DOMESTIC ABUSE
3 Requirements of the Training Strategy
For the Training Strategy to succeed it must focus on attitudes and beliefs as well as information and procedures. Domestic abuse is a complex and sensitive issue, which cuts to the core of individuals' personal beliefs and experiences of intimate relationships. It is also the subject of many myths and misconceptions, many of which are widely accepted as reality, but are potentially dangerous to women, children and young people if used to inform practice.
A shared analysis of the causes of domestic abuse is therefore essential to achieve consistency of approach. In line with the National Strategy 9, the Training Strategy recognises that "domestic abuse is associated with broader gender inequality and should be understood in its historical context, whereby societies have given greater status, wealth, influence, control and power to men. It is part of a range of behaviours constituting male abuse of power, and is linked to other forms of male violence". 10It is also important to acknowledge that the attitudes and structures which have supported abuse to date can be changed.
All domestic abuse training should therefore be underpinned by the above theoretical framework. It should avoid any inferences that domestic abuse is caused by alcohol or drug misuse, poverty, unemployment, stress, or mental illness, although they can contribute to or exacerbate the abuse. or by the. In addition, the cultural or religious background of the abuser is not an excuse for their abuse, and women and children who experience abuse are not responsible. Good practice in domestic abuse training is included later in this Strategy
Improving agency responses and individual workers' practices requires more than simply training. In order to ensure that improvements are maintained, a number of other inter-related initiatives is required eg effective policies and protocols, screening tools, intra- and inter-agency communication systems, worker support systems. Developing and maintaining these systems is therefore an integral part of the Training Strategy.
It is recognised that there is already a substantial amount of domestic abuse training underway. The Action Plan is intended to ensure that all areas of Scotland develop a domestic abuse training strategy consistent with the national focus and that all areas reach an appropriate level of training activity.
Content of Training
The Training Strategy recommends that a comprehensive package of training courses, as appropriate and as indicated by a skills audit, could include:
Nature, extent, effects and causes of domestic abuse
Children and young people's experiences of domestic abuse
Multi agency training
Joint working training
Specific issues relating to women, children and young people who experience additional discriminations/difficulties (including black and minority ethnic women, children and young people, disabled women, children and young people, lesbians and older women)
Links between different forms of violence against women
Awareness about men who use violence and how they 'explain' their behaviour
Responding to men who use violence
Awareness of/Attitudes to gender issues
Importance of/reasons for confidentiality
Relevant agency protocols/systems
Child protection
Empowerment of women, children and young people
Identifying local services
Agreed Standards and Good Practice for Training
There has been considerable development in recent years of training on domestic abuse. Other initiatives, such as the implementation of this Training Strategy, will greatly increase the demand for trainers. Due to the sensitive and complex nature of domestic abuse, it is important that the training is consistent with the analysis of abuse in the National Strategy and that any training provided meets certain standards of good practice.
1. The length of the training should be negotiated with the trainer, but must provide sufficient time to do justice to the issue and include equal inputs on women, children and young people's experiences as well as covering men who use violence. Topics included will be specific to the context in which the training is taking place.
2. Training should ideally be delivered by two trainers, so that one can provide support if necessary to anyone affected by the subject matter. But training can be undertaken by one trainer provided they ensure that appropriate support is available.
3. At the outset, the trainers should state that anyone can be abused/an abuser and that the trainers are available for support or can direct training participants to support.
4. Ground rules should be agreed with the group at the beginning.
5. The effects on children and young people, as individuals who have experienced/witnessed domestic abuse, should be given equal weight to the effects on women.
6. Acknowledgement should be made that domestic abuse occurs in other contexts (eg between same sex partners, from women to their male partners, by other family members in black and minority ethnic communities), but that is it generally accepted to be overwhelmingly perpetrated by men and experienced by women, children and young people.
7. Trainers should make clear that abuse is always wrong
8. Comments which reflect myths and misconceptions about abuse should be questioned by the trainers.
9. Disclosure of personal experiences, by trainers or participants, should not be allowed to take over the session.
10. Trainers should actively refrain from perpetuating gender stereotypes, mindful that domestic abuse results from gender inequality.
11. All information used in the training should be regularly checked for accuracy and sourced.
12. All training should be evaluated and the results of the evaluation made available to participants. Training sessions should be continually amended in the light of the evaluations.
13. Pre-course questionnaires should be provided to participants to determine their levels of knowledge and ensure the training delivered is appropriate.