A Call to Action: Domestic Violence Education in Social Work

The purpose of this commentary is to highlight the unique position of social work researchers, educators, and practitioners to educate current students and veteran social workers regarding domestic violence history, current research implications, and practice interventions. Domestic violence continues to affect our communities at an alarming rate. Research indicates that one in every three women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime (M. C. Black et al., 2011). On average, women experience 2 million injuries from domestic violence each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Risk is greatest for women living in disadvantaged neighborhoods (Benson & Fox, 2004) and for younger women who are between the ages of 16 and 24 (Rand, 2009). Given these statistics, one can almost guarantee that social workers will come into contact with those affected by domestic violence. Although social work educators and professionals have continued to address the issues surrounding domestic violence (Bent-Goodley, 2007; Collins & Dressler, 2008; Danis, 2003; Danis & Lockhart, 2003; Postmus, McMahon, Warrener, & Macri, 2011; Warrener, Postmus, & McMahon, 2013), social work students continue to graduate with a lack of foundational knowledge regarding how to properly assess and assist those affected by domestic violence (Bent-Goodley, 2007; B. M. Black, Weisz, & Bennett, 2010). It is imperative that social work educators and professionals address this lack of knowledge to ensure that social workers are providing comprehensive and effective services to survivors of domestic violence.