First Contact: Supporting Police Response to Intimate Partner Violence and Brain Injury
Workshop Overview
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been deemed a global public health crisis, and studies show that up to 74% of women who experience IPV also sustain brain injuries. This is relevant for police officers who are often the first responders to domestic violence calls. It is highly likely that the women may have just sustained a brain injury during the incident, and for many they will have had repeated previous brain injuries through hits to the head, face, and attempted strangulation. This is important as acute and chronic brain injuries impact the way people communicate, their outward social behaviour, and their cognitive function. This combined with the emotional trauma, can have a significant impact on their ability to respond to police, and for police officers to recognize and know how to communicate with and support these women. This workshop addresses a critical gap in policing training and education by providing training and practical tools for police officers with a longer term aim of developing a widely accessible toolkit.
date & location
12 July 2025
University of Ottawa
duration
12 – 5pm EDT
Key Themes
- Intersection of intimate partner violence and brain injury
- Cultural intelligence and understanding of historical trauma
- Trauma-informed approaches to first police interactions
- Communication strategies and de-escalation techniques
- Learning directly from women with lived experience
Learning Objectives
Participants attending this workshop will gain:
- Enhanced ability to recognise signs of brain injury during initial contacts
- Improved trauma-informed approaches to supporting survivors
- Greater understanding of cultural contexts and historical trauma
- Tools for the implementation of effective de-escalation strategies that prioritise safety
Outcomes
- Development of a practical toolkit for police officers responding to intimate partner violence incidents
Outputs
- A police-focused toolkit with the most crucial actions for officers in first contact situations
- An online library of learning
- Integration pathways for toolkit materials into police training programmes
- Ongoing evaluation mechanisms to refine approaches based on officer feedback
- Sustainable knowledge transfer models for peer-to-peer learning
Audience
This workshop is designed for police officers who respond to intimate partner violence calls, as well as police trainers, support organisations, researchers, and public health professionals working at the intersection of law enforcement and intimate partner violence.
Workshop Structure
The interactive workshop features expert panel discussions, breakout sessions focused collaborative refinement of toolkit development. Participants will engage directly with experts and survivors to create meaningful, implementable strategies for improving first interactions.
Agenda
Session 1: What is the reality of intimate partner violence and brain injury?
Panel: Experts discussion intimate partner violence and brain injury as it affects women
Speakers: Halina (Lin) Haag, Stan Gilmour, Catherine Wiseman-Hakes
Session 2: How can we better understand the role of cultural intelligence, historical trauma and structural violence?
Panel: Experts discuss how cultural awareness and understanding trauma can inform police approaches in first interactions of intimate partner violence and brain injury.
Speakers: Lori Davis-Hill, to be confirmed.
Session 3: Learning from women: what can police officers do to support women exposed to intimate partner violence and brain injury during first interactions?
Panel: Experts discuss lived experience insights of intimate partner violence and brain injury in the context of police encounters.
Speakers: To be confirmed.
Breakout and Large Group Discussion to facilitate Toolkit Development
Breakout Group Activities
- Participants will be divided into pre-assigned smaller groups.
- Each group will be assigned a specific discussion theme based on the toolkit’s objectives:
- Theme 1: “First Impressions”: Addressing potential hostility, avoiding assumptions (drugs/alcohol), and recognising signs of brain injury.
- Theme 2: “De-escalation and Safety”: Verbal and non-verbal techniques for de-escalation in the initial interaction, considering victim and officer safety and prioritising trauma-intelligent engagement.
- Theme 3: “Communication and Assessment”: Effective communication strategies for gathering crucial information in the first encounter, including pre-preparation for an initial risk assessment.
Large Group Activities
- Group Reports: Each group presents their findings and proposed toolkit elements by theme to the full workshop membership.
- Collective Refinement: Facilitate a whole-group discussion to refine the toolkit, ensuring clarity, conciseness, and practicality.
- Prioritise and Select: Collectively decide on the 5 most crucial actions for officers in the first contact.
- Format and Design: Discuss the ideal format for the toolkit (e.g., pocket card, checklist,) to ensure accessibility and ease of use.
- Determine next steps for toolkit review, refinement and dissemination.