New Trainings on the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Disaster

September 3, 2015
Photo of a woman's silhouette in a dark room.

Photo of Dr. Marylouise KelleyDr. Marylouise KelleyBy Marylouise Kelley, Ph.D., Director, Family Violence Prevention & Services Program, Family and Youth Services Bureau

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Program is pleased to announce the release of the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Disaster Curricula , an interactive training tool developed by the Family & Youth Services Bureau grantee, the National Domestic Violence Hotline in collaboration with The New York State Coalition against Domestic Violence and the New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women .

One training curriculum was developed for disaster response and preparedness personnel on addressing domestic violence in disaster response situations and making linkages to appropriate services. A separate curriculum has been developed to train domestic violence program staff on the nexus of disaster and domestic violence in order to enhance their services for survivors of domestic violence impacted by Hurricane Sandy and other disasters.

These comprehensive trainings focus on protocols and referral procedures, accessing domestic violence services, recognizing the warning signs of domestic violence, safety planning, and maintaining ongoing health and wellness initiatives during the crisis response and recovery phase. 

What this Guide Provides

  1. Awareness: Through interactive activities, participants gain a deeper understanding about emergency preparedness and management in the event of a natural disaster. Participants learn more about the role, duties and responsibilities of various responders in different stages of disaster response.
  2. Intersectional approach: Using knowledge about domestic violence to inform disaster responder practices and approaches (i.e. being able to identify multi-faceted trauma based on intimate partner violence compounded by disaster needs).
  3. Skill-building:  Disaster preparedness planning, staff debriefing, and best practices in the field of emergency management and domestic violence.

Who is the Audience for this Guide?

The curriculum serves as a tool for interested organizations to ensure trauma-informed best practice for disaster management in the context of domestic violence. It is geared towards professional staff working in the fields of domestic violence and/or disaster response, including case managers and first responders, who frequently work with victims of domestic violence.  

Who Should Facilitate this Guide?

State and local agencies should select individuals who are skilled trainers and facilitators. These individuals should have extensive background in facilitating conversations about trauma and domestic violence. Certification is not required to provide this training, however, to ensure the integrity of this material, it is helpful to selected trainers to attend Train the Trainer sessions provided by the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

The curriculum is located on The National Domestic Violence Hotline website under the Resources tab. The curricula title above is also a link. It is listed as Disaster Response Curriculum under the heading "Additional Materials."

To learn more about the curriculum, contact the New York and New Jersey state domestic violence coalitions.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline aids victims of domestic violence 24 hours a day. Hotline advocates assist victims, and anyone calling on their behalf, by providing crisis intervention, safety planning and referrals to local service providers. The hotline receives more than 24,000 calls a month.

800-799-SAFE (7233)

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