There are multiple important skills needed to engage with individuals with lived experience of IPV/FV. Key components when first engaging clients include building rapport and trust through active listening and validation of the victim/survivor's experiences without victim-blaming. According to Anna Bea, MSW, understanding the National Association of Social Workers' core ethical principles—such as helping people in need, addressing social problems, challenging social injustices, respecting the inherent worth and dignity of individuals, recognizing and understanding the importance of human relationships, acting in a trustworthy manner, and practicing competence while developing expertise (for example, in trauma theory and being trauma-informed)—all play a crucial role in engaging with individuals with lived experiences of IPV/FV (Bea, A., 2023, May 3; National Association of Social Workers, 2021, Section 1.01).
Engaging with Perpetrators
When engaging with perpetrators of IPV/FV, Anna Bea also states that it's important to address the limitations of confidentiality, as outlined in the National Association of Social Workers (1.01) commitment to clients. In situations where a client might pose a harm to themselves or others, or in cases of abuse of an elderly person or child, loyalty to clients is superseded—for example, when the social worker is required to follow state-mandated reporting laws and/or duty to warn/protect obligations (National Association of Social Workers, 2021, 1.01). In addition, engaging with perpetrators requires cross-cultural competency skills, as social workers may never fully understand the worldviews and challenges faced by clients of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, compounded by struggles within systems and societal structures that may have a privileged majority (Mahhmood, A., 2021, April 24).
Challenges in Engaging with Victims of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Family Violence (FV)
Difficulties I might face when engaging with victims of IPV/FV, such as Family Violence (FV), include the fact that family violence is often kept secret. Young children may lack the verbal capacity to express or seek help for the violence or neglect they may have experienced. Additionally, children are aware of the violence, and it's important to help them not feel isolated or helpless. Children might live in fear from being told to keep the violence a secret or fear being judged or bullied if their peers find out (Child Safety Practice Manual, 2022, December 14).
Addressing Issues with Perpetrators
The Survivor Speaks video provides important engagement skills for both survivors and perpetrators. It is important I understand the cycle of abuse, as many survivors return to their abusers multiple times before leaving for good (FOX 26 Houston, 2022). By listening to survivor stories, I also learned about the importance of using a culturally sensitive, non-judgmental approach, recognizing that leaving an abuser is a complex process involving power and control dynamics. The video also helped me understand the significance of culturally sensitive skills, particularly in communities such as the military, where PTSD and gender-based traditional values contribute to IPV/FV (FOX 26 Houston, 2022, October 12).