Responding to victims of sexual violence

About the course

This new course has been developed in conjunction with Janine Roderick, Manager of the Cardiff Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC),to build your skills, knowledge and confidence to improve your professional response and make victims of sexual violence safer.

Recent evidence gained through the CAADA Insights service shows that services are twice as likely to have incomplete information about sexual violence as other types of abuse. This suggests that many practitioners lack the confidence needed to ask their clients about sexual violence. This course has been designed specifically to help you build essential skills.

CAADA qualified IDVAs who attend this training will become qualified ISVAs on successful completion of the course.

By attending this course learners will experience:
• 3½ days of teaching and ½ day of seminar/tutorial.
• Practical and reflective learning and content.
• Professional training delivered by CAADA's expert trainers and Janine Roderick.
• Guest speakers from CPS, the Police and Zoe Lodrick, a Sexual Trauma Specialist.
• Opportunities to connect and share best practice with other professionals.
• Free practitioner resources.
• Student access to the University of Bath's online library for the duration of the course.

Learners will be expected to undertake up to 76 hours of self study including preparation for classes, reading, attendance on the course and assignment.

On successful completion of the course and the associated assignment, students are also eligible for 6 credits University of Bath credits at Level C (subject to approval).

These credits can count towards a Certificate of Higher Education (60 credits), Diploma of Higher Education (120 credits) or BA/BSc (180 credits) degree. For more information on working towards a CPD award please visithttp://www.bath.ac.uk/cpd/awards.html

Who is the unit aimed at?

This course is suitable for:
• IDVAs or domestic abuse service practitioners who want to increase their skills, knowledge and confidence in dealing with sexual violence issues.
• CAADA qualified IDVAs who want to change role and become qualified ISVAs.
• Other frontline professionals who regularly work with victims of sexual violence.

How will you benefit from attending?

This course will enable learners to build their skills and knowledge about sexual violence, ensuring that more effective support can be provided to help improve safety for victims of sexual violence.  

As a learner, you will:

• Confidently apply advanced skills and knowledge gained on the training course to increase your confidence in responding to disclosures of sexual violence and make victims safer. 
• If you are a CAADA qualified IDVA you will qualify as an ISVA on successful completion of the course, enabling you to extend your skills and the support you are able to provide.
• Learn from sector experts, including CPS, the Police, and Zoe Lodrick, a Sexual Trauma Specialist. Connect with like-minded professionals, sharing knowledge and best practice.
• Develop your career by engaging in Continuing Professional Development.

 Service managers who purchase training for staff also benefit:

• Evidence gathered by the CAADA Insights service suggests that IDVAs feel less confident in asking their clients about sexual violence than other types of abuse. By purchasing this training for staff you can improve practice and make victims and their children safer.
• Demonstrate to funders that you are commissioning ready by sharing best practice and building the skills profile of your team in line with the needs of your service users.

What does the course cover?

The training course will follow a care pathway for a victim of sexual violence: this starts with expert input looking at the dynamics of sexual violence and how people repond to it. These issues will inform the practice discussions during the rest of the course. Delegates will consider how to ask about sexual violence and how to respond to a disclosure. The course will look at the needs of and risks to a client who has experienced sexual violence. This will focus on their health needs both longer term and immediately after an assault and the response of the Criminal Justice System.

Learners will participate in an Action Learning Set, working through a case study which they will then write up for their assessment, along with reflections on the training. The first course will take place in the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Cardiff and learners will have the opportunity to look around the SARC.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the units learners will be able to:

• Understand the dynamics of sexual violence and its prevalence in society.
• Analyse the effects of sexual violence in different contexts and the implications on the health, safety and well being of the victim.
• Respond appropriately to a disclosure of sexual violence.
• Identify any risks and needs for a victim of sexual violence and respond appropriately, advocating for the client where necessary.
• Analyse the criminal justice response to sexual violence and how to support a client from reporting a sexual assault through to the end of the court process.
• Analyse the conflicting needs of the victim within the criminal justice system.
• Consider the additional risks posed to vulnerable groups, such as sex workers, victims of trafficking, etc