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The University of Sheffield

Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence

The University of Sheffield via FutureLearn

Overview

Enhance your knowledge of gender-based violence and the forms of domestic abuse

Domestic violence is a global health issue that can take many forms and affect anyone.

Health and social care professionals play an important role in recognising and helping victims of violent and abusive relationships.

On this course, you’ll address the role of gender in domestic violence and learn to recognise the various forms of violence and abuse.

You’ll reflect on the impact of domestic violence and understand your responsibilities as a health or social care worker.

By the end of this course, you’ll feel more confident to help support domestic violence victims and survivors.

This course is designed for health and social care professionals, including nurses, doctors, family support workers, and community workers.

The course will also appeal to lawyers, school teachers, police, and anyone familiar with victims of domestic violence.

This course has been designed to help practitioners who work with victims of domestic violence and abuse to provide effective support. We regret that we are unable to provide direct support to victims in this course.

Syllabus

  • Gender and Gender-Based Violence
    • Would you walk home alone at night?
    • What is gender?
    • Forms of domestic violence and abuse
    • Why doesn't she leave?
  • Recognising Domestic Violence and Abuse
    • How prevalent is domestic violence and abuse?
    • The impact of domestic violence and abuse
    • Recognising the signs
    • Why doesn't she leave?
  • Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence
    • Talking to victims
    • Practical advice
    • Working in partnership with others
    • Moving forwards

Taught by

Parveen Ali

Reviews

4.8 rating, based on 224 Class Central reviews

4.8 rating at FutureLearn based on 295 ratings

Start your review of Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence

  • This was such an engaging and informative course. Really well paced and presented with videos of real professionals dealing with women experiencing DVA to give context and guidance. Lots of information on the subject from causes and risks through to indentifying and reaching out to those affected and how issues are taken further in a more official context. Very clear on how to help and support those who may be experiencing DVA in a compassionate and effective way that shows respect and empowers.
  • Anonymous

    I am very grateful for this course. It gaves me a lot of insight on DVA that will be useful in my job search.

    I love that my sociological experience in active listening and note taking is considered important.

    I particularly liked the practitioners experiences and the articles.
  • Anonymous
    Very interesting and informative, the course is easy to follow and has great links to help your understanding.
  • Anonymous
    As someone who has just started working within the DVA service, I have been learning more about DVA on the job over these past two months as I settle into the new role. This course has proved a valuable addition to, and means of solidifying, my awareness and understanding of DVA, its prevalence, impact and how to think about responding when we encounter it in the lives of people we work with and for. It's hard to make an online course hugely interactive, but I appreciated the space where we could read other peoples' comments and thoughts, as well as contribute our own. Thank you very much for allowing such easy access to very pertinent and valuable learning.
  • Anonymous
    The course is interesting and insightful, it’s one of the best DVA courses. Through this course I have been able to know the steps one needs to follow in helping domestic violent abuse client resolve their challenges.
    The course has thrown more light on the safety aspect of helping process and the importance of active listening when dealing with a client.
    The course has shown in details the Systemic ways of getting information from a reluctant client who is not ready to divulge information that are necessary to address the key issues.
    Above all it has changed my perception about victims of Domestic violent abuse. Thanks
  • Al Batol Adnan Al Smeet
    I think this course was as a new experience to update my information about DVA, and what sign that alerts you about this dangerous experience and what you should do to save your life,and people you love.
    Giving help and support to a women experiencing DVA, and what we can help them to agents the violence and make their plans if they decide to leave and start over her new life with out DVA ( Domestic Violence and Abuse).
  • Anonymous
    The course provides sobering data about the extent of DVA (domestic violence and abuse) in all societies. Voices of professionals, including academics, lawyers and front-line professionals, add insight to the issues at stake and guidance on how to respond to victims/survivors. Although some of the content is more tailored to those in these front-line roles (crisis agency staff and those working in healthcare and the public sector), the course has highlighted that it is important for all of us to be aware of the prevalence of DVA and to be ready to offer an appropriate response.
  • Anonymous
    I cannot believe hat in such a short duration of time, this course covers almost all major area that involves Domestic Violence in any form.

    The practical case studies of the victims definitely reflects the core of the issue on individual level to community and Global level .

    The Professional interviews video are so informative that one really feels confident about in and outs of the issue.

    Very well organised course. A must for anyone who wants to work in the relevant field or just for their own awareness of this nasty act that exists globally on multilevel .
  • Anonymous
    I found this course really very informative and essy to follow.
    I reslly liked the summary Quizzes inclided that test our knowledge as we progress through.
    All information is given in bitesized digestibke pieces and never felt overwhelming.
    Although a tough topic for sure, i completed this course feeling much more confident than when i started. Fantastic well done to all those who contributed to this course regarding content, aswell as my thought provoking fellow learners who left interesting comments.
    Thanks again!
  • Anonymous
    I am enjoying to complete the preliminary exam and course about supporting victims domestic violence.its helpful subject for all health worker . social worker are benefits on that subject.This topic was helpful for all ongoing learners on various subjects to study I was very thankful to future learn for giving opportunity to do this course.I got two course certificate from future learn.so I appeal to all new learners to do various subjects on this platform

  • Mrs Kalpana Ravivaruman
    Since I became a freelance Interpreter, it was a learning curve, and I am exposed to multi agency and their work in the community. My work is encouraging me to invest more time in learning further and educating myself, that's why I did this course t…
  • Anonymous
    The course was well organised and laid out. Each step provided information without overloading the trainee with too much information at one time. The mixture of videos, articles and discussions provided variety and flow. It was helpful to hear what various professionals have experienced and how they have dealt with DVA. There were many thought provoking moments (e.g. video about children drawing certain professionals) that made me stop and think about my own subconscious beliefs about gender. The facts about DVA around the world and percentages were surprising. I am determined to help anyone who may appear to be in need of help from DVA in my new job role (mental health support worker). Thank you for the information!
  • Anonymous
    I took this course for general interest knowing very little about this difficult subject. It was the combination of the course material and the comments from other students that made it so rewarding. I'm almost ashamed to admit I that had thought that domestic violence and abuse only involved physical mistreatment!
  • Peter Ethelston
    Honest, brutal and very informative. This material should be taught appropriately in every school - without educating our children, we will never effectively challenge or in any way eradicate DVA from our lives. We also need to take this topic into the workplace as part of employee wellbeing - if up to 56% of women experience DVA and in 70% of cases at the hands of men, then we need to recognise the impact on the world of work and on the wellbeing of our workforce. We also need to talk about this in our communities - DVA knows no social boundaries. No matter how uncomfortable we feel having these conversations, it pales in comparison to those living with DVA.
  • Anonymous
    It has been a wonderful experience updating my knowledge on supporting victims of DVA. The use of amazing skills to identify victims and to gain their trust to be able to communicate freely for you to help them. Most Important things to put in place to help them escape from harm in the hands of their perpetrators. Also referral process is vital to tailor support for the victim.
  • Anonymous
    Very interesting course, I've learnt many things and feel more informed on the topic.
    I have really appreciated the various videos with the different practitioners, the articles and quizes were very instructive as well.
  • Anonymous
    I really enjoy the time space, the flexibility and simplicity of this course, it is indeed an educative interaction. What i really like about this course is how wide enough it delivered all aspect of the topic in a simplified and well explained manner, i really really enjoy my session.
  • Anonymous
    I began this course because I wanted a better understand on domestic violence and a better understand on how to approach it. I have been a victim myself and realised that when people where using some of the tactics taught that they where trying to listen and understand me but back then I felt that they couldn't be bothered to listen as they had tried previous. It has taught me how to approach people and help them if they are in domestic violence relationships but at the same time helped me realise there was more to mine than I knew.
  • Anonymous
    It is important for volunteers & professionals working directly with families & individuals experiencing DV to feel empowered to help them. So often cases can be dropped because of “lack of evidence”. It can be situation where families feel utterly powerless.?
  • Anonymous
    This course helped me undestanding better how DVA occurs. The points I need to be attentive, how as a professional care, I should aproach a victim, and asks subtle questions, so this way, the victim would be confortable to open up ahd share what is happening. There were a lot of concepts that I never imagined I must known. I found this inspired on a Netflix series, Maid. This series, in particular, gave the boost and the confidence to ackowlege the needed information to provide some help where I live.

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