. Many of the clients that we work with at Aurora talk about feeling paranoid and as if they are just waiting for the stalker to be seen or act again. When someone is feeling this level of psychological torment and feel sure that it will never end, anything can trigger a fear response. There doesn’t need to be a threat or fear of violence for someone to feel utterly terrified. Furthermore, victims of stalking over long periods of time can report feeling numb or bored of what they’re going through, as if they are a burden on their friends and family, whom they talk to about their experiences, and often choose not to report to the police because they feel that they are wasting police time. The latter seems to happen most in cases where the stalking has previously been no further actioned.

The 4a Stalking Charge

The 4a stalking charge that criminalises a course of conduct which causes ‘serious alarm or distress’ and has ‘a substantial adverse effect on the day to day activities of the victim’ seeks to capture the psychological and emotional harm that victims of stalking experience.

The list includes:

1. the victim changing their routes to work, work patterns, or employment;
2. the victim arranging for friends or family to pick up children from school (to avoid contact with the stalker);
3. the victim putting in place additional security measures in their home;
4. the victim moving home;
5. physical or mental ill-health;
6. the deterioration in the victim’s performance at work due to stress;
7. the victim stopping /or changing the way they socialise.

The long-lasting nature of persistent stalking

This list is by no way exhaustive and, I would argue, does not begin to address the long-lasting nature of the impact of stalking, which can have devastating effects on relationships and trust for years. This impact is frequently not captured by the initial or investigating officer because, so often, stalking appears as a series of bizarre and often unconnected incidents. Encouraging officers to look at the fixation and obsession that drives the varied behaviour is one of our objectives through the Hampshire Stalking Clinic.

We hope you’re finding the blogs throughout National Stalking Awareness Week 2016 useful or interesting. If you have any questions, or would like to contact anyone about stalking please call us on 02392 479 254 (office hours) or 02392 472 165 (out of hours). For national enquiries, call the Paladin helpline on 07769995393 or the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300.

Next step…

Do you want to get in touch with us?

Click here to get in touch with Aurora

Want to know more about our stalking service?

Click here to see our stalking service

Want to donate to our cause? 💜

Click here to support us

SDAC blog post:

Our Specialist Domestic Abuse Court Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (SDAC IDVA for short!) works with victims and survivors of domestic abuse whose cases are going through the criminal justice system.

Court cases can take time, and the criminal justice process can be a complex and often incredibly frightening experience for victims of domestic abuse in particular. We know that nationally the conviction rate for domestic abuse cases is around 13%. Many victims and survivors feel unable to continue with the process: as a result of fear, risk, pressure, or a lack of support. Often these fears can be exacerbated by long wait times between charge and trial. As such the attrition rate in domestic abuse cases – the rate at which witnesses drop out of the criminal justice system – is very high.

Portsmouth has what is known as a Specialist Domestic Abuse Court or SDAC. These courts – sometimes called Specialist Domestic Violence Courts (or SDVCs) – exist in various areas across the country to respond to the specific needs of victims of abuse and support them in being able to give their evidence. Rather than being separate buildings, the term SDAC refers to a set of processes and facilities that a court has in place to ensure domestic abuse cases are dealt with quickly and efficiently, and that victims have access to information and support at every stage of the process.

A key component of any SDAC court is the availability of independent, specialist support for the victim, and this is where our Specialist Court Advocate comes in, offering specialist, one-to-one support to anyone whose case is going through court. All the usual elements of an IDVA service are provided, including risk assessment, safety planning, advocacy/liaison with other agencies and emotional support, but with the added component of direct support for the duration of the court case. This will vary depending on the needs of the client but might involve:

• Ensuring the client is kept up to date with the status of the case
• Ensuring that their safety during the hearing (both on entrance/exit and in the courtroom) is prioritised
• Liaising with the police/CPS to make sure that restraining orders are both applied for where required, and robust and detailed enough to effectively protect the victim going forward
• Remaining in court until the conclusion of the case (to ensure the client is updated on the outcome as quickly as possible)
• Attending sentencing on the client’s behalf
• Working with SDAC court partners to ensure the process is kept under continuous review, and to feedback about both good practice or areas for improvement.

 

The aim of the SDAC court, and the specialist advocate, is to ensure that victims and witnesses are kept central to the process at all times. By offering independent support throughout, the hope is that victims feel supported, safeguarded, and therefore more able to continue their involvement with the court case. The service’s key aim is to contribute to the reduction of the high attrition rate for domestic abuse cases in the city.

Outcomes:

In our most recent analysis of the service, none of the clients who engaged with the SDAC IDVA have withdrawn from the CJS process. Whilst some cases have been discontinued for other reasons, the attrition rates for clients working with the SDAC IDVA remain low. In asking clients for their feedback on the service, 100% of the clients who have completed evaluation forms said that they felt supported at court as a result of working with the SDAC IDVA. 100% reported that they felt their emotional wellbeing had improved as a result of working with the SDAC IDVA, and 80% reported that they felt safer as a direct result of engaging with the service.

Interestingly, we saw early guilty pleas in 71% of the cases involved with the SDAC IDVA in the last reporting quarter. In an early guilty plea, the perpetrator pleads guilty before the trial rather than at the trial itself, which is of particular benefit because it negates the need for victims to attend court and give their evidence. Sometimes defendants will avoid making an early guilty plea in an attempt to ‘wait it out’ hoping that the victim will not attend court. An increase in early guilty pleas may point to a growing recognition, amongst defendants and their representatives, that victims are feeling increasingly confident in continuing with the criminal justice process. We continue to work with our partner agencies, including the police, CPS, witness service, and court staff, to track the impact of the Specialist court, and of the Independent advocate, going forward.

The following is an example, from our Specialist Court Advocate, of the work they undertook at court with a client recently:

Case study from SDAC IDVA:

I meet my client away from the court building, as she has never been to court before, she is understandably very nervous. We are there for a trial as my client’s perpetrator pleaded ‘not guilty’ to an assault against her. We head towards the courts together, where the court staff sign us in as we enter and we are collected by a member of the witness service. We are escorted to a secure area and I reassure my client that we are in a safe space, away from the perpetrator and the public areas of the court. The witness service volunteer explains the court procedure to my client and I reassure my client that a screen is in place for when they give their evidence as they do not want to be seen by him. My client and I have a coffee whilst waiting. The prosecutor then comes and has a chat with my client about what to expect and hands them their statement to read.

I leave my client to read her statement and offer to clarify anything if they find it difficult to read. I encourage my client to read their statement again, or as many times as they like, to make sure they aware of what is written. I then take instructions from my client as to whether or not they would like me to leave with them, once they have given their evidence, or if they would like me to remain in the court to observe the rest of the trial. My client opts for me to stay in the court room to observe the rest of the trial. I reassure my client that a witness service volunteer will escort them into the courtroom, will sit with them behind the screen when they are giving their evidence and will escort them safely out of the building once they have given their evidence.

My client is called to the courtroom to give her evidence. The courtroom is emptied whilst my client is taken in and placed behind the screen. I go into the courtroom and sit in the public gallery at the back. The perpetrator is then brought in and my client gives her evidence. She is then free to go. The courtroom is emptied again whilst my client is taken out of the courtroom, by which time I say goodbye and agree to call them after the trial has ended. The Perpetrator then gives his evidence. The evidence for the prosecution’s case is strong enough to prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that the perpetrator assaulted my client and the magistrates decide that perpetrator is ‘guilty’. The sentencing hearing is adjourned for 3 weeks, pending a pre-sentence report from Probation and bail conditions remain in place until then. Perpetrator is free to leave and, for the purpose of safety and confidentiality, I leave making sure that it is either before or after the perpetrator has left.

Once out of the court I call my client immediately and relay the outcome. I provide emotional support as my client reflects on their thoughts and feelings. This has been a very emotional time for her. I remind her that she has been incredibly brave in speaking out and we talk through the importance of her taking things easy for the rest of the day. I remind her to call me if she wants to talk further or has any questions. In closing I reassure my client that a restraining order has been applied for, but that bail conditions will remain in place until the sentencing hearing. We agree that I will attend the sentencing hearing without her (she is not required to attend), and that I will update her of the outcome as soon as I have it.

 *This project is funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the IOW*

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to an article published in the Portsmouth News (Charity hits out at council’s domestic violence surgeries) concerning the councillor-led domestic abuse surgeries run by cross party members. It may be helpful to review how the critique of the domestic violence surgeries came about – a critique that came not only from Aurora New Dawn but from the UK’s End Violence Against Women Coalition, the UK’s largest coalition of individuals and organisations campaigning for an end to violence against women and girls, which includes Amnesty International, Fawcett Society, Rape Crisis, Refuge and Respect[1].

Following the announcement from councillors that they were planning to cut £180k from local domestic violence services, we began to ask questions of the Leader and other Conservative councillors about how they planned to maintain service provision for victims of domestic violence and their families in Portsmouth. Part of the reason we did this is because Aurora New Dawn aims to act as the voice of victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking in everything that we do – including in our service provision, in our partnerships with police and other services, and in our role as a critical friend to local authorities in the region.

We have received no response from Councillors detailing their plans on how to address the cuts.

Cllr New arranged a meeting with us, cancelled and has not rescheduled. We invited the Leader to discuss how we could help them come up with a sustainable strategic plan to protect victims. We invited all local councillors to come and see our services to gain a better understanding of what they do.

None of the councillors who voted to pass the cuts have responded.

As far as we are aware, and as far as they have publicly announced to date, councillors still have no long term strategic or sustainable plans to continue service provision for victims of domestic violence in Portsmouth. Unlike local authorities in Hampshire, Portsmouth City Council made no approach to local services prior to announcing the planned cut to domestic violence services in the city. In Hampshire, a working coalition of councils, the Police and Crime Commissioner and services are now working in partnership to protect service provision, while services in Portsmouth await the plans of Portsmouth councillors, beyond announcements of ‘exciting plans’ on social media.

On the 8^th December, Cllr New and other councillors spoke at the budget savings proposal meeting about the domestic violence surgeries they were running in the city. Cllr New appeared to be positioning the surgeries as a replacement for the services that he – as the Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety – was proposing to cut. At one point, he even referred to the surgeries as a service: Anything we can do to raise the awareness to victims of domestic abuse of the help and support possible, is surely the right thing to do…putting our hands in our pockets – and time – to run these services.[2]

It was in this context that Aurora New Dawn and the End Violence Against Women coalition decided to clarify what the surgeries are: for local residents, as well as victims and survivors. We made clear that whilst we applaud awareness-raising on the help available to local victims of domestic violence, we are concerned that the surgeries rely on the exact same service that the councillors are proposing to cut, making the surgeries themselves unsustainable in the long term.

It is particularly discouraging to see Cllr New launch a personal attack on the CEO of a local charity, rather than responding to the concerns of national and local services with decades of experience in protecting, safeguarding and supporting victims of domestic violence. It is baffling for Cllr New to describe me as ‘negative’. Currently the only ‘barrage of negativity’ appears to be coming from councillors as they consistently refuse to talk publicly about their long term plans to protect victims and survivors of domestic abuse, as they ignore the respondents to their own consultation, as well as the 46,000 signatures on a petition against cutting Portsmouth’s domestic violence services.

We would rather be campaigning in partnership with councillors than against them. Indeed, this is the way we work everywhere else in Hampshire and nationally: to alleviate the pressure of austerity on domestic abuse services before it starts, rather than frantically scrabbling to address it after councillors announce cuts.

Finally, Cllr Swan asked in the article: If the people who are complaining are trained, why don’t they help us…Why don’t they step forward and volunteer?

I am already a regular volunteer for the Portsmouth Domestic Abuse Helpline run by Aurora New Dawn that ensures 24-hour service provision to victims of domestic violence in Portsmouth. For example, I volunteered along with members of my team to provide 24 hour services for victims over Christmas and New Year, which as councillors will know from their recent training, is a time when incidence of domestic violence increases significantly

Of course, if Cllr Swan, Cllr New and the Leader had responded to our requests to meet, they might know this already.

So, once again, I would like to invite all councillors – across all parties – to meet with us at Aurora New Dawn to discuss how we can all work together to protect services for survivors of domestic abuse that are currently being threatened by the impact of austerity.

We continue to look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Faithfully,

Shonagh Dillon

CEO – Aurora New Dawn

[1] See full list of members here: http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/our-members

[2] See the Budget meeting video here, with Cllr New’s comments at 5:15.41: http://livestream.com/accounts/14063785/events/4438843

Aurora New Dawn CEO deputation to Portsmouth City Council – Full Budget Meeting 08/12/15

The council budget savings report proposes to cut the specialist in-house domestic abuse service, the Early Intervention Project, from 13 members of staff to 5.

Aurora New Dawn absolutely opposes these cuts, and here are just some of the reasons why:

• Portsmouth City Council has a public duty to protect the vulnerable. This duty extends not only to victims whose lives are devastated by domestic abuse every day, but also to thousands of children who deserve lives free of danger and fear.

• We believe the process by which these cuts were suggested is flawed, particularly in the failure of the Council to consult with the myriad of organisations whose services intersect with your own. This partnership working ensures that Portsmouth currently offers has 24/7 support to victims in the city.

• Aurora provides a DVA cars service out of hours that refers these victims to EIP. This and many projects like it have been endorsed by the Safer Portsmouth Partnership and the city council. It makes no sense not to consult with other service providers and it makes no sense to withdraw the service, which captures hundreds of victims that might not otherwise have accessed help.

• This brings me to the serious danger these cuts will create for victims. Since 2011, Portsmouth, to the envy of the rest of Hampshire, have not had a domestic murder, which is a testament to the investment of the council and the voluntary sector in this city, thus far. However, these cuts will mean that the vital work of murder prevention will not occur. I have worked in this sector for over 20 years and I can tell you that without these services victims will be killed.

• Of course, in a few years’ time, Councillors can change their minds, realise their mistake, reinvest the money. But you will not be able to restore a murdered mother to her children, a daughter to her parents, a friend to her community. These cuts are literally playing with people’s lives.

In closing I would like to bring your attention to the people protesting outside to these cuts. To the 42k signatures within a week opposing these cuts on a petition – recognise that the eyes of the country are on Portsmouth today.

I challenge councillors to ask their conscience how much opposition from their own constituents they need before they listen to them!

Dear Spotted Portsmouth,

I hadn’t come across your page until yesterday when a colleague introduced me to the ‘unique’ Spotted Portsmouth approach to celebrating our beautiful city. Ironically, as it happens we were travelling back to Portsmouth from a meeting on a national roll-out of training for Stalking Awareness and Cyber Crime at the time.

By now, every one of your page’s followers (and a few thousand more besides) are aware of your post a few days ago, subsequently removed, of a woman whose skirt had ridden up whilst she stood chatting on a night out. The photo, taken from the back, was clearly taken without her knowledge.

It would seem that the human approach – the polite tap on the shoulder and a quiet word to let her know what had happened – had passed one (some?) of your followers by. Instead, out came the smartphone, up went the photo, and so commenced the public shaming, bullying, and vilification of a woman who did nothing other than stand talking to people on a pavement, outside a bar, without realising that her dress wasn’t quite playing along.

What followed was a thread that quickly became a diatribe of sexist and degrading comments about her appearance and her choices, supplemented with the usual sexually violent name-calling: she was branded a “Slut”, and a “Slag”, for example. But this wasn’t a shock to you, because it’s your MO. In fact, you make quite the habit of posting these kinds of pictures on a regular basis – of women and of men, of those who look different, those who don’t fit in with the standards you feel people should be adhering to on any one particular day. You are, it would seem, the self-proclaimed lifestyle police.

Spotted Portsmouth’s Contribution to a Serious Problem

But back to this particular photo and the accompanying comments. In our line of work, this kind of culture is what we deal with on a daily basis. You cannot detach the nature of the comments made on this picture from the attitudes that contribute to the all-consuming emotional distress we see first-hand on a daily basis. When we talk with victims of rape – which we do daily – the first thing they always do is blame themselves. Why? Because society is blaming them too. 26% of people in our society still think a woman is partly or totally responsible for being raped if she was wearing sexy or revealing clothing and 30% of people think a woman is partly or totally responsible if she was drunk.^[1] We live in a society where women are constantly criticised – for their appearance, the way they dress, how much they have had to drink, and whether they fit into the narrowly-defined and constantly-changing societal view of ‘acceptable’. Your page, in the posting of this photo and in your general disregard for the wishes and feelings of others, supports and promotes these attitudes. And it’s not just women – anyone is fair game if your history is anything to go by.

Since this post has subsequently been removed, I might have assumed that you agreed with the danger of supporting such comments. Until, that was, up popped another photo – this time of someone else – and so the cycle of shame and bullying resumed. Pictures of people drunk and “embarrassing” themselves are offered up for ridicule by yourself and your supporters. Yesterday numerous comments were left under these posts that clearly justified the actions of ridiculing another for the purposes of entertainment. Your supporters are resolute: if you don’t want photos taken then don’t behave a certain way, don’t embarrass yourself in public, don’t wear this, and for God’s sake don’t drink that much, because if you do then we have the carte blanch to bully the hell out of you with absolutely no regard for the impact.

What is perhaps most alarming about these justifications is that we teach five-year-olds in school that bullying is wrong, that deriding someone because of their actions, appearance, or anything else and ganging up on them is nasty and will hurt their feelings or the feelings of others. Even young children ‘get’ this concept. It is unfortunate that you do not.

But wait, you are just the conduit for the information being shared on your page to 27+ thousand people, so it’s not your fault right? Wrong. At what point do you so completely lose touch with your own humanity that, when this kind of photo crosses your desk, your first thought is to press a button and offer it up to the keyboard warriors of the world for public ridicule? Next time you feel the urge to get out the phone, stop and think, how would you feel if this was your sister, mother, brother, daughter, son….or you?

There is a lot of information on your page being shared about the right to privacy, apparently you and your supporters are all well aware of the law, but it isn’t that simple. You can read more about harassment here. It only takes for the photo you post to be shared a few times (which yours regularly are) before we get into the muddy waters of harassment.

Despite your prolific posting about free speech yesterday, I found it interesting that anyone disagreeing with you or appealing to your better nature was deleted and blocked. Some may call that a bit of a dichotomy but I will leave you to wrestle with that one all on your own.

Where do we go from here?

So this is where I will attempt to appeal to your better nature because I live in hope that behind your page and your computer you do have one:

It is time to stop. If people are offended it is for good reason. Next time you are sent a photo for the purposes of public shaming please pause before you click the share button. You have no idea who the subject of the photo is, you have no idea who their family, kids and friends are. You have absolutely no idea about the state of their mental health. You do, however, have a responsibility to understand that the consequences of your actions may severely harm them. We only need to look at cases right up and down the country where people have taken their own lives after being the subject of cyber bullying.

It comes to something when a petition is started because of your actions.

In conclusion, it only remains for me to leave you with the song I have been listening to whilst typing. Remind you of anyone?

Yours Sincerely

Shonagh Dillon

CEO

Aurora New Dawn

What is Stalking Awareness Week?

National Stalking Awareness week is a time every year in which attention is drawn to the serious issues caused by stalker behaviour throughout the UK. In brief, stalking affects hundreds of thousands of men and women, therefore this week is used to put the spotlight on the damage done.

10 Stalking Awareness Week Facts

• Women are much more frequently stalked than men^[1].
• 44% of stalking cases lead to violence^[2]
• Of stalking cases, 43% of women and 29% of men who were stalked, were stalked by current or ex partners^[3].
• In a survey carried out in 2015^[4], it was found that 45% of stalking victims suffered from PTSD.
• Developments in technology have further complicated matters. In another survey done in 2011^[5], 92% of participants believed that they had been harassed through electronic communication.
• Very often victims of stalking lose wages due to taking sick leave, quitting their job, or even being sacked^[6].
• A study done in America^[7] found that 1 in 4 women experienced damage to their property as a direct result of stalking.
• Many victims of stalking withdraw from their family and friends due to embarrassment or a belief that they are endangering them^[8].
• Stalking victims often suffer from^[9]:
  • High levels of anxiety
  • Panic attacks
  • Hyper-vigilance
  • Suicidal idealization
  • distrust and detachment from other people
• 76% of women who were murdered by their current or former partner were stalked by their killer in the 12 months leading up to their death^[9].

Stalking Awareness Week Dates

2021	April 19 – April 23
2022	April 18 – April 22

Who stalks?

Hollywood likes to depict stalkers as mentally disturbed individuals or obsessed fans^[11], however this is a common misrepresentation. A stalker could be an ex-partner, a friend, a colleague, a professional you know, an acquaintance or a stranger.

How do they stalk?

There is no legal definition of stalking, but it is generally understood to be a fixation on someone demonstrated through a series of unwanted behaviours that may seem subtle or harmless initially, but become intimidating and very frightening.

These behaviours include, but are not limited to:

• Persistently calling or texting you or sending you messages via social media
• Turning up to your house, school or workplace
• Waiting around places you often go to
• Sending or leaving you gifts or items
• Using social media and internet forums to find out information about you
• Using this information as a way to manipulate or coerce you
• Damaging or breaking things that belong to you
• Contacting people around you, such as your friends and family
• Threatening to harm themselves
• Making threats against you or any of your friends or family

What can you do?

Take some time to have a look at your social media privacy settings online and on your phone. Are your location service settings on? Who can see your photos? Who can tag you? Are your historical posts as private as your recent ones? Is there anyone you want to block access from? Do you have any old social media accounts you don’t use anymore that you can close down?

• If you receive frequent unwanted communication, or you see someone loitering around, keep a diary of what they’re saying and when and where they’re appearing.
• Take photos of gifts or written messages left for you and any items that have been damaged, but only when it is safe to do so.
• Do not engage with the person who is stalking you.
• Change your routine where you can and put other things in place that help you to feel safer – carrying a charged mobile phone on you, for example.
• Talk to people about what’s happening. Your friends and family may be able to help you keep records of sightings and messages and will be there to support you.
• Report the stalking to the police. Keep records of the officers you speak with and the crime reference numbers you’re given.

If you’re worried that you’re being stalked and want to talk to someone about it, you can contact Aurora New Dawn on 02392 479 254. We’re available throughout Stalking Awareness Week to support you to explore your options.

Next step…

Do you want to get in touch with us?

Click here to get in touch with Aurora

Want to know more about our stalking service?

Click here to see our stalking service

Want to donate to our cause? 💜

Click here to support us

Aurora New Dawn are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded funding from the Big Lottery to deliver our DVA Car service across South-East Hampshire over the next 3 years.

Working alongside Hampshire Constabulary, specialist workers from Aurora New Dawn will respond with officers to incidents of domestic abuse as they happen, offering emotional support to survivors, completing risk assessments, and facilitating referrals to local services for ongoing support.

Through working in partnership with Hampshire Constabulary in this way, Aurora is able to offer specialist, independent support at the time it is needed most, with the project set to support up to 750 survivors over the next three years.

Shonagh Dillon, Chief Executive of Aurora New Dawn, says: “Our vision is to end discrimination against women through offering protection, safety and support. We know that two women are murdered by a current or former partner every week in England and Wales, and that on average a victim will have been abused around 35 times before they call the police. This service gives us a chance to reach out and offer face to face support at times when domestic abuse is most likely to occur, on Friday and Saturday nights. We are very excited about working in partnership with Hampshire Constabulary on this project and incredibly thankful to the Big Lottery Fund for this grant to enable us to support so many survivors.”

 

 

Aurora New Dawn have become the first voluntary sector organisation in Hampshire to be awarded Leading Lights accreditation by the national agency Co-Ordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse (CAADA) for work with victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

What is the award?

The award recognises the contribution of Aurora’s Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (known as IDVAs), who work with victims at high risk of serious harm or murder. Advisors work closely with victims and other services, such as police, social services and housing, to reduce the risk of harm to survivors and their children.

CAADA’s Leading Lights accreditation is the national and highest mark of quality for domestic abuse services. The status recognises that Aurora IDVAs provide a gold-standard, safety-focused service at every level that puts victim and survivors at the heart of the organisation’s work.

Aurora New Dawn is only the 39^th service to be accredited in the UK, just 3 years after the service’s inception. The process of accreditation takes around 12 months, and involves the separate assessment and accreditation of the service manager, the submission of an extensive evidence dossier and, finally, an assessment visit from the CAADA Leading Lights Team.

Zoe Jackson, Operations Manager said:

“We are incredibly proud to have achieved Leading Lights Status, particularly within just 3 years of us starting out. The status reflects the high standards we expect from our service and is a real credit to the incredible work of our frontline staff. Our team are working closely with clients every day and the assessment process looked at every aspect of their work, including complete scrutiny of our case files, risk assessment, safety planning, advocacy and beyond.

We are also delighted to be specifically recognised for seeking regular feedback from all who use our service and incorporating their experiences into the ongoing development of our organisation. In the last 9 months 100% of our clients have told us they feel safer as a direct result of working with our IDVAs and it’s fantastic to see that work recognised.”

CEO Shonagh Dillon said:

“The whole team and I are so thrilled about being awarded Leading Lights status. Survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking have always been at the centre of our practice and we are committed to continuing this as the organisation grows. It’s really gratifying to our frontline team to receive such a commendation of their work at a time of such great financial challenge for domestic violence services, particularly as Leading Lights status will help us to attract funding in the future.

“The accreditation will definitely help us to keep working closely with victims and survivors in Hampshire, to keep improving our services and to increase the safety of the many families who suffer in silence every day as a result of domestic abuse. We’re very grateful to CAADA for their guidance and support and we’re very excited to continue our work with them in the future.”

The Chair of the Internal Accreditation Panel said:  

‘We’re delighted to have awarded Leading Lights status to Aurora New Dawn. What came through during the assessment process was a firm commitment from the team to get it right first time for victims of abuse. We were pleased with their determination to use data to learn and improve, setting and achieving really high standards of support.’