Graduate Certificate in Domestic & Gender-Based Violence Research and Practice

This provides foundational knowledge in understanding domestic and family violence (DFV) and the intervention for workers in the human services sector. An analysis which draws from an ecological and a public health framing of the cultural, structural, relational and individual understandings of DFV informs the content of the course. An approach which recognises the gendered patterns of DFV and which also recognises the impact on children of living with violence and abuse provides the parameters of the subject. Issues of diversity will be woven throughout the subject.

Specific topics that will be covered include: prevalence and incidence of DFV and what this tells us about children, gender and intersectionality; risk assessment and risk management; accountability for men who use violence; strengthening the mother-child relationship in the aftermath of violence; supporting collaborative inter-agency practice; specific issues for child protection workers; the prevention agenda and strategies for earlier intervention.

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This subject introduces a number of approaches to program planning and evaluation, and highlights both practical aspects of the program design and evaluation process, and more conceptual or theoretical aspects. The subject focuses on macro social work interventions at the program/ organisational level. It includes how to develop new human service programs and/or how to modify existing programs to address identified needs. It further examines how to evaluate programs to assess if a program is meeting the identified needs and achieving intended outcomes. Each week of the subject focuses on a specific stage of the program planning/design process from needs assessment, program design, budgeting, implementation through to evaluation. As part of the subject assessment students will design a new human service program and also develop an evaluation plan for the program idea they have developed.

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Violence against women is a major public health and human rights issue and is highly prevalent globally. Prevention of violence against women is an important policy priority for governments around the world, as demonstrated through its specific inclusion in Sustainable Development Goals targets and increasing commitments to evidence-based prevention interventions. Students in this subject will engage with evidence about the impact of violence against women; the causes of and contributors to violence against women; theories of social change; and prevention science and frameworks. Students will be introduced to the principles underpinning intersectional analysis and the co-design of interventions, and the particular ethical and safety issues that arise when conducting research and evaluation in relation to violence against women and its prevention. This subject will be of value to students from public health as well as from many other sectors working towards the prevention of violence against women.

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This 1 week, face to face intensive subject draws on international best practice guidelines for measuring violence against women. It is an applied research subject designed to equip students with skills to collect data or conduct research and evaluation with women who have experienced violence. The subject will support students to understand the theory behind the research methods and develop appropriate skills to measure the prevalence, nature and extent of women’s experiences of violence; and to evaluate prevention and response programs to inform evidence-based practice and support funding applications. It will cover skills required to conduct and/or commission research in this sensitive area safely and ethically, thereby preventing further harm to families.

Specific topics that will be covered include: understanding the different ways that data is collected to measure women’s experience of violence including prevalence, reported incidents of violence, and qualitative reports of the nature, severity and impact of the abuse; understanding the important standard co-variables generally collected in order to obtain a more complete picture of the women’s circumstances; skills in conducting ethical and safe research in this area including recruiting, interviewing and post interview support; the strength of triangulating research to gain multiple perspectives; and realistic expectations of how to measure impact of a program and change in a woman’s life.

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