Domestic violence and risk assessment frameworks (Bachelor social work Australia) - Essay Example

Domestic Violence and Risk Assessment Frameworks Domestic violence risk analysis is an undertaking that studies occurrence of domestic violence, the possible causes, and the possibility of having such violence in the future. According to Titterton, (2005) violence risk assessment has to be based on analysis of indicators that are empirically driven, and which are sourced from multiple sources of information regarding the background of a subject. Domestic violence is therefore a much complicated phenomenon, shaped by multiple factors, including the background of the perpetrator.

Therefore, there is an importance of using a holistic model that can identify and offer more insights related to domestic violence into the future. An essential framework that can be used in domestic risk assessment is the Family and Domestic Violence Common Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework (Department of Child Protection, 2011). This is a standardized way of identifying, assessing, and responding to domestic violence in families. The framework sets a standard that assessors can employ in identifying a victim of domestic violence; frameworks have to avoid ignorance of any case that may turn fatal afterwards.

The model has a common framework in risk assessment and management to ensure all the relevant information is captured, acted on, and avoiding decisions based on incomplete information (DCP, 2011). This is in line with risk framework approach standard guidelines that seek to establish principles, create policies, and assess the risk, deciding plans for the risk, and managing the risk (Titterton 2005). To use this framework with a client, it is important to determine the correlates of domestic violence as Rigg et al (2010) suggests.

This would involve determining any prior relationship of aggression to understand the history of the violence in the family; the risk portrays a historical context and does not occur once (Rigg eta l. 2010). The next step would be identifying the demographic characteristics; these are critical in understanding and determining risk prevalence, understanding the psychological constructs of both the partners as men who commit such violence have shown differences in psychological constructs from those who do not.

The next step would be to identify the psychopathy; most abuses portray more psychological problem than non-abusers (Riggs et al, 2010). The questions to ask in such a case will be directed at understanding the trends as indicated above. Stilth et al (2004) suggested the use of an assessment, which may help understand the individual’s background their psychological nature and other predisposing factors. Therefore, such questions will involve; the name and age of victim, their occupation, where they live, how frequent the abuses have been, when they started, how they relate with their partners, any history of abuse in their background, a brief history regarding their upbringing and family setting, any case of drug abuse among others.

In order to develop a good rapport with the victim and the culprit, it will be necessary to explain the intention to solve a problem that you have identified in their relationship, and make them understand the possibility of having a normal life away form these abuses. Newman (2010) explain the importance of having a broader approach to domestic abuse by not concentrating much on discrete incidences of the violence, but have to focus on the context that such abuses have occurred. It will therefore be necessary to consider the family’s background and historical context, rather than specific abuse case to build rapport with the victim who will not observe the assessor as an intruder in a particular case, but one who is interested in learning about the family and help.

Such an assessor to build rapport as Newman further argues has to be more concerned with the fate of children and their welfare to build a stronger rapport with the family, rather than focus on parents alone. Moreover, they should be like arbitrators; they have to resist taking any side in the conflict, but have to report exactly what they have gathered in their investigation. Neutrality improves their credibility and chances of building a better rapport with the two partners involved in the violence.

Domestic violence assessment models are therefore critical in studying, understanding and determining the possibility of future abuse in domestic settings. The models have therefore to be designed in the best way possible to capture all required information, be sensitive enough to detect slight indications, and be holistic enough to explain predisposing factors and try to explain occurrences of such violence cases. References ListDepartment for Child Protection, 2011. The Western Australian family and Domestic Violence Common Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework, Perth: Western Australian Government.

Newman, C., 2010. Expert Domestic Violence Risk Assessment in the Family Courtshttp://www.respect.uk.net/data/files/domestic_violence_risk_assessment_in_family_court.pdf [Accessed 21st Nov. 2012]. Riggs, D.S., Caulfield, M.B. & Street, A.E. 2000, Risk for domestic violence: factors associated with perpetration and victimization, Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56(10) 1289-1316Stith, S.M., et al., 2004. Intimate Partner Physical Abuse Perpetration and Victimization Risk Factors: A meta-Analytic Review, Aggression and Violent Behavior, 10(1), 65-98.

 Titterton, M., 2005, Risk and risk taking in health and social welfare, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London.