Working With Domestic Violence ― Contexts and Frameworks for Practice

This textbook aims to equip social workers and human services practitioners with the knowledge and skills to work effectively with both the victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. Whilst acknowledging the occurrence of domestic violence in all contexts, this book places its primary focus on women and women with accompanying children and the helping system that has developed to assist this vulnerable client group.

Written to address the needs of the social work and human services student learner, the book covers a range of domestic violence issues that will prepare the student for practice. With an underlying structural feminist conceptual framework that works towards empowering service users whilst challenging the structures that perpetuate violence, Working with Domestic Violence in Social Work and Human Services Practice includes:

• 18 chapters covering the broad spectrum of issues that arise from working with domestic violence
• A clear practice framework for applying theoretical knowledge when working with individuals and families in domestic violence contexts
• Practice tips, key facts, case examples, activities and reflective questions designed to enhance the reader’s engagement with the ideas, debates and practice challenges introduced in the text
• An extensive index and glossary to support student understanding of the material
• A user-friendly and engaging style that will find application as an entire course book as well as for students or lecturers interested in selecting individual chapters for certain modules

Working with Domestic Violence in Social Work and Human Services Practice is essential reading for students undertaking undergraduate and postgraduate coursework courses in social work and human services, and those completing a postgraduate counselling qualification. The book will also be a valuable resource for students of community work, youth work, education, nursing and other allied health courses, community services, disability and wlefare studies. 

Dr Deborah Walsh is a social work practitioner who is a specialist in domestic violence work. She has 17 years’ experience working with women victim/survivors of domestic and family violence, together with 9 years’ experience running intervention programs for domestically violent men. Deborah is currently lecturing at the University of Queensland in the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work where she has been since 2007 in a research and teaching position.