“What Happens in this House Stays in This House:” Preparing Child Victims and Witnesses for Court
Course Description
Child abuse and domestic violence thrive in secrecy. The shame, embarrassment, and fear felt by victims of intra-family abuse, along with threats and promises from offenders, work to keep children trapped. And to keep them silent. This presentation will highlight the ways that societal shame, family pressure, and even community support for the abuser make abuse disclosures and testimony difficult for children. We will examine ways to build rapport with children, to prepare them to testify, and to make the court process less traumatic for kids.
Learning Objectives
1. Recognize the impact of cultural norms, family pressures, and offender support on child victims and witnesses to intra-family abuse.
2. Conceptualize ways to build rapport and gain trust of testifying children and their caregivers to best prepare the child for court.
3. Explore different options for preparing courts and juries to accept and accommodate children who are testifying about abuse experiences.
2. Conceptualize ways to build rapport and gain trust of testifying children and their caregivers to best prepare the child for court.
3. Explore different options for preparing courts and juries to accept and accommodate children who are testifying about abuse experiences.
Please check out the upcoming training calendar to view upcoming training sessions for individuals, or choose request training to bring a session to your organization.
