- Sensory: how do sensory sensitivities present in the home?
- Communication: is this a mixed neurotype couple, and what challenges does this present when communicating each other’s needs? To what extent does the client expect their partner to take responsibility for their neurodivergence?
- Acceptance: does the client accept differences in needs and preferences within their couple/home, or is it all on their terms?
We have already identified that neurodivergence does not cause domestic abuse. That is, Neurodivergent people are no more likely than neurotypical people to abuse their partners. However, as mentioned above, Neurodivergent people have spiky profiles with varied strengths and needs across different contexts. It is important to understand the specific challenges and needs that are present in the home environment, how domestic abuse and neurodivergence intersect in these settings, and what impact this has on the victim-survivor partner and children. While neurodivergence does not cause or justify abusive and controlling behaviours, a better understanding of what challenges Neurodivergent people and their families face and what this looks like in relationships (e.g., triggers for anxiety, communication differences, emotional regulation) can help to understand any risks this presents, including any expectations placed on the victim-survivor to manage this. Gathering this information at this early stage will help to formulate safety planning and advice to others in the home. This information will also provide the foundations for returning to when addressing proposed justifications for abusive and controlling behaviours during the intervention (section 5.5).
In this section we will cover two areas:
5.3a Understanding specific challenges in the home environment.
5.3b Identifying coping strategies in the home.
- Neurodivergence does not cause domestic abuse and practitioners should take care not to conflate the two.
- A victim survivor is not responsible for regulating a Neurodivergent partner or structuring their environment.
- It is important that the victim survivor’s safety worker gathers their views about how neurodivergence and domestic abuse intersect in the home.