The nature vs. nurture debate is one that sparked interest in behavioral communities. In cases of children raised in abusive households, it seems like the odds are not in their favor. Andrew Campbell, however, is a testament that neither holds true – but not without work. Andrew leads this session’s discussion where he talks about his own experience undoing the damage of being raised surrounded by family violence and deciding that the cycle ends in him and the evidence backing up these.

Andrew Campbell is the CEO and Founder of Campbell Research & Consulting and the author of Not Without My Pet. Andrew tapped into his own childhood and immersed himself in the data on family violence and associated risks of harm for adults, children, and animals residing in homes where this violence occurs. He wrote numerous academic publications cited by the FBI and the CDC, and in over 800 international academic studies.

Specifics of this webinar include:

• What family violence is, its forms and how these are intertwined, and the cycle of abuse within a relationship.
• The generational cycle of abuse: What it is, how deep it can go, and the need to break this cycle.
• A glimpse into other habits and behavior that people adopt as coping mechanisms and circumstances people live through that must likewise be broken.
• The mindset, motivation, and support required to create lasting and meaningful behavior changes.
• A rundown of the elements that must be present and understood to effectively end the cycle of abuse.
  • How ending cycles of familial abuse starts with safety by cutting ties with the abusers as well as those with well-intentions but unknowingly further the abuse.
  • Coming into a moment of realization as an offshoot of safety and being away from the abuser.
  • The moment of confirmation that reaffirms the abuser’s tendencies despite giving them a chance.
  • The need for healing – which will look different for different people and may be difficult and require creativity to process.
  • The importance of motivation in making the breaking of the cycle possible.
  • How support is necessary and valuable, and the different places where support may come from.
  • That ending the cycle of abuse is a lifelong cycle and struggle facing triggers and managing the body’s emotional response to these.
• The different agencies and disciplines with a stake in responding to and assisting with family violence cases, their roles, and what they can do to accommodate the victims’ needs and make the abusers accountable.

Questions from the webinar attendees are about:

• Ways crisis line and the 988 suicide hotline can be improved.
• Helping with getting someone to acknowledge that they’re in an abusive relationship/situation.
• Effective treatment programs for pet abuse offenders.

Click here to view and register for other upcoming Victim Advocate/Assistance webinars and recordings on the JCH Platform.

Resources and Handouts

• Book: Not without My Pet: Understanding the Relationship between Victims of Domestic Violence and Their Pets
• Website Resource: The National Link Coalition
• Website Resource: Animal Welfare Institute

Audience Comments

• “I appreciated the presenters allowed themselves to be vulnerable with their audience making both personal and professional connections. It made it relatable for those who have dealt with similar situations, and I find that helps the audience become more comfortable as they find themselves relating to the topic.” — Heather
• “The most valuable thing I learned from this webinar is that ending generational cycles of abuse will take a lifelong of work; I say this because I always felt like I will never be able to end the cycle of abuse in my family, but now I’m reassured the reason I feel like this is because it’s always going to be a work in progress.” — Elizabeth
• “Hearing from someone with lived experience on the subject was very helpful. I think his point that we need to keep kids safe and provide space to talk about these issues was very important to me. Understanding that this could stem from generational issues and some families don’t know how to change because they think this is normal was an important point.” — Kristina
• “It helped relate to me, as an advocate at a DV shelter, that I just need to be present and helpful but wait until the victim is ready and not to push. But it gave me good ideas of how to respond to some questions and situations.” — Hope
• “Excellent class on domestic violence. The part where he said you may need to separate from the abuser and be OK with that decision was very compelling.” — Julia
• “I’ve done a lot of research in Trauma but I really liked this webinar.” — Jessica
• “I feel it is so important that Mr. Campbell highlighted that one family member is being mistreated, it affects everyone in the home.” — Miller
• “Hearing someone be so vulnerable and passionate about the topic at hand was so impactful! Andrew Campbell was an excellent speaker!” — Monica
• “Great topic. Thanks to the presenter for sharing their vulnerability and experience.” — William
• “The impact of familial abuse on pets was not something I’d considered before.” — amber

NACP and D-SAACP Advocates can earn 1 CEU by attending this webinar through the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP)® and the DoD Sexual Assault Advocate Certification Program (D-SAACP). Founded in 1975, the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) is the oldest national victim assistance organization of its type in the United States and is the recognized leader in victim advocacy, education and credentialing.  To learn more about NOVA, visit trynova.org.