Violence Against Women Course

Violence Against Women – Online Course

Course overview
This one-hour, CPD-accredited online course provides introductory Level 1 awareness of violence against women and the ways professionals can recognise concerns, assess risks and respond appropriately. It covers domestic abuse, sexual assault, safety planning, responding to disclosures and the importance of trauma-informed support.

Please note: This is an introductory awareness course designed to build knowledge and understanding of violence against women. It does not replace specialist training, practical experience or role-specific training that an employer may require when responding to abuse or supporting survivors.

What the course covers
• The long-term consequences of violence against women
• The role of care organisations and staff responsibilities
• Sexual assault survivors and groups at risk
• Immediate risk assessment and pre-risk assessment
• Power and control in abusive relationships
• Safety planning and Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC)
• Domestic abuse and signs or symptoms of abuse
• Routine enquiry and engaging with women about abuse
• Reasons women may stay in abusive situations
• Specialist services and support
• Female genital mutilation and forced marriage
• Responding appropriately to disclosures
• Mental capacity considerations
• Trauma-informed approaches

Who is it for?
• Healthcare professionals
• Social workers, counsellors and mental health professionals
• Community and outreach workers
• Law enforcement and criminal justice professionals
• Educators and youth workers
• Staff undertaking induction, refresher training or awareness development as part of their role

Practical benefits
• Improve awareness of different forms of violence and abuse against women
• Recognise potential warning signs and risk factors
• Understand the importance of risk assessment and safety planning
• Develop awareness of appropriate responses to disclosures
• Understand when specialist services, advice or further support may be needed
• Promote sensitive, trauma-informed and consistent responses

What learners will be able to do
• Explain key concepts relating to violence against women
• Recognise common risks, concerns and signs of abuse
• Understand their responsibilities and role boundaries
• Identify appropriate principles for communication and responding to disclosures
• Understand the purpose of risk assessments and safety planning
• Recognise when advice, reporting or escalation may be appropriate

Assessment and certificate
The course concludes with an online quiz, with unlimited retakes available. On successful completion, learners receive a free CPD-accredited digital certificate that can be downloaded or printed. A hard-copy certificate can also be requested.