The University of Sheffield has developed a board game that helps healthcare and social care professionals support victims of domestic violence and abuse (DVA).
Dr. Parveen Ali, senior lecturer and lead at the University of Sheffield Interpersonal Violence Research Group at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, has been working with Focus Games, specialists in healthcare and social care training resources, to develop the game.
“The Domestic Abuse Training Game will help health and social care professionals understand the impact and effects of DVA on victims and their families and facilitate discussion about how victims and survivors of DVA can be supported by professionals in various settings,” said Ali.
DVA is classified as the violence or pattern of abusive behaviors by an intimate partner or ex-partner resulting in physical, sexual, or psychological harm. It can take the form of physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse, and controlling behaviors.
Ali’s research into domestic abuse at the Interpersonal Violence Research Group and her work with frontline healthcare professionals and victims of DVA was the driving force behind the development of the game.
“DVA is a major public health and social issue that affects people of every gender, sexuality, community, culture, and country, and according to last year’s Crime Survey for England and Wales, an estimated 2 million adults aged 16 to 59 years have been a victim,” said Ali.
“We know that healthcare professionals can feel unprepared and lack confidence to ask questions when it comes to approaching topics like DVA with patients,” said Ali.
“So, getting students and practitioners to engage with the topic, explore their own attitudes, build an awareness of cultural sensitivities needed when approaching patients, and build skills to communicate effectively with vulnerable adults will improve the quality of service provided in the long term,” Ali said.
The board game structure to the training aid, which has been piloted with University of Sheffield students, is to facilitate independent discussion by two teams of trainee healthcare professionals so they can learn from each other and share best practices from across a range of clinical environments.
“I enjoyed the learning experience and I feel more aware of what to look out for and just to be generally mindful of what situations could be going on at home with patients I could be caring for,” said Rebecca Slack, a postgraduate nursing student at the University of Sheffield who has played the game as part of her training.
“The scenarios were realistic and could be related to practice to aid discussion. It made me think of the types of abuse to look out for and how, as nurses, we should be reacting and helping our patients,” said Slack.
The game will be used at the University of Sheffield to enhance the training of student nurses and healthcare professionals working in advanced healthcare roles. It is now commercially available through Focus Games.
While the game is designed as a resource for clinical staff supporting those experiencing DVA, Ali said it also could reach a much wider audience and help other frontline professions that have contact with victims of DVA, such as social workers, teachers, law enforcement, and the nonprofit sector.
“The game is very much welcomed as a teaching method that will lead to good practice,” said Zlakha Ahmed, chief executive of Apna Haq, a survivor-led organization in Rotherham that specializes in supporting black and ethnic minority women and girls who experience violence.
“I am impressed with the in-depth thinking that has gone into its development and was particularly pleased to see that issues faced by black and minority ethnic women have been incorporated,” said Ahmed.
“The game will enable valuable learning around the issues being faced by survivors and provide real-time discussion for students to explore barriers to effective support,” said Ahmed.
“Professionals need to understand that domestic violence is wider than just apparent physical abuse that they may see,” said Umme Rubab, a survivor from Rotherham who has been supported by Apna Haq.
“Mental and verbal abuse cannot be seen but needs to be identified, and if professionals do not have a holistic understanding of the issue, they may miss the signs and never identify that DVA is even taking place,” said Rubab.
“The game will lead to professionals feeling more confident in identification and, thus, early help can be offered, reducing the impact on the survivor,” said Rubab.
“The launch of our new training aid is a really good example of how we mobilize research within and outside the university. We use our research findings to create resources and tools for healthcare professionals, which will have a direct impact on patients,” said Ali.
Next, Ali plans to develop the game further to release new versions aimed at educating healthcare professionals about child and elder abuse.
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