Supporting DomesticAbuse Survivors with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism

Cost: Free to people working in Nottinghamshire county

(Chargeable outside of these areas)

Location: Online - MS Teams

Duration: 1.5 hours

Aim:

To improve understanding of survivors with learning disabilities and/or autism through interviews, and offer practical advice on offering support and overcoming barriers to help-seeking.

Learning points:

• Introduction to the Us Too project (ARC)

• Overview of barriers faced by survivors with autism and learning disabilities

• Key good practice to improve responses (with reference to resources & toolkits)

• Q&A with two Us Too project experts with lived experience – questions submitted in advance [see link below]
  

Q&A submission:

Please use this Microsoft form to submit any questions you have for the experts with lived experiences. These questions will be screened by Equation before submission to the interviewer at Us Too. The deadline for submission is 11.09.25.

Us Too Project (ARC)

ARC England is the only membership organisation specifically for learning disability and autism providers. ARC (Association for Real Change) supports knowledge development, improves practice and influences policy in health and social care for the benefit of people with learning disabilities or other support needs such as autism, mental health problems, sensory and physical disabilities.

ARC set up the Us Too project in 2019 in response to the growing awareness of the greatly increased risk of domestic abuse/sexual violence for women with a learning disability and autistic women. The project brought together a group of women, all of whom had experienced domestic abuse, sexual violence or both. They were supported (in partnership with the Women’s Centre Cornwall) to draw on their experiences to develop and deliver training to their peers, social care providers and specialist DA/SV services. They continue their work to this day.

The team has also been widely consulted by the Home Office, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and Operation Bluestone Soteria.

Emma - Us Too Project Expert with lived experience

My name is Emma and I enjoy singing, writing music, playing musical instruments and playing pool for a premier league team called Hyde Hurricanes in my spare time.

I enjoy working with the UsToo Team (ARC) and preventing abuse from happening to other women with and without learning disabilities and learning difficulties etc because it makes me more stronger, confident, positive and proud of myself as well as the team.

I also enjoy helping to prevent abuse (controlling, violent, emotional, mental and physical) from happening to other people who are friends of mine (men & women) in my town (Ilfracombe in North Devon) who are going through or who are heading towards abusive, controlling and/or violent relationships that I've been through myself.

We have had meetings with the police to help them improve the way they deal with cases that involve women with learning disabilities etc. having been abused by their partner & to take it more seriously too.

I enjoyed the workshops and creating & making the film too.

Together We'll Prevent Abuse From Happening To Other Women With & Without Learning Disabilities and/or Disabilities and/or Learning Difficulties.

Katy Forrester has worked enthusiastically for the Us Too team for 6 years, training supported people, social care staff and Domestic Abuse services.Before that she also collaborated with ARC and BILD (British Institute of Learning Disabilities) on two projects connected with sexual exploitation. Katy lives in north Devon, in her own flat, employs her own staff, and works in a local hotel. She enjoys travel, especially to Portugal.

Katy enjoys being active, she has played football for a local disability team, enjoys swimming and ‘warrior’ sessions at the local leisure centre.

Katy is sociable, enjoying carnivals and events alongside her peers.

Find out more or book

Choose an upcoming session below or, if you’ve got questions, drop an email to training@equation.org.uk

Please be aware that this session will contain some reference to types of domestic abuse. It is recommended that the session is attended in a quiet and confidential space. If you are impacted by the content of the session, you will be provided with points of contact as part of your follow on resources, and reference will be made to support options in the session.

Information on support is also available on Equation's Website: Get Help | Equation

Cancellation

If you do wish to cancel, you can do so through your Eventbrite confirmation or by getting in touch with our team at training@equation.org.uk.

Cost

Please be aware: due to the conditions of our funding, this training is free to people working in Nottinghamshire County – chargeable outside of these areas.

We are monitoring the attendance list and you will be asked to pay if you do not qualify for a free ticket.

Funders

Funded by City and County Commissioners

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