The 2026 MS Trust Conference saw the launch of the MS domestic violence and abuse (MSDVA) toolkit for healthcare professionals working in MS care. MS Trust worked in partnership with the MSDVA Research Initiative and supported their application for grant funding from the Leeds Institute for Societal Futures ESRC Impact Acceleration Account. This funding allowed them to update and refine the existing toolkit into a polished and refined resource which could be showcased at the MS Trust Conference.
The MS domestic violence and abuse (MSDVA) toolkit is the product of a collaborative research project based in the Universities of Nottingham and Leeds, supported by a grant from the Horne Family Charitable Fund. Two PhD studies were conducted into the critically under-researched area of domestic violence and abuse in MS. Dr Kharis Hutchison’s study into women with MS’s lived experience of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) explored how controlling and coercive behaviour impacted negatively on women’s MS and their wellbeing. The work also highlighted the barriers that women with MS faced when seeking support for DVA, whilst identifying those interactions deemed beneficial to their healing journey.
Meanwhile in Nottingham, Dr Sue Britt’s study explored how healthcare professionals working in MS care saw their role in responding to DVA. The work highlighted that healthcare professionals viewed DVA as a complex and sensitive problem for them to address. They recognised that they had unique insight into how MS increases the risks of DVA. They described a jigsaw of responses, highlighting a need for time, resources and interprofessional collaboration across boundaries.
The MS domestic violence and abuse toolkit (PDF, 175KB) is grounded in the findings of the two PhD studies and was developed as part of a research fellowship at Leeds University also funded by the Horne Charitable Fund. It is an important example of translational research. It is situated in real-world practice, having been co-developed in consultation with people living with MS (pwMS), HCPs, and National Health Service (NHS) safeguarding teams.
The toolkit comprises several sections and can be used to provide a comprehensive overview of the issue of domestic violence and abuse in MS care. Sections include:
- What is domestic violence and abuse?
- Types of domestic violence and abuse
- Step-by-step actions
- Red flags and professional curiosity
- Vicarious trauma
One of the toolkit’s strengths is that it can also be used as a quick access tool for practitioners who want to explore how to ask about domestic violence and abuse, or the steps to follow when they suspect that domestic violence and abuse may be happening. Clickable tabs to each section of the document make it easy to navigate and get straight to the information needed.
The toolkit is easily accessed online as a digital resource, but it can also be provided to your setting as a printed bound copy from the MSDVA Research Initiative. Please send your request for a copy to the team at MSDVA@leeds.ac.uk.
The next step of the MSDVA project is to make the toolkit available for healthcare professionals working in MS care. By working together with MS Trust, the MSDVA toolkit can be seen and used in a variety of settings.
Healthcare professionals can send feedback to MSDVA@leeds.ac.uk and let the team know how it is being used and could be enhanced for future practice.
This ground-breaking resource will now need to be developed and continually updated to reflect this changing and complex area of care. In this way, it can fulfil its objective of supporting the wellbeing and holistic care of people living with MS for years to come.
