Understanding How Domestic Violence Support Services Promote Survivor Well-being: A Conceptual Model
Date
2018
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Journal of Family Violence
Abstract
Domestic violence (DV) victim service programs have been increasingly expected by legislators and funders to demonstrate that they are making a significant difference in the lives of those using their services. Alongside this expectation, they are being asked to describe the Theory of Change guiding how they believe their practices lead to positive results for survivors and their children. Having a widely accepted conceptual model is not just potentially useful to funders and policy makers as they help shape policy and practice -- it can also help programs continually reflect upon and improve their work. This paper describes the iterative and collaborative process undertaken to generate a conceptual model describing how DV victim services are expected to improve survivors’ lives. The Social and Emotional Well-Being Framework guiding the model is an ideal structure to use to describe the goals and practices of DV programs because this framework: (1) accurately represents DV programs’ goal of helping survivors and their children thrive; and (2) recognizes the importance of community, social, and societal context in influencing individuals’ social and emotional well-being. The model was designed to guide practice and to generate new questions for research and evaluation that address individual, community, and systems factors that promote or hinder survivor safety and well-being. (Author Abstract)
Description
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Keywords
Conceptual Model, Practice Guidelines, Guidelines, Survivor, Survivors of Harm, Victim Advocate, Service Provider, Victim Services, Collaboration, Community-engaged, Domestic Violence, Domestic Abuse, Intimate Partner Violence, Social Support, Empowerment, Safety Plan, Partner Abuse, Spouse Abuse, Effectiveness, Well-being, Healing, Recovery, Victim Advocates, Victim Assistance, Outcomes, Research into Practice, Service Quality, Organizational Planning
Citation
Sullivan, Cris. (2018). Understanding How Domestic Violence Support Services Promote Survivor Well-being: A Conceptual Model. Journal of Family Violence, 33(2), 123-131.