Introduction: Desired Client Outcome
The counseling session is particularly intended to offer assistance to victims of domestic violence. Targeted clients include women aged between 15-49 years who have been subjected to certain types of sexual and/or physical violence by their intimate partners. Reports indicate that about 30% of women across the world have been subjected to sexual or physical violence from either intimate or non-intimate partners (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). The session will offer women victims of domestic violence a chance to learn critical aspects of the kinds of conduct that constitute the problem as well as its impacts.
Clients will learn the regulations meant to mitigate the problem and the Cycle of Violence model. They will also be oriented about what they need to do to escape and/or recover from the effects of domestic violence. The problem can lead to lasting mental and physical impacts on individuals but educational group sessions can help treat its effects. After the session, the clients will have learned the effects of spousal abuse and domestic violence not only on the issue but also on their families (Susmitha, 2016). The clients should be able to appreciate the paramount consideration of their wellbeing as well as their families.
Time Allocation
10 minutes: Introduction
The counselor will spend the first 10 minutes introducing to the clients the notion of domestic violence, the cycle of violence, its effects, its different forms, its causes, and the overall learning outcomes of the session. Before the brief discussion of these concepts, the counselor will briefly interact with the clients to create a good rapport with them before the session.
15 minutes: Understanding Domestic Violence
This will be the first counseling activity where the counselor assists the women to appreciate the concepts of domestic violence and the ways of identifying the various kinds of violence. The method will involve a discussion in which the counselor engages the women to create some lists from their answers.
15 minutes: Cycle of Violence
This section focuses on helping the women victims of domestic violence to comprehend the reasons behind the issue. Here, the counselor will help the clients understand that certain justifications for domestic violence as often mentioned by people are mythical. The method will involve discussions on the Cycle of Violence model, issuance of handouts, and the overall causes of the issue as well as the local myths about domestic violence.
15 minutes: Domestic Violence from a Legal Perspective
This section concentrates on helping the clients to appreciate that the issue is prohibited by the law and that the perpetrators of domestic violence should be penalized for the abusive conduct. The counselor will explain to the clients that domestic violence is a pressing issue in the public arena and is no longer considered a private affair.
The method will involve discussion questions and analysis of various copies of domestic violence laws.
5 minutes: Conclusion
The counselor summarizes what will have been covered in the entire educational group session. The desired client outcome from the session is that domestic violence has economic, emotional, and social effects as well as legal consequences in which perpetrators are considered to commit criminal acts and can be charged in a court of law.
Information to Be Presented In the Session
Understanding domestic violence
The counselor provides information on the different kinds of abuse such as economic, spiritual, psychological, emotional, sexual, verbal, and physical forms of abuse. The counselor explains to the clients that the purpose of all kinds of domestic abuse is to gain and exercise power over the victim (Varning et al., 2020).
The Cycle of Violence Model
Explains to the clients that the “Cycle of Violence Model” illustrates that domestic violence is a repetitive kind of violence. According to the model, weather can be used to represent the cycle. The violent incidents can be represented by thunderstorm/lightning, the tension-building phase can be represented by cloudy weather, whereas the honeymoon phase can be represented by sunshine (Varning et al., 2020).
Domestic Violence from a Legal Perspective
In a language that is easy to understand, the counselor explains to the clients the legal consequences of domestic violence and that its perpetrators can face penalties including prison sentences among others.
Justification of the Information to Be Presented
The information presented in the session will allow the clients to appreciate the various types of abuse. They will also be able to understand the notion of domestic violence and the cycle of violence. Through understanding the legal perspective of domestic violence, the clients will know that they are entirely protected by the law and that the abusers are subject to criminal charges. After presenting the information on the various forms of abuse, the victims will be in a position to identify the kinds of conduct that constitute domestic violence.
Moreover, they will be able to understand why the issue is unjustifiable and the lasting physical and mental effects. From the information, the clients will be oriented about what they need to do to escape and to recover from the effects of domestic violence. Domestic violence is dangerous and appropriate presentation of relevant information in an educational group session can help individuals experiencing domestic violence (Susmitha, 2016). The problem can lead to lasting mental and physical impacts on individuals but educational group sessions can help treat the effects.
Interventions and Activities that Will Occur in the Session
- Questions and discussions on the various aspects of domestic violence.
- Listing of the overall causes and the different myths about domestic violence.
- Analysis of the various Acts that are meant to mitigate the problem of domestic violence.
Justification of These Interventions and Activities
The questions and discussions on the various aspects of domestic violence are an effective way of addressing the issue. The clients need to appreciate the different kinds of abuse such as economic, spiritual, psychological, emotional, sexual, verbal, and physical forms of abuse. Before they can begin intervening in the problem, the clients need to understand that the purpose of all kinds of domestic abuse is to gain and exercise power over the victim. The list of the overall causes and the different myths about domestic violence will help the victims of domestic violence appreciate the real causes and false stories about the issue. This will help the victims understand that everybody in society has the right to live in peace and to be who they are. The analysis of different acts meant to mitigate the problem helps the victims learn that domestic violence is prohibited by the law and that the perpetrators are subject to legal charges. The session will be closed by the counselor finding out from the victims what they have learned as far as the counseling is concerned. The counselor will also advise the victims to return for more sessions if they feel they need more time.
Conclusion
The counselor recaps the content that will have been covered in the entire educational group session. This assists in ensuring they understand it well and do not find any issues while presenting. Emphasis is put on the economic, emotional, and social effects of domestic violence as well as legal consequences in which perpetrators should face. This is significant in facilitating a proper all-round understanding of the effects concerning violence among others.
References
Susmitha B. (2016). Domestic violence: Causes, impact and remedial measures. Social Change, 46(4), 602–610. Web.
Varning P. D., Lygum, V. L., Djernis, H. G., & Stigsdotter, U. K. (2020). Nature is just around us! Development of an educational program for implementation of nature-based activities at a crisis shelter for women and children exposed to domestic violence. Journal of Social Work Practice, 35(2), 159-175. Web.
World Health Organization. (2021). Violence Against Women. Web.