Providing Context for Social Workers’ Response to Sexual Assault Victims

Abstract

The authors sought to give voice to women victims of sexual assault whose stories otherwise remain muted. The study reported here provided rare insights into victims who sought emergency services at a hospital following a sexual assault. The data (N = 745) were collected by sexual assault nurse examiners in one northeastern state between 1997 and 2007.

Specialist sexual violence social work: Ensuring good practice

“…In a similar vein, the Ministry of Women's Affairs (2009) discusses self-determination through the framework of client-focused service delivery. This view is also supported by Murphy et al (2011) who write that social workers must keep pace with the client and follow their lead. The concept of choice is also addressed at length in the literature.…”

“…While these examples of research have focused on the field of sexual violence in Aotearoa New Zealand, there has not been an in-depth, specific exploration of good practice for social workers engaged in this domain. Also, most international research has thus far focused on the work of psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors and crisis workers, leaving limited links to social workers (Mortimer et al, 2009;Murphy et al, 2011). While the reviewed studies may not focus primarily on social work, they outline factors that share similarities to social work skills, knowledge and values, as well as the potential impacts of sexual violence work on the social work professional.…”

“…By drawing on the concept of counselling skills in social work practice, Staniforth and Booysen (2016) have been able to show that these micro-skills are utilised in many fields of practice. The therapeutic relationship that grows through the use of these micro-skills is seen as the principal element of the healing process (Mortimer et al, 2009;Murphy et al, 2011;Thorburn, 2015).…”

“…This is echoed by Pack (2011) who highlights the need for social workers to acknowledge existing power dynamics when working with people who have experienced sexual violence. Other knowledge that could be included in specialist training and education relate to the factors that influence an individual's decision to disclose, the impacts of sexual violence, effective intervention skills, and theoretical frameworks that underpin practice (Murphy et al, 2011;Thorburn, 2015).…”

“…Several studies indicate that service delivery in the field of sexual violence has a theoretical underpinning from feminist (Jordan, 2013;Jülich, Sturgess, McGregor, & Nicholas, 2013;Pack, 2011;Thorburn, 2015) and trauma-informed perspectives (Mason & Lodrick, 2013;Mortimer et al, 2009;Murphy et al, 2011;Pack, 2011;Stenius & Veysey, 2005;Thorburn, 2015;Wharewera-Mika & McPhillips, 2016). By drawing on feminist theory, Jordan (2013) makes historical links between language use, social justice and political activism within the domain of sexual violence.…”