Warwickshire County Council: Educators hampered by social media when addressing attitudes over domestic abuse

Domestic abuse was the main theme of the director of public health’s annual report.
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Warwickshire’s director for children and young people has warned that “very strong voices” on social media continue to undermine education’s role in battling against domestic abuse and violence.

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Nigel Minns, Warwickshire County Council’s executive director for children and young people, highlighted the challenges when the county’s health and wellbeing board discussed the matter.

Shire Hall in Warwick which is home to Warwickshire County Council. Photo by Mike BakerShire Hall in Warwick which is home to Warwickshire County Council. Photo by Mike Baker
Shire Hall in Warwick which is home to Warwickshire County Council. Photo by Mike Baker
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Domestic abuse was the main theme of director of public health Dr Shade Agboola’s annual report.

Among her recommendations was that education services should “promote the opportunity for schools to participate" in county council-commissioned training on violence against women and girls or domestic abuse.

The health and wellbeing board is a panel of councillors that runs the rule over the work of the county council and its partners, including the NHS and police force, in relevant areas. It also considers how the partnerships work between organisations.

It means those partners are often represented in meetings and it was Russell Hardy, chair of South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT), who threw down the gauntlet over beefing up expectations.

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“You get to a certain age where you look back through the lens of history, you either get joyous about the way things have changed or a little bit depressed that they haven’t,” said Mr Hardy.

“This issue depresses me. I am sure your numbers, as horrific as they are, involve significant under reporting of the real issue.

“As we know, certain cultures don’t like to talk about domestic abuse or violence so the real number is probably much larger.”

Addressing Dr Agboola’s recommendation on education, he added: “I am now 64 and I see very little improvement in the attitudes of men towards violence against women.

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“The role of education – and I’ll focus on boys at the moment, I know it is not solely about boys – in making sure boys really understand the total inappropriateness of this and the way relationships should be, do we need to do more to encourage our colleagues in education? Not just promoting the opportunity to schools but almost making it a requirement in some way that young boys in particular are continually reminded about what appropriate and inappropriate behaviour looks like.”

Mr Minns came in to point out that external factors can be problematic for teachers and school staff.

“I don’t think there is any doubt that our education providers are very conscious of this,” he said.

“I think the challenge for them at the moment is that they are facing a different world view which is being circulated on social media.

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“We are all aware of some very strong voices – I won’t go into who and where – advocating a model that is very much the opposite of things that schools want to promote.

“I think schools are finding it a constant challenge to counter some of those challenges.”

Dr Agboola added: “Our schools continue to do everything they can.

"The recommendation in this report is that we encourage schools to take up the offer of training from WCC which will fully provide the information needed to support schools to pass on the message about different forms of abuse, violence against women and girls, in terms of it not being as obvious as a bruise, it might be hidden in many cases.

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“It is about providing training to encourage that confidence and those conversations with not only students but parents as well, so education has a clear role.”

Mr Hardy went on to suggest that the organisations in the room should set the example.

“Collectively – across police, NHS, agencies that work with the county council – we must be the largest employer in Warwickshire,” he said.

“Wouldn’t it be great if we had a collective campaign during 2024, educating our staff on safe routes if they are the subject of domestic abuse but also, particularly for the men in the workforce, to talk about the abhorrent nature of the intimidatory behaviour, not just the physical domestic abuse but the emotional abuse as well.

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“As a collective of employers, we should be able to do a lot.”

Committee chair and portfolio holder for adult social care and health Councillor Margaret Bell (Con, Hartshill & Mancetter) said: “I think that is a really good suggestion.

“I ask the public health team to take that on board and to think about how this can be disseminated through the many organisations that we represent, and the people that are employed through us.

“There are two parts to it. One is where to go if you are a victim, also how to change your behaviour and where to go for help if you are a perpetrator.”