programme OVERVIEW

VOICE FOUNDERS

CATHY PRESS

Cathy Press has over 25 yrs experience working as a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor, registered as MBACP Senior Accredited Counsellor and Supervisor with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. Cathy has specialised within the arena of domestic and sexual violence and abuse, trauma, abuse, child to parent violence and abuse, attachment and adoption related issues with children, young people and adults. 

Having been a trainer in domestic abuse related issues over 20 years, Cathy continues to run workshops and trainings to practitioners across the UK and internationally, including the Escape the Trap Programme, the Who’s in Charge? Programme and more recently the VOICE Programme. 

Combining therapeutic practice, running psycho-educational programmes and her extensive knowledge base in relationship abuse dynamics, Cathy developed Escape the Trap to support young people who are at risk and vulnerable to early intimate relationship abuse, grooming and CSE.  It was in response to the rising numbers of young people affected and their need for understanding as well as an opportunity to process how their experiences have impacted them.

For 20 years Cathy was Chair of the charity, Compassion, sat for many years on the CPS Scrutiny Panel for domestic abuse cases and has won awards for innovative work in the arena of domestic abuse.

For many years Cathy worked as Clinical Lead/Manager of therapeutic services for specialist domestic abuse agencies and continues to provide clinical supervision to several domestic and sexual violence organisations.

CLARE WALKER

Clare Walker is a Domestic Abuse Consultant with a unique 360-degree insight to domestic abuse, having lived, worked, managed and developed services and practices in it, across the last 30 years. Starting as a volunteer and progressing through; Case Worker, Project Management and national strategic development. The latter was with organisations such as the Department of Health, SCIE (Social Care Institute for Excellence) and the Parental Mental Health & Child Welfare Network. Developing policies and good practice guidance specifically around working with adults with Learning Disabilities, Mental Ill Health and Domestic Abuse. Clare is an avid believer in the upholding of Equality & Human Rights, this is the baseline which underpins all her areas of work. Clare works with all victims, regardless of their gender, sexuality or any other protected characteristics that they may have.

Key aspects of Clare’s work are; Professionals Training, Visiting Lecturer, Expert Witness and Campaigner. Clare’s training has been commissioned across the UK for the past 20 years, to multiagency audiences across all sectors and including the Military, from basic awareness raising to Masterclasses. In more recent years Clare has also been commissioned overseas; Cypress, Australia, US and Italy. 

Clare is a known expert on coercive control and explains the dynamics and interactions of power imbalances. Professionals need to have an awareness of this power dynamic from their role, and how that, interplays with a clients engagement. Clare is the domestic abuse expert for various organisations including the Restart 360 (working with young people at risk of radicalisation & county lines), Hope Project; Kings College London (Foster Carers of Mother & Baby placements), London Consortium of Family Group Conference Chairs. Clare also works with faith leaders regarding the use of spiritual abuse in domestic abuse. And also looking at the increased propensity of domestic abuse context, that can evolve into gang culture, and potentially, acts of terrorism. Clare is a Domestic Homicide Review Chair, trained by AAFDA.

Clare also has her own multi award winning social enterprise, now in its 10th year. This offers a suite of services to female victims and survivors. 

As part of campaigning activities, Clare is a member of the international research hub regarding the topic of Family Courts and the use of ‘Junk Science’ within that arena – formally or informally. Clare is a member of British Sociological Association’s learning & development network. And also works with Government Departments, Academics, Lawyers and campaigning groups alike, regarding justice for victims & survivors going through legal processes.

Clare has been called upon for input and opinion at many public events over the years; Conferences, Webinars, Podcasts and Panel Discussions. Clare’s expertise and views have also been sought in the House of Lords, Home Office, DWP, private companies & organisations and many local & national media outlets. Including, BBC News, Victoria Derbyshire Show, Regional BBC News (various locations). Many local Radio stations, BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, Talk Radio, and quoted in the Observer. Discussing formally or informally everything domestic abuse related, from grassroots provision, new legislations, service interventions, impacts of lockdown, the DA Bill 2nd Hearing, through to the Johnny Depp Defamation case ruling, last year.

RACHEL WILLIAMS

Rachel is a leading advocate in the campaign against domestic violence. She is a survivor of 18 years of severe domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour which ended in 2011 when her abuser shot her with a sawn off shot gun before hanging himself. 6 weeks later her 16 year old son Jack hung himself due to the trauma of the years of abuse and subsequent shooting of his mother. She survived by the skin of her teeth and now campaigns tirelessly to help other victims and survivors.

She was at the forefront of pushing the domestic abuse bill through Parliament, and also played a key role in getting Non-Fatal Strangulation added as a standalone charge.

On 13th September 2019, she hosted the first ever survivor-led domestic abuse conference in South Wales: Stand Up to Domestic Abuse (SUTDA), which brought together many survivors and professionals. Over 300 delegates attended the event which was opened by Wales First Minister.

Rachel is brave, kind, and passionate, and has dedicated her life to helping women all over the country and during the pandemic reaching further afield, South Africa, Australia, Italy, Russia and New York.

She brings heart, honesty, bravery and absolute expertise to her work, which includes delivering ‘Lunch & Learn’ to professionals who want to gain a deeper understanding and knowledge of domestic abuse and coercion. Only recently Rachel spoke to the entire Lancashire & Blackpool police force and the feedback is evident to the impact she brings to those who attended.

From sitting on domestic abuse project boards, to speaking to the national media, Rachel shows authenticity in every action, every word she speaks. She changes the domestic abuse sector by bringing all of these voices together, changing the lives of the women she has the pleasure of meeting, speaking with and advocating for.