Risk assessment and interventions for victims of domestic abuse: consultation response analysis

Annex A: Glossary

DASH

Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour-Based Risk Identification Checklist – one type of risk checklist for the identification of cases of domestic abuse, stalking and ‘honour-based’ violence. It is primarily intended for professionals – both specialist domestic abuse workers and other professionals working for universal services.

IDAA

Independent Domestic Abuse Advocate – a single specialist professional who works with a victim to develop a trusting relationship and who can help with everything they need to become safe. Since they work with the highest risk cases, IDAAs are most effective as part of an IDAA service and within a multi-agency framework. The IDAA’s role in all multi-agency settings is to keep the client’s perspective and safety at the centre of proceedings. This creates the context in which other needs can be met.

MAPPA

Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements

MATAC

Multi-Agency Tasking and Coordinating – a Police Scotland initiative to identify and manage the most harmful domestic abuse perpetrators.

MARAC

Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference – a regular, local, confidential meeting to discuss how to help victims and survivors at high risk of being murdered or seriously harmed. A domestic abuse specialist (IDAA), police, children’s social services, health and other relevant agencies sit round the same table. They talk about the circumstances faced by the victim or survivor, perpetrator and their children, and share information. This information then informs an action plan which all agencies contribute to, with the IDAA acting as a vocal advocate for the victim’s wishes and needs. The principal endeavour of the meeting is to help the victim become sustainably safe.