Domestic violence forum focuses on CALD communities
Engaging women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in domestic violence screening was the focus of a forum held by the NSW Health Education Centre Against Violence (ECAV) on 3 May.
Titled ‘More than just language’, the forum was designed to help NSW Health implement the NSW domestic violence death review team’s recommendations around training and best practice.
More than 200 people attended the forum; among them 120 screeners with representatives from all four target groups, 30 healthcare interpreters and other health and interagency colleagues.
Executive director of the Priority Programs Unit in the Health & Social Policy Branch Ministry of Health Tish Bruce and director Louise Farrell both addressed the forum.
Interesting presentations were given by domestic violence death review team members Anna Butler and Emma Buxton, Alla Epelboym from In Touch Multicultural Centre in Victoria, and Vesna Drogoje and Kanyarat Rittidech from Health Care Interpreter Service (SLHD).
A simulation session to help with crucial conversations was led by Louise Everitt and Lis Long from St George Hospital.
Aunty Millie Ingram, an elder with the Wyanga Aboriginal Elders Group in Redfern, began the day, providing a wonderful Welcome to Country.
ECAV – which is based at WSLHD – in partnership with the Health Care Interpreter Service (HCIS) developed a training DVD which was launched on the day, titled Engaging Interpreters with a Trauma Informed Approach: Screening for DV in NSW Health Services. An accompanying resource booklet titled Information for Health Workers when Engaging Interpreters in DV Screening is also available.
The forum marks 17 years of screening in NSW Health, and received overwhelmingly positive evaluations from participants.
Special thanks goes to the Prevention and Response to Violence, Abuse and Neglect Unit, Health & Social Policy Branch, Ministry of Health for funding travel for 31 rural workers from Murrumbidgee, Northern NSW, Hunter New England, Southern NSW, Mid North Coast and Western NSW local health districts to attend the forum.
