Domestic abuse 'virtual reality training' rolled out across Greater Manchester
A new training programme called ‘Unbroken’, shows scenarios to help professionals fully understand the impact of coercive behaviour
A new project aimed at tackling coercive control and supporting those affected has been rolled out across Greater Manchester, employing the use of virtual reality headsets to immerse people into the shoes of people experiencing gender-based violence.
Through a new training programme called ‘Unbroken’, delivered by Mother Mountain Productions, professionals such as those working in legal, health and social care, can be shown scenarios to help them fully understand the impact of coercive behaviour, while those who have been affected by gender-based violence first-hand can be helped with resilience and recovery.
Jude Traharne, Managing Director of Mother Mountain Productions, is herself a survivor of domestic abuse and coercive control: "In my own personal case, when it went through the family courts, I wasn't believed, I was even shamed by the judge.
"That, I think, did a lot of damage... I don't want other people to go through that experience where they're being disbelieved.
"Judges didn't really understand coercive control. We want to try and make a playing field where by a man or a woman whose been in an abusive or coercively controlled relationship can have more faith in the justice system because it did let me down.
"We know people are living these lives of terror in these relationships and they're just not being believed."
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, along with Deputy Mayor, Kate Green, and Assistant Deputy Mayor, Baroness Bev Hughes, have also been given an insight into the training sessions.