Sexual Violence Awareness, Trauma Responses & Best Practice

IfJ CPD Courses

Course Facilitator(s)

Penny Edwards

Course Facilitator(s) Bio

Penny Edwards has been the Group Worker at Rape Crisis Tyneside (RTCN) and Northumberland since 2015, and is also RCTN’s Training Lead. In this time her focus has been to create safe spaces where women can connect, learn and safely challenge themselves. Penny is trained and experienced in a variety of creative interventions to support the wellbeing of people who have experienced sexual violence. Penny has delivered sexual violence related training locally and nationally.  Prior to working with RCTN after qualifying in a Master of Social Work and related teaching qualification she lived and worked in India to establish safer sex work practices, sexual health improvement and delivered sexual violence awareness training to police forces.

Who is this course for?

Intermediaries who would like to understand more about the criminal court processes to enhance their work with vulnerable witnesses. At any level of experience, from newly registered onwards.

Description

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Course Content:

This training will enable you to define sexual violence including, rape, sexual harassment and digital forms of sexual violence. We will discuss the pervasiveness of sexual violence. Participants will understand the different processes within the brain and body that can be triggered during sexual violence and afterwards; the fight, flight, freeze, friend, flop responses. Participants will be supported to consider how these responses may form part of the barriers to disclosing sexual violence and maintaining engagement with the CPJ process. Participants will be supported to consider how they can within their role best support vulnerable witnesses who have experienced trauma.

Course Aims/Objectives:

Participants will:

  1. Understand the nature of sexual violence and its prevalence

  2. Understand the brain/body response to trauma and how the CJS journey can impact those who have experienced sexual violence

  3. Grow confidence on how best to support  clients who have experienced sexual violence within the context of your role

  4. Reflect on attendees best practice and identify any needs for practice development

Course Method:

The workshop is run in the form of a small group training. The presenters will present information and will invite high levels of participation and sharing of knowledge and ideas.  Prepared slides / handouts guide the process rather than impart information.

The following materials are provided:

  • Timetable
  • Glossary of terms
  • Power point presentations
  • Case Studies
  • Guidance for further reading-Bibliography

- Participants to log on 15 minutes prior to start of each session.

- It is required that all participants keep their cameras on throughout the workshop.

- Participants to complete online feedback form post workshop.