UWA PLUS
Understanding and Responding to the Complexities of Coercive Control in Domestic and Family Violence SWSPM102
Domestic and family violence (DFV) is a critical health, social, and justice issue. A lack of understanding can result in compromised safety that can affect all aspects of a victim-survivor's life. Coercive control diminishes a victim-survivor's ability to exercise their agency and autonomy, resulting in entrapment. Professionals in direct contact with victim-survivors play a key role in early intervention.
Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of DFV, including physical, non-physical, and systems abuse. The course covers best practices for service delivery, risk management, identifying perpetrator behaviours, and referring victim-survivors to specialised services. Legislative and justice responses are also addressed, alongside challenges in the legal system.
Participants will explore trauma-informed practices, and systemic responses at micro, meso, and macro levels to improve service delivery for individuals, families, and communities.
Upon successful completion, you'll receive:
- Six (6) PD Points
- A Certificate of Achievement
- A UWA Plus Professional Development Transcript, listing all successfully completed micro-credentials
- Delivery mode
- Online (lectures and workshops)
- Course dates
- 23 April 2025 -18 July 2025
- Registrations close
- 16 April 2025
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Effort
- 150 hours
- Cost
- $660 inc. GST
- Critical information summary
- SWSPM102 Critical Information Summary (PDF 245KB)
Registrations are open
Register now
What you'll learn
Describe the frameworks, theories and drivers of DFV and coercive control
Identify the various forms of DFV and distinguish between incident-specific and pattern-based abuse.
Apply an intersectional analysis lens to DFV and identify the complex interplay of risk factors
Recognise and identify the coercive control behaviours and tactics of perpetrators
Identify impacts associated with DFV and coercive control, describe risk management, trauma and identify referral pathways for victim-survivors
Describe the legislative responses, complexities and impacts of the legal systems in DFV
Why study this course?
Domestic Family Violence (DFV) is a critical health, social, and justice issue. A lack of understanding can result in compromised safety that can affect all aspects of a victim-survivor's life. Coercive control diminishes a victim-survivor's ability to exercise their agency and autonomy, resulting in entrapment. Professionals in direct contact with victim-survivors play a key role in early intervention. This course offers evidence-based knowledge to recognise abuse, identify key risk indicators, and respond effectively to promote safety while contributing to perpetrator accountability.
Who should study this course?
This micro-credential is tailored for professionals in healthcare, social services, the legal and justice systems, including psychologists, social workers, doctors, lawyers, magistrates, child health nurses, police officers, and Aboriginal healthworkers. Professionals from any sector, as well as friends and family members of those experiencing DFV and coercive control, will benefit from this course.
What's next after this course?
The WA Government DFV Systems Reform Plan (2024 - 2029) sets the vision for strengthening responses to family and domestic violence in Western Australia. The Plan envisages a service system response that is collaborative, connected and recognised around victim-survivor safety, recovery and re-establishment.
Research has shown that the workforce (across a wide range of professions) requires knowledge and skills in identifying and responding to the high statistics of DFV. This course aims to contribute to building an improved service system response.