First Disclosures: Responding, Supporting and Empowering Survivors

Course Learning Objectives

This workshop deals explicitly with sexual violence in all its forms, dispelling myths and shedding light on the facts. It is designed to raise awareness of the issues faced by survivors, the impacts of trauma, and societal beliefs with a view to improving our ability to effectively respond to disclosures, and support and empower survivors during their journeys.

Be able to define sexual violence, abuse and harassment.

• Be able to define sexual violence, including key legislation and what the law says.  

• Be able to differentiate between consensual and non-consensual sex. 

• Know the types of behaviours and activities that are included in the definitions. 

• Understand sexual violence is about power and control. 

Feel confident to challenge commonly held myths around sexual violence in all its forms.

• Identify and be able to challenge commonly held myths and misconceptions around sexual violence. 

• Address and expose how widespread, the extent and how embedded sexual violence is at universities and in wider society. 

• Understand the impact of victim-blaming myths and how they are informed by structural inequalities. 

• Be aware of how sexual violence is experienced as trauma by the nervous system – the potential fear responses and longer-term impacts. 

Understand the possible impacts of sexual violence, abuse, and harassment on a survivor.

• Be able to take an Intersectional Approach, and understand that intersectional identities change experiences of sexual violence. 

• Be aware of the wife-ranging impacts of sexual violence on all areas of a survivor’s life.  

Understand how to provide an effective response to a disclosure of sexual violence.

• Be able to take an Intersectional Approach understanding that intersectional identities change experiences, disclosures and support for sexual violence. 

• Understand the obstacles to disclosure. 

• Know the key legal and safeguarding requirements when receiving a first disclosure.  

• Be able to provide an effective response to a disclosure understanding the survivor’s perspective in terms of what they might want or need.  

• Know the key milestones in the reporting and police intervention process, and any potential areas you may have to be involved in your role. 

• Feel confident to offer support to a survivor through the police reporting process.  

• Know what relevant services are available locally and be able to signpost/make a referral to appropriate and specialist support services.

Understand what is meant by secondary trauma and how to build and maintain resilience and self-care in your role.

• Be able to define and differentiate between secondary trauma, vicarious trauma, burnout, and compassion fatigue.   

• Analyse why we might experience secondary trauma. 

• Recognise responses in yourself and others that might indicate secondary trauma.  

• Understand what is meant by self-care and the areas of self-care.   

• Learn techniques and strategies to build and maintain resilience and positive wellbeing.  

• Identify personal barriers to effective self-care.   

• Develop a personalised self-care plan and commit to its implementation.