27 April 2023

Training platform on domestic violence for health professionals to improve their response to victims of domestic violence

Domestic violence (DV) is a serious public health issue that affects individuals of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in three women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner, and this figure may be even underestimated as many cases go unreported. DV can have serious physical, emotional, and psychological consequences for victims, and it can also lead to long-term health problems, including chronic pain, depression, and substance abuse. Health professionals, such as physicians, nurses, and midwives are often the first point of contact for individuals experiencing DV and thus play a critical role in identifying and responding to victims of DV.

Previous work done in the IMPRODOVA project (see here) indicated that many health professionals may not have the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively identify victims of DV, communicate with them well, and be aware of the next steps after the disclosure of DV. 

Thus, a training platform was designed to provide training materials (e.g., for the medical sector) taking into account the following:

  • Comprehensive content to provide health professionals with a comprehensive understanding of the forms and dynamics of DV, including the risk factors associated with DV and the impact on victims.  

  • Tools and techniques needed by health professionals to identify signs of abuse and effectively screen for DV. By enhancing their assessment and screening skills, health professionals can identify victims who may be at high risk of further harm and provide appropriate support and referrals. 

  • Interactive and engaging learning modules with a variety of multimedia content, including videos, case studies, and quizzes to promote active learning and to help health professionals apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in their practice.

  • Materials tailored to the needs of different health professionals, including physicians, nurses, and midwives. 

  • Emphasis on communication skills for example through training on active listening, empathy, and the use of appropriate language and terminology. Health professionals should also learn how to communicate in a way that is culturally sensitive and appropriate for diverse populations.

  • A collaborative and coordinated approach to providing health professionals with an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of different agencies and how to effectively collaborate with other professionals.

  • Ongoing education and support for health professionals, such as webinars and case studies, to ensure that they remain up to date with the latest developments in the field.

European Training Platform on Domestic Violence

Based on these principles, a European training platform on DV for three different EU projects has been drafted and just been launched (in April 2023). To facilitate access, a joint landing page (https://training.vimprodo.eu/) was developed, where the different EU trainings can be easily found.

What do the three EU projects IMPRODOVA, IMPROVE and VIPROM have in common? They all use training materials on DV of the IMPRODOVA training platform (https://training.improdova.eu/).

  • IMPRODOVA – Improving Frontline Responses to High Impact Domestic Violence – was a research and innovation project funded by the European Union (Grant Agreement No. 787054). IMPRODOVA designed a training platform for an integrated response to High Impact Domestic Violence (HIDV), based on comprehensive empirical research of how frontline responders respond to domestic violence in European countries. The IMPRODOVA training platform provides training materials on domestic violence tailored to the specific needs of the police, health sector and social sector, separately.

  • IMPROVE – Improving Access to Services for Victims of Domestic Violence by Accelerating Change in Frontline Responder Organisations – is a research and innovation project funded by the European Union (Grant Agreement No. 101074010). IMPROVE expands the training platform and materials developed in IMPRODOVA to better reflect the European multicultural population, the diversity of the victims and multiple forms and situations of violence. IMPROVE develops innovative teaching and learning tools to strengthen frontline responders’ competencies to identify victims of violence and to empower particularly vulnerable, underserved, and marginalised victims to access support services.

  • VIPROM – Victim Protection in Medicine – Exploiting practical knowledge of medical staff to enhance the multiprofessional contact with victims of domestic violence – is a research and innovation project funded by the European Union (Grant Agreement No. 101095828). VIPROM aims to develop curricula for medical doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, and medical students on domestic violence and provides medical practitioners with stakeholder-specific training materials and methods, as well as practical guidelines for the sustainable integration of the developed curricula in medical institutions. Moreover, a “train the domestic violence trainer” programme will be established.

These materials are to be adapted to the needs of IMPROVE, e.g., by adding training materials for the legal sector as well as a new module on stereotypes and biases. The training platform can be accessed here.

Finally, the platform will also be adapted to the needs of VIPROM by developing training modules tailored to the medical sector and adding them to the project’s training platform.

In conclusion, a training platform on DV can play a critical role in helping health professionals respond to this complex issue. This can ultimately lead to better outcomes for victims, including increased safety, healing, and empowerment.

About the authors

Paulina Juszczyk, M.A., is a research assistant at the Clinic of Radiology of the Medical Faculty of the University of Muenster in Germany. She has a Master's degree in Education and was involved in the development of the IMPRODOVA training platform. She is currently working on the EU projects IMPROVE and VIPROM and the further development of the trainings.

Prof. Dr. Dr. Bettina Pfleiderer PhD MD works as associate professor and head of the research group Cognition & Gender at the Clinic of Radiology of the medical faculty of the University Muenster in Germany. She is a known expert in the field of domestic violence and medical education for many years and is lecturing on domestic violence globally. She and her research team developed the IMPRODOVA training platform on DV for the healthcare sector, police, and social sector (www.training.improdova.eu) and piloted a course for medical students based on the materials of this platform as part of an EU project tackling DV and improving interprofessional collaboration.