Listen to a live recording of the podcast at Resolution National Conference with Ruth Dodsworth (journalist and presenter) and Professor Jane Monckton-Smith (Forensic Criminologist).
Elaine Richardson wrote this review which we replicate to tell you all about the conversation.
A review from Elaine Richardson who was at National Conference:
A conversation that stopped the room.
At the Resolution National Conference, we had the privilege of hearing a profoundly moving and eye-opening Keynote Live podcast hosted by Anita Mehta and Simon Blain. They were joined by Professor Jane Monckton-Smith and journalist Ruth Dodson—two voices whose insight and courage left a lasting impression.
Ruth shared her personal story of surviving coercive and controlling behaviour in her marriage—an experience made even more striking by her words:
“I’m one of you, and it happened to me.”
As family justice professionals, that hit hard. It was a stark reminder that abuse does not discriminate—and denial can be part of survival.
Professor Jane Monckton-Smith brought her ground-breaking research into focus, including the eight-stage homicide timeline that has transformed our understanding of domestic abuse, coercive control, and stalking. She shared that:
“Coercive and controlling behaviour is made up of rules and expectations—and one rule you can’t break is to separate. Separation just changes the type of control you are subjected to.”
“Breaches of injunctions need to be treated much more seriously than they currently are.”
Ruth spoke with raw honesty about the financial abuse she endured—how it stripped away her means to leave. And Jane reminded us that the most dangerous and common type of stalker is the “rejected stalker”—obsessed, fixated, and often missed.
The audience was silent. Transfixed. Moved.
This keynote was not just a session—it was a call to action. For those of us working in family justice, it was a powerful reminder: we must stay alert to the signs of coercive control, listen with care, and never underestimate the danger.
