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With the rapid advances in Internet and digital technologies, communication and networking have expanded vastly. E-mail and cell phones, for example, have decreased geographic dispersion. Social networking sites such as Facebook have afforded people the opportunity to share ideas, network, and connect or re-connect with others. Despite the overall benefits of these technologies, domestic violence victims and their family members must be aware of the increased risk these technologies can pose, as abusers may use these mechanisms to control and monitor domestic violence victims' movements. This course will provide practical strategies for educating domestic violence victims and identifying online resources to halt the use of digital technology as a tool of abuse.
- INTRODUCTION
- DEFINITIONS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
- DYNAMICS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: POWER AND CONTROL
- PREVALENCE OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE
- USE OF INTERNET AND ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGIES
- PATTERNS OF ELECTRONIC INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE
- HOW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IS USED BY PERPETRATORS
- INTERNET AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION TOOLS: BENEFITS FOR VICTIMS
- REFORMULATING SAFETY PLANNING IN THE INTERNET AGE
- INTERVENTIONS AND EDUCATION
- CULTURALLY SENSITIVE ASSESSMENT
- INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION AND PRACTICE
- CONCLUSION
- RESOURCES
- Works Cited
This introductory course is designed for psychologists in contact with victims of domestic violence.
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.
NetCE designates this continuing education activity for 3 credit(s).
Because power, intimidation, and control are key dimensions to abuse, both online and offline technologies have become new vehicles for abusers. Consequently, the purpose of this course is to increase psychologists' awareness of how Internet and digital technologies can place victims at risk so that they can better educate their patients.
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Define domestic violence, dating violence, and the dynamics of abuse.
- Describe the scope of Internet and digital technologies and electronic communications.
- Analyze how Internet and digital technologies have been used to perpetrate domestic violence.
- Discuss the role of digital technology in providing services to victims and survivors of domestic violence.
- Identify interventions and educational measures targeted to victims of intimate partner violence affected by online abuse.
- Discuss the role of interprofessional collaboration and practice in addressing domestic violence.
Alice Yick Flanagan, PhD, MSW, received her Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University, School of Social Work. She has clinical experience in mental health in correctional settings, psychiatric hospitals, and community health centers. In 1997, she received her PhD from UCLA, School of Public Policy and Social Research. Dr. Yick Flanagan completed a year-long post-doctoral fellowship at Hunter College, School of Social Work in 1999. In that year she taught the course Research Methods and Violence Against Women to Masters degree students, as well as conducting qualitative research studies on death and dying in Chinese American families.
Previously acting as a faculty member at Capella University and Northcentral University, Dr. Yick Flanagan is currently a contributing faculty member at Walden University, School of Social Work, and a dissertation chair at Grand Canyon University, College of Doctoral Studies, working with Industrial Organizational Psychology doctoral students. She also serves as a consultant/subject matter expert for the New York City Board of Education and publishing companies for online curriculum development, developing practice MCAT questions in the area of psychology and sociology. Her research focus is on the area of culture and mental health in ethnic minority communities.
Contributing faculty, Alice Yick Flanagan, PhD, MSW, has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
James Trent, PhD
The division planner has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
Sarah Campbell
The Director of Development and Academic Affairs has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
The purpose of NetCE is to provide challenging curricula to assist healthcare professionals to raise their levels of expertise while fulfilling their continuing education requirements, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.
Our contributing faculty members have taken care to ensure that the information and recommendations are accurate and compatible with the standards generally accepted at the time of publication. The publisher disclaims any liability, loss or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents. Participants are cautioned about the potential risk of using limited knowledge when integrating new techniques into practice.
It is the policy of NetCE not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.
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The role of implicit biases on healthcare outcomes has become a concern, as there is some evidence that implicit biases contribute to health disparities, professionals' attitudes toward and interactions with patients, quality of care, diagnoses, and treatment decisions. This may produce differences in help-seeking, diagnoses, and ultimately treatments and interventions. Implicit biases may also unwittingly produce professional behaviors, attitudes, and interactions that reduce patients' trust and comfort with their provider, leading to earlier termination of visits and/or reduced adherence and follow-up. Disadvantaged groups are marginalized in the healthcare system and vulnerable on multiple levels; health professionals' implicit biases can further exacerbate these existing disadvantages.
Interventions or strategies designed to reduce implicit bias may be categorized as change-based or control-based. Change-based interventions focus on reducing or changing cognitive associations underlying implicit biases. These interventions might include challenging stereotypes. Conversely, control-based interventions involve reducing the effects of the implicit bias on the individual's behaviors. These strategies include increasing awareness of biased thoughts and responses. The two types of interventions are not mutually exclusive and may be used synergistically.