Rethinking Conversations with Victim-Survivors

The response-based approach was developed by Dr Allan Wade, Linda Coates and Nick Todd in Canada. It is based on the very perceptive notion that people respond to abuse and violence in ways that aim to stop, limit or prevent abuse. This is called resistance to abuse.

All our responses to abuse can be seen as apt and healthy. They represent our voice and our comments on the ordeal we are withstanding. When they are difficult to bear, we can aim to assuage them without having to think they were wrong or a sign of illness in the first place.

Challenging self-blame and how society tends to blame victims is another crucial aspect of the therapy. Acknowledging resistance, exposing violence and clarifying responsibility is vital in addressing self-blame and in helping us make sense of our responses to abuse.

The five areas of Response Based exploration are:

• Recognising, understanding and honouring all forms of resistance to abuse
• Recognising and challenging blame – self-blame and social blame
• Challenging the pathologizing of victims and their responses
• Clarifying responsibility – violence and abuse are unilateral actions against one another, it is not mutual.
• Exposing violence will lead to a better understanding of resistance to violence and make sense of the intensity of responses from the victims-survivors

Training and supervision in the Response-Based Approach

“This was an incredibly valuable and informative weekend. It was taught in a very effective way, giving insight and providing helpful strategies to use in client work, as well as shedding light on societal assumptions about this topic that need to be challenged.”

“As a disabled person, I felt the model taught was not only valuable in the context of working with Domestic Abuse but felt relevant to work with clients who have faced other forms of oppression.”

“A very good blend of case studies, technique and discussion. Martine held the group well and spoke with enthusiasm and honesty. I left feeling inspired, satisfied and curious to learn more. Thank you”