Main description:

This edited book brings together the voices and insights of survivors, practitioners, educators and researchers working to prevent and minimise the harms of gender-based violence, with a specific focus on equipping health professionals and social workers to support victim-survivors. Practitioners can, and often do, play a critical role supporting victim-survivors of gender-based violence; however, this work has historically been carried out by those in specialist roles and there remains gaps and inconsistencies in education and training for qualifying and post-qualified professionals.

This book makes a valuable contribution to addressing these gaps. It provides practitioners with a comprehensive resource on contemporary debates and research in the field of gender-based violence. To support readers' learning, each chapter contains reflective exercises and draws clear links between research, theory and practice.

The book is structured into four sections. The first section considers the 'rise' of gender-based violence in policy and practice, and questions to what extent this once marginalised perspective has become embedded in health and social work training and education. The second section of the book explores some of the expressions, contexts and implications of gender-based violence. Each chapter considers the role of health care professionals and social workers and invites the reader to reflect on their (potential) role in these areas. The third section of the collection focuses on one of the most common forms of gender-based violence that health and social work professionals are likely to encounter: physical, psychological, sexual and financial violence by an intimate partner, who may also be a parent. Finally, the fourth section showcases innovative responses to supporting victim-survivors and challenging systems that contribute to gender inequality.

The intention of this book is to equip health care professionals and social workers with critical, practical and ethical resources to help them work with victim-survivors and, where possible, engage in transformative efforts to end the harms of gendered inequalities and violence.

Contents:

Preface
Part 1Chapter 1: What is Gender Based Violence? (Definitions, types) Chapter 2: Gender Based Violence as a global issue (Prevalence, Globalisation)Chapter 3: Gender Based Violence and the helping professions (recognising and responding to Gender Based Violence)
Part 2Chapter 4: Intimate Partner Violence (including stalking)Chapter 5: Sexual violence and rapeChapter 6: Human traffickingChapter 7: Early and Forced MarriageChapter 8: Female Genital MutilationChapter 9: Child Sexual Exploitation (including On-line Abuse and Grooming)Chapter 10: Female infanticideChapter 11: Bullying and harassment
Each chapter will include: an introduction, setting the issue in the global health context; the needs, risks and potential impact of this form of GBV; 'complicating' factors such as age and 'additional' needs (e.g. ill health, disability). The chapter outlines how professionals can identify and respond to this form of GBV (i.e. from immediate safety planning to rehabilitative support) in different health and social care contexts. Case studies will be provided alongside reflective accounts from expert practitioners.

Part 3Chapter 12: Keeping safe and knowing what to doChapter 13: Future directions in Gender based Violence Chapter 14: Summing it up (conclusions and reflections on learning)
Part 3 looks to the future as regards debates in Gender Based Violence research and practice and encourages students to reflect on their learning as a result of reading the book. We also discuss the role of law and policy in developing more effective and targeted responses to GBV and outline some of the central research and financial resources that might be needed to achieve this.