Project overview

This ESRC funded network, led by Kings College, aims to reduce the prevalence of mental health problems among children, working age adults, and the elderly, by bringing together experts with different ways of thinking about violence, abuse and mental health. Understanding, preventing and reducing the impact of violence and abuse on mental health requires that we resolve problems that have prevented progress in the past. Network activities will address these challenges through: 1) working with people who have personal experience of violence, abuse, and mental health problems to learn from different perspectives, and generate fresh ideas and research questions, with a focus on the commonest types of violence- domestic and sexual violence and abuse; 2) trying to answer research questions through small grant competitions, workshops, conferences, and other events; some of these will lead to larger grant applications; 3) sharing measurement approaches, including how to ethically and safely research this area, which will help data collection and analysis by health services, the criminal justice system, family courts, social care, charities, and researchers. An online resource providing information about datasets that can be used in research in the future will be developed. Results will be published widely through the network and other organisations, including policy makers within NHS England, Public Health England and the National Institute for Health and Social Care Excellence, technology companies and the general public.