Role of Social Workers in Domestic Violence Intervention

This literature review explores the important roles played by social workers in domestic violence intervention. It discusses their role in ensuring social justice, preventing violence, rehabilitation, mediation, and creating a conducive environment for victims. The review also identifies gaps in the current research and highlights relevant theories.

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Literature Review on the Role of Social Workers in Domestic Violence Intervention
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NAME
UNIVERSITY/AFFILIATION
COURSE

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The articles related to the roles of social workers in dealing domestic violence are
important in my research topic. Social workers are professionals who are concerned with well-
being of those in need. They play some vital roles in domestic violence intervention as evidenced
from related literatures. For instance, Hester (2011) argues that social workers ensure that social
justice has been enhanced in families and society at large. She further identifies women and
children as the main victims of domestic violence. Social workers are employed in organizations
that ensure victim’s rights are not violated in any way. Also, they ensure that perpetrators have
been punished severely while working as advocates (Hester, 2011). Furthermore, they take part
in several researches, hence advising organizations regarding some of the initiative programs that
could help victims of domestic violence. In addition, they are participating actively in other
related areas not limited to criminal justice and health care. However, despite the efforts that
have been put in place by social workers, Hester (2011) argues that protection of women and
children has suffered some major setbacks as most of the victims are complaining about injustice
practices in the court of law.
Other than Marianne Hester, Westmarland & Kelly (2012) also argues that social workers
have played some important roles in domestic violence. They argues that social workers have
prevented domestic violence through educational programmes. In these programmes, family
members are educated on some of the important issues not limited to self-control and empathy.
Hence, social workers advise both men and women to put themselves in other people’s shoes
before making any decision or action that may lead to violence (Westmarland & Kelly, 2012).
Furthermore, people are advised to think critically and rationally in order to create a win-win
situation for both parties involved. Apart from families, social workers also advise governmental

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organizations. One of the benefits associated with these educational programmes include helping
family members to be aware of their rights (Westmarland & Kelly, 2012).
Besides, Stanley, Miller, Foster & Thomson (2010), claims that social workers ensure
that abusers have changed their behaviours. Although it is very difficult to change someone’s
behaviour, but some success has been reported in this area. Social workers take part in
rehabilitation programmes by guiding and counselling the offenders. Some of them are employed
at rehabilitation centres while others offer counselling services voluntarily (Stanley et al., 2010).
The offenders are educated on the importance of solving conflicts in a peaceful way, hence
reducing violence. Some of the peaceful ways of solving conflicts include; negotiation and
litigation. Apart from solving conflicts, they are also educated on adverse effects of violence
such as death and emotional harm. The ability to understand human mind is one of the main
factors that has enabled social workers to change offender’s behaviour. Most of them have
studied psychology, hence they understand human mind (Stanley et al., 2010). After a successful
rehabilitation program, perpetrators are allowed to reunite with their families and friends
In addition, Kulkarni, Bell, Hartman & Herman-Smith (2013) argues that social workers
act as mediators in domestic violence. They remain neutral without favoring any party basing on
gender, race or even religion. Hence, all people are given equal chances of defending themselves.
Social professionals listen the views of both parties prior to making any decision. Having
understood some of the reasons that led to violence, they advise each party accordingly. Firstly,
they advise offenders on some of the ways that they could have used to solve conflicts rather
than violence such as negotiation (Kulkarni et al., 2013). Secondly, they advise victims to
forgive their offenders, hence enhancing reconciliation. However, they are some few complex
cases that social professionals may not be able to solve. In such cases, they help victims to seek

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justice in the court of law. They can act as advocates and defend them, hence ensuring that
culprits are punished for their acts.
Apart from mediators, Kennedy, Bybee, Sullivan & Greeson (2010) argues that social
workers also play roles of lobbyists during domestic violence. They argues that children are
vulnerable to adverse effects of domestic violence such as stress. They are affected greatly with
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) as both parents can fail to provide basic needs such as clothing,
food and shelter to them (Øverlien, 2010). Therefore, there is a need to ensure that laws
regarding children have been implemented by the parliament. Social workers arrange meetings
with policy makers, hence ensuring that children are protected. They prepare documents that
explain explicitly why such policies are needed to be implemented. These policies ensure that
parents have provided for their children in case of a divorce. Other than working independently,
social workers are also employed in organizations that advocate for children rights. Besides, they
also form alliances that oppose some of the proposed laws (Kennedy et al., 2010).
Other than acting as lobbyists, McGavock & Spratt (2012) argues that social workers also
play some roles of enablers. There are situations in which victims of violence lose hope, hence
resulting in suicidal thoughts. Social workers ensure that victims have remained cool after
violence by filling them with hope and educating them on the power of positivity. They explain
to them some of the reasons why being alive is the most important thing rather than
concentrating on other things such as properties. They advise them on better stress management
techniques such as relaxation (McGavock & Spratt, 2012). They also advise them on how a
problem can be subdivided into several parts so that it can be solved in an effective way. These
different parts are required to achieve some desirable outcomes depending on the situation. They
aim at achieving a common goal. Furthermore, social workers also play some facilitators’ roles

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during domestic violence. They ensure that victims have accessed services such as counselling
and guidance after violence. They take victims to counselling professionals in case they are not
able to council them efficiently (McGavock & Spratt, 2012). Apart from counselling and
guidance, they also ensure that victims have been treated since violence can lead to physical
injuries. Other than facilitators’ roles, social workers also acts as mobilizers whereby they help
different organizations to channel their resources in assisting victims of violence. This is
achieved by enhancing coordination between members of the organization. Better
communication enables members to work together to achieve some common goals (McGavock
& Spratt, 2012). Currently, there is tremendous growth in information technologies worldwide.
However, there is a challenge of choosing a better technology that can help an organization to
achieve its objectives. Hence, social workers advises management on better communication
media. Apart from communication, they also help organization to state their goals explicitly in
order to avoid contradictions whereby each member is assigned distinct roles. Moreover, they
also help organizations to plan their activities well, therefore, maximizing their progress towards
achieving their goals (McGavock & Spratt, 2012).
Moreover, social workers also play some important roles in evaluating needs required by
domestic violent victims (Keeling & Wormer, 2011). This is achieved by assessing their physical
condition. They work hand in hand with other social workers. Domestic violence leads to stress
and other forms of sickness. Hence, social workers advise friends and relatives to stay with those
who have been affected with violence and offer support to them. This reduces loneliness and also
enhances victim’s feeling of being a part of the family or community (Keeling & Wormer,
2011). Apart from providing company, they also educate friends on the importance of helping
the victim in terms of monetary resources in order to facilitate medical bills and ensure that the

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victims have received quality treatment for them to recover as soon as possible (Espelage, Low,
Rao, Hong & Little, 2014). Besides, social workers make some plans to transfer their clients to
other advanced medical centers in case their conditions are deteriorating rather than improving.
Furthermore, they also monitor their client’s progress in accordance with expected desirable
conditions that have been described by medical practitioners.
Last but not least, social workers play some important roles in identifying conducive
environment for their clients (Shore et al., 2011). Unfavorable environmental conditions
contribute vastly towards bad state of their clients. For example, stress and sickness may increase
drastically as one is exposed to poor environmental conditions. Hence, social workers ensure that
the victim’s environment has been kept clean. They also ensure that they have stayed far from
the perpetrators as being too close may trigger suicidal thoughts, hence resulting in depression
(Shore et al., 2011). In contrast, people who are liked by the victim are allowed to stay with them
so that they can keep them company, hence showing them that they are important members of
the family and society at large. Still on environmental condition, social workers also ensure that
victims do not stay in a room with too much heat or cold rather standardized temperature. Hence,
conditions of social worker’s clients improve day in day out. Then, they can be educated on
reconciliation matters so that they can forgive their offenders and reunite with them when
necessary (Shore et al., 2011).
Regarding findings consistency, all researchers are supporting the fact that social
workers play vital roles in preventing violence in families. However, most of the times violence
occurs despite all the efforts that have been put into consideration. Therefore, they also ensure
that effects of violence are reduced and social justice has been achieved. Researchers agree that
social workers enhance well-being of those who are affected by violence. They offer guiding and

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counselling to them as well as keeping track of their client’s condition to ensure that they are not
subjected to physical and emotional torture.
However, I’ve identified some areas that have not been covered extensively by the
current research regarding the roles of social workers in domestic violence. For example, the area
concerning abuse awareness has not been discussed in details. This area is very important in
social work as most of the victims are suffering since they are not aware of their rights. Other
than abuse awareness, effective co-ordination among victims has also not been covered. This is
also an area of great interest since victims can learn from each other. Moreover, less has been
covered regarding some of the steps that can be used to prevent violence. Most of the researchers
have covered social services that can be offered after violence has taken place. Furthermore,
none of the researchers have covered some of the support that can be given to the victims after
separation since sometimes it become impossible to reunite. Last but not least, less has also been
covered on constraints that victims encounter as they try to seek legal assistance. Some of the
constraints include lack of enough funds. Hence, they are many important gaps that have not yet
been realized as well as covered extensively in the current literature.
Finally, there are a number of theories that are relevant to my research problem. Some of
them include psychosocial, psychodynamic and transpersonal theory. Firstly, psychosocial
theory is concerned with the effects of social environment on individual’s behaviour (Flaer,
Younis, Benjamin & Al, 2010). It states that people can react to a problem in different ways as
they encounter several social crises during their lifestyles. Apart from reaction, social crises also
help people to develop their conflict-solving skills and adapt better ways of solving
disagreements among themselves. On the other hand, psychodynamic theory is concerned with
some of reasons why people behave differently when dealing with varying situations in life

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(Rozas & Grady, 2011). Regarding this theory, individuals try to seek pleasure rather than pain.
It further states that there is always a reason for a certain behaviour, hence it can help social
workers to identify their clients’ needs as a result of inner conflict (Rice & Hoffman, 2014).
Finally, transpersonal theory is related to human development. It plays some important roles in
ensuring that the victim overcomes suffering such as stress. This can be achieved by helping
clients to become stronger (Ferrer, 2011)

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References
Espelage, D. L., Low, S., Rao, M. A., Hong, J. S., & Little, T. D. (2014). Family violence,
bullying, fighting, and substance use among adolescents: A longitudinal mediational
model. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 24(2), 337-349.
Ferrer, J. N. (2011). Participatory spirituality and transpersonal theory: A ten-year
retrospective. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 43(1). Retrieved from
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-06273-001
Flaer, P. J., Younis, M. Z., Benjamin, P. L., & Al, M. H. (2010). A psychosocial approach to
dentistry for the underserved: incorporating theory into practice. Journal of health care
finance, 37(1), 101-108.
Hester, M. (2011). The three planet model: Towards an understanding of contradictions in
approaches to women and children's safety in contexts of domestic violence. British
Journal of Social Work, 41(5), 837-853.
Keeling, J., & Wormer, K.V. (2011). Social worker interventions in situations of domestic
violence: What we can learn from survivors' personal narratives? British Journal of
Social Work, 42(7), 1354-1370.
Kennedy, A. C., Bybee, D., Sullivan, C. M., & Greeson, M. (2010). The impact of family and
community violence on children’s depression trajectories: Examining the interactions of
violence exposure, family social support, and gender. Journal of family
psychology, 24(2), 197.

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Kulkarni, S., Bell, H., Hartman, J. L., & Herman-Smith, R. L. (2013). Exploring individual and
organizational factors contributing to compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress,
and burnout in domestic violence service providers. Journal of the Society for Social
Work and Research, 4(2), 114-130.
McGavock, L., & Spratt, T. (2012). Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences in a university
population: Associations with use of social services. British journal of social work, 44(3),
657-674. Retrieved from https://pure.qub.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/prevalence-of-
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social-services(2a4e8478-7486-4d30-a884-729558c4f2f9)/export.html
Øverlien, C. (2010). Children exposed to domestic violence: Conclusions from the literature and
challenges ahead. Journal of Social Work, 10(1), 80-97. Retrieved from
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1468017309350663
Rozas, L. W., & Grady, M. D. (2011). Making room for dynamics in evidence-based
practice: The role of psychodynamic theory in client-centered approaches. Journal of
Teaching in Social Work, 31(2), 210-223.
Rice, T. R., & Hoffman, L. (2014). Defense mechanisms and implicit emotion regulation: a
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neuroscience. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 62(4), 693-708.
Stanley, N., Miller, P., Foster, H. R., & Thomson, G. (2010). A stop–start response:

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