Domestic violence is a human rights violation. Although the state, who is the main entity responsible to respect, protect and fulfill human rights, does not commit the abuse, the state’s failure to prosecute the abuse and to guarantee legal protection to victims is considered as complicity in it. Intimate partner violence includes actual or threats of physical or sexual violence, emotional abuse and controlling behaviors, stalking, financial abuse and threats to “out” a person’s sexual orientation to family, work or friends. We have compiled a list of domestic violence online classes that you can audit for free to learn more about this global human rights issue. You can choose to opt-in for a verified certificate for an extra fee.
Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence
This online class is offered by the University of Sheffield, UK and takes roughly 9 hours to complete. In this class you can enhance your knowledge of gender-based violence and the various forms of domestic abuse. In the introduction of the online class you will learn about domestic violence as a global health issue and explore the role health care and social work professionals play in supporting victims of abusive or violent relationships. After completing the course, you will feel more confident to support victims and survivors of domestic violence. The online class is designed for health and social care professionals, including nurses, doctors, family support workers, and community workers. The course will also appeal to lawyers, school teachers, police, and anyone familiar with victims of domestic violence.
Addressing Violence Through Patient Care
In this online course offered by the University of Bergen, Norway, you will learn more about the importance of medical peace work and the vital role health workers play in violence prevention and peace-building in clinical environments. This course will be particularly useful for people with experience working in the healthcare sector and more specifically for clinical healthcare professionals working in nursing, medicine or allied health. In this online class you will explore some of the key concepts and challenges in medical peace work. The scope of the course will include domestic violence, refugee healthcare and supporting survivors of torture. You will also learn about violence prevention and peace practice for healthcare professionals. This course takes roughly 9 hours to complete and is taught in English
Understanding Violence
Emory University is offering this online class on Understanding Violence. The class is self-paced and takes roughly 20 hours to complete. In this course you will learn more about violence as the leading cause of death, disability and health care use worldwide. You will investigate the root causes of violence, learn how to differentiate between different forms of violence and explore strategies to reduce violence. This class also includes a module about the role media plays in the portrayal of violence and desensitization. The course is available in English and taught by former president Jimmy Carter, who will share his experience about working in human rights.
Confronting Gender Based Violence: Global Lessons for Healthcare Workers
In this online class that is offered by Johns Hopkins University, you will learn more about gender-based violence in the global context. In the introduction of the course you will learn about the different forms of gender-based violence and the impact it has on survivors. You will analyze challenges and strategies to mitigate and prevent gender-based violence and discuss the WHO guidelines for integrating a gender-based violence response within the health sector. Beyond that you will learn about the most important elements of a clinical assessment, treatment, and management of a survivor of gender-based violence. This online class takes roughly 16 hours to complete and is taught entirely in English.
International Women’s Health and Human Rights
The last online class in this list is offered by Stanford University. This course focuses on women’s health and human rights issues from infancy through old age, including information about positive interventions relating to those issues. It includes one six hours-module that is specifically dedicated to violence against women in the home and community but tackles a broad spectrum of issues including reproductive rights, human rights, women in war and refugee settings, sex trafficking, female genital mutilation and more. This self-paced class takes about 60 hours to complete and is taught in English with Turkish subtitles.
