Developed in partnership with

SafeLives has contributed to and reviewed the content of this domestic abuse game, and support its use within a safe training environment.

Recognise and respond to domestic abuse


Domestic abuse affects around 2.0 million1 people in the UK each year. People experiencing domestic abuse often find it difficult to seek support for reasons that include fear and shame. The Domestic Abuse Training Game helps professionals develop their understanding of domestic abuse; and improve their ability to recognise and respond to abuse appropriately.

People who work with the public in education, health or other public services are well-placed to recognise and respond to domestic abuse concerns. Training is essential to ensure they recognise the signs of domestic abuse; and have the confidence and skills to manage these situations effectively.

Playing the Domestic Abuse Training Game will equip staff with the confidence and knowledge to respond to domestic abuse concerns, by asking appropriate questions and offering support to individuals.



Developed by leading academics in intimate partner violence


Dr Parveen Ali, Senior Lecturer at University of Sheffield, works in the field of gender-based violence, domestic violence and abuse for more than 15 years. She has worked extensively with victims and perpetrators of domestic violence and abuse. She initiated the Sheffield University Interpersonal Violence Research Group. Dr Ali also works with health care professionals, including doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals to find ways of enhancing their preparedness, to work with victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse. She publishes regularly, serves on the editorial board of Journal of Interpersonal Violence and is an Associate Editor of Nursing Open. She has received prestigious awards, for example, the Mary Seacole Leadership Award and Sigma Nursing’s Emerging Nurse Researcher Award. You can find more about her work and publications here.

"I developed this board game because health care professionals, and students often lack confidence about their preparedness to work with domestic violence and abuse. The topic is challenging and requires a lot of reflection and value clarification. I hope that this board game will help health care professionals and students, aiming to be healthcare professionals, want to explore the complex concept of domestic violence and abuse, (in easy to understand and jargon free language), and will help them to become effective and empathetic practitioners."

Learn to recognise & respond to Domestic Abuse


The Domestic Abuse Training Game is a useful resource for anyone who engages with the public and service users. On January 21st 2019, the UK government published the landmark Domestic Abuse Bill, which is currently being progressed through Parliament, and is intended to support victims and help pursue offenders. In Scotland, the Domestic Abuse, (Scotland), Act came into force in April 2019.

The Domestic Abuse Training Game will help improve responses and support effective education and training, regarding all aspects of domestic abuse, for qualified and student professionals, such as:

  • Allied Health Professionals
  • Care Providers
  • Educational Staff
  • GPs
  • Health Visitors
  • Nurses & Midwives
  • Police Officers
  • Social Workers

Face-to-face and online versions available

Board game for face-to-face learning.

Traditional tabletop game for groups working face-to-face. Encourages collaborative team discussions.

Generates fun and enthusiasm with a serious purpose and clear outcomes.

Online for socially distanced learning.

Digital board game replicates the intensity of face-to-face on Zoom, Skype & Teams.

Can be used for remote learning or socially distanced face-to-face sessions. Just share your screen with the group, wherever they are.



Price of game:
£60.00 EXC Vat


  2 - 12 players
   45-60 minutes of play

How the game works

An engaging and informative way for groups of up to 12 people to learn. The game can be used as an informal activity in the workplace, or as part of more structured training or workshops.

Two teams of players compete to take their playing pieces to the “Safety Zone,” by providing correct answers to questions and successfully exploring scenarios involving fictional individuals.

SafeLives would always recommend that the person leading the game has a good background knowledge of domestic abuse, safeguarding and local/national frameworks for support. They have also written a specific guidance note, which should be reviewed before playing the game.

Cards:

  • Question Cards - allow players to test and build their knowledge of key issues related to domestic abuse. Questions are designed to promote discussion, and players are encouraged to talk about their answers, share ideas and learn from each other.
  • Persona Cards - information about a fictional individual and their circumstances.
  • Scenario Cards - these allow players to apply some of the knowledge they have gained during the game. Teams are asked to look at the information on a Persona Card and talk about how they might respond to scenarios involving the individual.