Socialno delo on-line archive

Socialno delo, Volume 55 (2016), Issue 1-2

ARTICLES

Darja Zaviršek
Doctrine and methods of social work in supporting victims of sexual abuse by the Catholic Church - 7, (Abstract) (Full text)

Jana Šimenc
\"Everybody is overworked, and now we have to do this as well\": Perspectives of social and health care workers on (non)participation in multidisciplinary teams in cases of domestic violence - 27, (Abstract) (Full text)

Duška Knežević Hočevar
Domestic violence in environments where “everybody knows each other”: some reflexion - 39, (Abstract) (Full text)

Sanja Cukut Krilić
»When we talk about the Roma, it is a completely different culture«: on domestic violence in Roma families - 55, (Abstract) (Full text)

Mojca Vah Jevšnik
Impact of immigration status on vulnerability of victims of domestic violence - 67, (Abstract) (Full text)

Melita Zver Makovec
\"She wanted it\": perpetrators of domestic violence and their treatment - 77, (Abstract) (Full text)

REPORT

Tjaša Hrovat
Worl with perpetrators of violence - 87, (Abstract) (Full text)

 
Darja Zaviršek
Doctrine and methods of social work in supporting victims of sexual abuse by the Catholic Church

(Full text)

Sexual abuses in the Catholic Church are a global problem, but the victims have only started to report it in greater numbers in the last 15 years. In Slovenia, a more intensive disclosure of sexual abuses among priests has been noted after 2000. The article presents the chronology of reported suspicions and legal procedures against suspects, of their charges and punishments. In revising the discussion about sexual abuses in the Catholic Church, the problem of non-reporting and non-action of the Roman Catholic Church comes to the fore as something to do with the Concordat between the Roman Catholic Church and the Republic of Slovenia. One of the main reasons for sexual abuses in the Church seems to be the traditional Catholic culture, based on the Church doctrine, that presents children as adults’ property, and on the historic interest of the Church in controlling women's sexuality. The problems of victims' silence, the disclosure, and the ambivalent position of parents are presented in the article as well as basic theories of social work in dealing with survivors, such as advocacy, recovery, resilience, and sensibilisation for the child's perspective. These theories are the conceptual framework for methods of work with victims and their parents and for the prevention work with children in general and with community. Several reports are presented in the article, including an original report on sexual harassment by a priest. One of the key tasks for social workers in social care system is encouraging victims to speak out and supporting them during the recovery process.

 
Jana Šimenc
\"Everybody is overworked, and now we have to do this as well\": Perspectives of social and health care workers on (non)participation in multidisciplinary teams in cases of domestic violence

(Full text)

The creation of the multidisciplinary team in cases of domestic violence is an important available mechanism for the assistance to victims. According to law in Slovenia, centers for social work are the coordinators of such teams. Centers for social work are also in charge of making case assessments and selecting/inviting relevant representatives from education, health, police, prosecutor's office or NGOs to cooperate in the multidisciplinary team. In case of invitation, everybody is obliged to respond, attend and cooperate in the team. Active participation of the involved contributes to the faster assistance to the victims and gives better prospects for their long-term security. The everyday practice and research indicates, that health care representatives are the least responsive and motivated for cooperation of all sectors involved. The results of a qualitative research presented in the article, confirm that the health and social services encounter several systemic, organisational and communication barriers in the process of cooperation. Perspectives and expectations of health and social workers indicate a weak knowledge about the different working “culture”, insufficient understanding of the algorithms for the assistance to domestic violence victims, poor comprehension of the legal framework and professional competences. Best practice examples suggest strategies to overcome such barriers and indicate the path to improvements. All identified barriers, gaps in knowledge, and lack of adequate professional skills of the health care professionals when treating victims of domestic violence were also taken into account in the process of the development of the multidisciplinary educational platform within the presented project.

 
Duška Knežević Hočevar
Domestic violence in environments where “everybody knows each other”: some reflexion

(Full text)

The article discusses some findings of the qualitative research “Recognizing and treating victims of domestic violence in health care settings”, which addresses the understandings of domestic violence in rural environments. Research was conducted in 2015 with both health care practitioners (14) and other professionals (16) in urban and rural settings all over Slovenia, who are dealing with domestic violence in their work. The results imply certain aspects of rurality, which contextualize general discourses and practices of domestic violence in both victims and perpetrators and various practitioners who work with them. Living and working in settings where “everybody knows each other” determine unreliable reporting on domestic violence prevalence, its high tolerance and poor recognition in practitioners of supporting institutions who as a rule know both – the victim and the perpetrator of domestic violence. Few, scattered and unrelated social and health care systems hinder victims to leave their violent relationship. The solution remains a coordinated community response of all actors involved in treating domestic violence.

 
Sanja Cukut Krilić
»When we talk about the Roma, it is a completely different culture«: on domestic violence in Roma families

(Full text)

Results of rare research on domestic violence among the Roma demonstrate that both cultural and structural barriers that influence the recognition and treatment of domestic violence in these families exist. Based on expert interviews with social workers, NGO representatives and health workers, the contribution presents their experiences and perceived obstacles in recognising and dealing with violence in families of the Roma. It was found that both supposed cultural specificities of the Roma as well as multiple aspects of their social inclusion are emphasised when talking about this topic. Consequently, it is imperative to develop further the ethnic sensitivity of experts as well as to address structural barriers that affect both recognition and treatment of domestic violence in Roma families.

 
Mojca Vah Jevšnik
Impact of immigration status on vulnerability of victims of domestic violence

(Full text)

The immigration status is linked to the way the immigrant enters the state, either through legal channels or illegally, and to the application for extension of acquired status. The most vulnerable are the undocumented female migrants. The fact that woman is without a legal status is used by the perpetrator as a tool for asserting further power and control over her, prohibiting her contact with the society, making learning the language difficult for her, hiding or destroying her personal documents, threatening to report her to the police, threatening her with deportation and removal of children by the social services. Victims of domestic violence can also have the status of applicants for international protection, the status of a refugee or a subsidiary protection status. These victims are usually very reluctant to seek help because they would like to maintain a positive impression of their family and ethnic community and are afraid that their partners or their families are going to be deported. They want to appear humble, grateful and worthy of their (granted) status. The article is based on the findings of the qualitative research conducted with professionals dealing with migrant victims of domestic violence in Slovenia.

 
Melita Zver Makovec
\"She wanted it\": perpetrators of domestic violence and their treatment

(Full text)

There are many different existing programmes for perpetrators of domestic violence, but they focus mainly on male perpetrators, besides they differ considerably in methodology and construction. Based on empirical data and expert interviews with social workers, NGO representatives and health workers, the article presents their experiences and perceived obstacles in recognising and dealing with domestic violence, with grand focus on perpetrators of domestic violence. Working with perpetrators is challenging in many different ways, due to dynamics of perpetrator’s behaviour, his personality, his manipulation strategies, and difficulties concerning cooperation between different institutions.

 
Tjaša Hrovat
Worl with perpetrators of violence

(Full text)

Preventing and stopping violence requires an integrated approach of various institutions, with an emphasis on rapid intervention. The article presents the essential features of the work with perpetrators of violence, which is not limited to specialized programmes. It includes all forms of establishing a relationship with perpetrators of violence. Every professional worker must consider at least some of the basic principles of work with perpetrators and communicate uniform and straightforward messages to them. It is also important to make Violence Risk Assessment, which is a base for Personal Responsibility Plan, created by a professional worker and a perpetrator. Working with perpetrators of violence is difficult both professionally and personally. Therefore professional workers must be appropriately trained and are expected to have regular supervision and intervision.