Leading coercive control expert returns to her Ribble Valley roots to help victims of domestic abuse

They are able to help anyone in the local and wider valley area with family or matrimonial issues, including financial settlements after separation.

Rachel Horman-Brown heads a nationally-renowned coercive control, stalking and children department, with a team of specialist advisors who enable victims to receive expert advice that many clients have expressed has “saved their lives”.

Coercive control is unfortunately very common throughout the UK and reports have increased dramatically since the pandemic. For those suffering from its many forms, it can make day-to-day life feel unbearable.

Everyone reading this will know somebody who either has experienced coercive control in the past, or is facing this nightmare right now. Yet it continues to be a hidden crime, as victims often feel unable to report it.

They may feel embarrassed, fear that doing so will make things worse if the abuser finds out or worry that the police won’t take their claims seriously. Victims will generally suffer dozens of incidents of abuse before calling the police. Despite this, an incident is reported every minute and two women are killed every week by their current or former partners.

There is, however, support out there for those who need it – and for people in the Ribble Valley, some of the very best legal help is now on their doorstep.

UK’s leading legal expert for coercive control cases

Rachel Horman-Brown is widely regarded as the UK’s leading legal expert in the field, who in addition to winning numerous prestigious national awards for her groundbreaking work helping victims, also advises the police, the Government and all-party parliamentary groups for stalking and domestic abuse.

A director, solicitor and Head of Family at Watson Ramsbottom, of which Steele & Son with Bagot Heyes are now a part, Rachel is regularly invited to speak at conferences all over the country and make regular TV and Radio contributions. She literally wrote the book on coercive control (and is busy writing a second), and was personally involved in changing the law to make it a criminal offence in December 2015.

Rachel is also the Chair of the charity Paladin – the national stalking advocacy service. Rachel and several other members of her team are resolution accredited specialists in the fields of domestic abuse, children and finances.

What is domestic abuse?

Women’s Aid defines domestic abuse as “an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence, in the majority of cases by a partner or ex-partner, but also by a family member or carer.”

This can an often include physical violence, but what is less recognised is that it can also include psychological, sexual, financial and emotional abuse.

Controlling behaviour is: A range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependant by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capabilities for financial gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour.

Coercive behaviour is: An act or pattern of acts of assaults, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish or frighten the victim. This behaviour includes ‘honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

Stalking: Many victims of domestic violence are also abused after separation, which may be classed by the police as stalking.

How Rachel and her team can assist

The team can help with child custody or contact issues, safety planning, practical advice, protective orders for victims and their children, orders preventing an abusive parent seeing or removing children from the victim’s care and also dealing with financial claims and settlements after the breakdown of a relationship.

Children are affected by witnessing or overhearing domestic abuse and perpetrators will often try to use the children as a way of continuing to abuse a victim. Rachel has unparalleled specialist knowledge in dealing with these perpetrators, who often have narcissistic personality types which needs to be carefully considered as part of a bespoke case plan.

Non-molestation orders, also known as injunctions, can prevent the perpetrator from contacting a victim in any way – in person, by letter, text, social media and through third parties. These orders can even prevent the perpetrator form approaching the victim’s house or place of work.

The team will ensure that you are seen straight away without the need to wait for an appointment, if your situation is urgent.

Help is at hand

If you need help escaping coercive control or any form of domestic abuse, reach out for help! If you know someone who needs help, please urge them to seek assistance when it is safe to do so.

Rachel and her team can help victims to escape the nightmare of domestic abuse, even those who have attempted to report this previously and felt unsupported in their efforts.

To get in touch, call 01200 444321, email [email protected] or visit the website at www.steeleandson.com