How Do Social Workers Understand and Respond to Domestic Violence?

Background and Purpose: Research indicates that approximately one out of three women worldwide will be a victim of interpersonal violence during her lifetime (United Nations Development Fund for Women, 2007). Thus, the probability that social workers will come into contact with clients experiencing domestic violence is likely. Yet, the social work profession has been criticized for not effectively preparing students to screen for, identify, and respond to domestic violence victims (Danis, 2003). This study examines social workers' abilities to recognize incidents of interpersonal violence, assesses how much domestic violence training social workers typically receive, and considers how awareness of organisational policies and practice experiences impact upon workers' attitudes about domestic violence.

Methods: This mixed-method study collected data via a cross-sectional survey and semi-structured follow-up interviews from a social services department in a British city. Of the 450 surveys mailed to registered practicing social workers associated with the agency, 181 were completed. To further understand the quantitative data, qualitative interviews were conducted with 4 respondents. Survey data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics to test for significance and generalizability. All audiotaped interviews were transcribed and examined to identify broad categories and themes.

Results: A significant difference exists between the distribution of men's and women's beliefs about the frequency of domestic violence in the community, with a higher proportion of men (46.4%) than women (28.8%) believing that as many as 1 in 4 British women experience domestic violence from a male partner.

Respondents reported a general lack of adequate training about domestic violence. Nearly half of the sample reported having had no training while 1/3 had post-qualifying training. Of the respondents who had post-qualifying training, 2/3 did not believe that their training had been adequate.

More than half of the sample indicated that they were aware of organisational policies, definitions and guidelines on domestic violence, although only 1/3 reported having used them.

Conclusions and Implications: Surprisingly, male respondents more accurately estimated domestic violence rates in Great Britain than did female respondents. Future research could explore why female British social workers tend to underestimate the frequency of interpersonal violence in the United Kingdom. Prospective studies also could examine whether this trend exists in other countries.

Relevant training is a crucial component to increasing social workers' awareness of domestic violence and improving their ability to intervene in such situations. It remains clear that well-coordinated, multi-agency approaches to identifying and supporting victims of domestic violence are crucial to effective service delivery.

Future research should focus on identifying best practice training protocols employed throughout the United Kingdom. Strategies for ensuring treatment integrity and fidelity also could be explored. Finally, research needs to be conducted in the context of the implementation of the UK National Delivery Plan.