Transformative work underway with the MS Domestic Violence and Abuse Research Initiative
A Leeds cross-faculty research project is the first UK study aimed at understanding the nature and prevalence of Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) in the lives of people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
The MS Domestic Violence and Abuse Research Initiative (MSDVARI) is a transformative project, funded by Horne Family Charitable Fund, which aims to address the critical gap understanding the prevalence and nature of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) among people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Cross-faculty collaboration
In an example of cross-faculty collaborative research, the team is overseen by Dr Andrea Hollomotz from the School of Sociology and Social Policy and Prof Helen Ford from the School of Medicine at the University of Leeds. Dr Shruthi Venkatachalam is leading on a knowledge exchange and impact strategy from a wider program of research on Domestic Violence and Abuse and Multiple Sclerosis. The wider team of researchers associated with the project include Kharis Hutchison (School of Sociology and Social Sciences) and Professor Nikos Evangelou, Dr Charley Baker and Suzanne Britt from the University of Nottingham.
MS patients, DVA and the role of healthcare professionals
The project recognises that healthcare professionals play a pivotal role in supporting their MS patients to talk about DVA within a safe environment. A toolkit is being developed as an intervention to enable healthcare professionals to improve and strengthen their response to DVA. For wider impact, the team is engaging with various stakeholders through the following initiatives.
‘I don’t think they know enough about it’
In September 2024, members of the team (Professor Helen Ford from the School of Medicine and Kharis Hutchison, PhD student at the School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds) presented a poster titled “I don’t think they know enough about it”: Women with Multiple Sclerosis and Domestic Violence and Abuse’ at the 40th anniversary of the ECTRIMS conference. The MSDVA initiative is the first in the Congress’s history to address the critical issue of DVA, thereby raising awareness and paving the way for enhanced support in future healthcare interventions.
In November 2024, Dr Shruthi Venkatachalam wrote a blog article for MS Society explaining the MS, Domestic Violence and Abuse toolkit she is developing for MS healthcare professionals to safely identify and respond to domestic violence and abuse among their MS patients.
Energy and commitment
After a recent team meeting on 28 November involving discussion on MSDVARI project developments and next steps, the energy and commitment from all members underscored the collaborative spirit driving their impact forward. With clear objectives and a strengthened collective vision, the team is poised for exciting developments, one such example of collaborative research that leads to tangible research impact.
