A special awareness program titled “Breaking Silence: Domestic Violence and Its Impact on Mental Health” was successfully held virtually in London on February 22, 2026, drawing around 50 participants. The event was jointly organised by NBC UK and NNA UK to raise awareness about the complex and often hidden link between domestic violence and mental health, with a particular focus on challenges faced within Nepali and wider diaspora communities.

Social worker Mrs. Laxmi Rai led the first session, providing a detailed overview of domestic violence. She defined it as repeated patterns of controlling, coercive, threatening, abusive and violent behaviour—including physical (such as hitting or strangling), verbal (constant criticism or shouting), sexual (harassment or coercion), economic (controlling finances or blocking employment/education), emotional/psychological (isolation, gaslighting, blame-shifting), and digital (monitoring phones, passwords or social media). Mrs. Rai emphasised that many people wrongly associate domestic violence only with physical harm, overlooking these other pervasive forms. Citing UK figures, she noted that one in four women has experienced domestic violence in some form, making it a major driver of depression among women in the country.

She outlined the severe long-term mental health impacts, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with flashbacks, nightmares and hypervigilance; prolonged depression featuring sadness, low self-esteem and self-doubt; anxiety disorders; substance misuse as a harmful coping strategy; and suicidal thoughts. Mrs. Rai offered practical advice for supporting victims: acknowledge their hardship without judgement, reassure them they are not alone and help is available, listen attentively, respect their decisions, avoid criticising their choices, and assist them in accessing professional support.

The session also explored major barriers to seeking help, such as cultural normalisation of abuse, patriarchal gender norms, language and cultural obstacles, stigma surrounding both domestic violence and mental health, family pressure for reconciliation, economic dependence, lack of support networks, fear of insufficient evidence, distrust of police and legal systems, and the terror of losing custody of children. Helpline numbers and key services were shared, including legal protection, emotional and practical support, safety planning, refuge referrals, translation and interpreting, police and legal aid, supervised child contact, housing assistance, and specialised DDVC support for those without recourse to public funds.

In the second session, consultant psychiatrist Dr. Devman Gurung presented a multi-level perspective on domestic violence and mental health. He described abuse as a deliberate, repeated pattern aimed at gaining power and control over a current or former partner, stressing that responsibility always lies with the perpetrator and that such behaviour is a criminal offence. He highlighted additional challenges for Nepali victims, including immigration status, economic vulnerability, cultural pressures to preserve family honour, past traumatic experiences, and fears around evidence.

Dr. Gurung explained the bidirectional relationship between domestic violence and mental illness: abuse can cause or worsen mental health conditions, mental illness can sometimes be a risk factor or even weaponised by abusers (through gaslighting, mislabelling trauma responses as illness, threats of forced admission, or blocking treatment access), yet the vast majority of people with mental health conditions are not violent. He detailed trauma’s psychological effects—complex PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance use, suicidal ideation, and dissociation—and noted perpetrator risk factors such as personality disorders, unmanaged substance misuse, or unresolved trauma, while firmly rejecting these as excuses for abuse.

He called for a shift to trauma-informed care—moving from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”—prioritising safety, dignity and healing through approaches like EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, support groups, validation of survivors’ experiences, and robust safety planning. Addressing the impact on children who witness violence, he described it as developmental trauma and urged interventions such as play therapy, school-based support, and empowering non-abusive parents to create safe, stable environments to help break intergenerational cycles.

The program concluded with the introduction of the 5Rs safety principle—Recognise symptoms, Respond appropriately, Report to the right person, Record details accurately, and Refer to external agencies when needed—alongside core messages: abuse is a choice rooted in power and control; mental health can be a cause, consequence or tool of abuse; interventions must be trauma-informed; and prevention relies heavily on education and awareness. Mrs. Rai ended with a powerful call to action, urging victims and witnesses to speak out, report to police, take all forms of abuse seriously, stand firm, reclaim personal power, and remember that putting others down does not lift oneself up.

Organisers from NNA UK and NBC UK thanked participants for their engagement and reaffirmed their commitment to continuing such vital programs in the future to foster greater community collaboration and support on these critical issues.