Davina James-Hanman is the Director of AVA (Against Violence & Abuse) which she took up following five years at L.B. Islington as the first local authority Domestic Violence Co-ordinator in the UK. From 2000-08, she had responsibility for developing and implementing the London Domestic Violence Strategy for the Mayor of London.

She has worked in the field of violence against women for over two decades in a variety of capacities including advocate, campaigner, conference organiser, crisis counsellor, policy officer, project manager, refuge worker, researcher, trainer and writer. She has published innumerable articles and two book chapters and formerly acted as the Dept. of Health policy lead on domestic violence as well as being an Associate Tutor at Centrex (now NPIA). Davina has also authored a wide variety of resources for survivors.
She has also worked as a Consultant for many public and voluntary sector organisations and is also a Lay Inspector for HMCPSI, a member of the Attorney-General’s Diversity Advisory Group, acted as the Specialist Adviser to the Home Affairs Select Committee Inquiry into domestic violence (2007/08) and Chairs the Accreditation Panel for Respect. She recently completed a year long secondment at the Home Office to assist with the development of the first national Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.