Understanding Domestic abuse and the Restorative Process is designed to provide an insight into the experience of victims of domestic abuse and how they can be helped to understand, recover, repair and build a life free from domestic abuse. It offers the opportunity to explore the dynamics of an abusive relationship and the use of power and control within that relationship. The course discovers the gateway to ending the cycle of abuse by exploring the restorative process empowering victims to take control of their own lives.

A student wishing to apply the knowledge in a professional setting will understand how to support a victim whose life has become a cycle of fear, self depreciation, and chaos, repeating the same cycle in not only intimate relationship but also friendships. Professionals will also be able to support a victim through the journey of self discovery. A student wishing to personally develop will travel the journey of self discovery for themselves with access to a gateway to break the old cycle of abusive relationships through gaining knowledge, understanding, recognition and skills to make changes.

There will be 10 assignments and a final case study assignment. Each lesson will have two or three practice questions / activities throughout the lessons and a final assignment paper using up to 10 questions and or a case study to complete each lesson.

The course will end with a final case study assignment which will enable the student to apply the information learned throughout the 10 sessions to answer the case study .

Lesson 1: Understanding domestic abuse?
By the end of this lesson the student should be able:

• To describe the types of domestic abuse
• To define the types of abusive relationships
• To list support services available to victims of domestic abuse

Lesson 2: The grooming process
By the end of this lesson the student should be able:

• To summarise the grooming process
• To recognise the early warning signs of an abusive relationship
• To discuss the victim’s do’s and dont’s during the early stages of a relationship

Lesson 3: The dynamics of abusive relationships
By the end of this lesson the student should be able:

• To recognise the cycle of an abusive relationship
• To appreciate the dynamics of abusive relationships
• To explore the beliefs and perceptions of the abuser and victim

Lesson 4: The effects of domestic abuse on adult victims
By the end of this lesson the student should be able:

• To recognise the effects of domestic abuse on adult victims
• To list why victims stay in abusive relationships

Lesson 5: The effects of domestic abuse on children
By the end of this lesson the student should be able:

• To define the effects of domestic abuse on children of different ages
• To explain the effects of domestic abuse on parenting
• To identify how the abuser uses the children to control and manipulate the mother

Lesson 6: Restorative parenting
By the end of this lesson the student should be able:

• To compare parenting issues during an abusive relationship and after an abusive relationship ends
• To identify restorative parenting paractice
• To implement positive parenting techniques

Lesson 7: Healthy relationships
By the end of this lesson the student should be able:

• To explain the need for boundary setting within relationships
• To List types of relationships
• To define healthy relationships

Lesson 8: Self esteem building
By the end of this lesson the student should be able:

• To recognise the effect of low self esteem on victims of domestic abuse
• To implement self esteem building techniques
• To discuss building self respect

Lesson 9: Personal safety issues for victims of domestic abuse

By the end of this lesson the student should be able:

• To identify potential risky situations
• To create a plan for personal safety in different situations including abusive relationships

Lesson 10: Body language basics
By the end of this lesson the student should be able:

• To define negative and positive body language
• To recognise the impact of negative and positive  body language on others

The main aim of the course is to develop an understanding of the complexities of abusive relationships and to acknowledge that recovery from such a relationship is a process of breaking down the myths and realising the facts.