Introduction to Mediation and Domestic Abuse: Implications for Your Practice Including Screening and Mediation Techniques for Power Imbalances
15 CLE credit hours, including 1 hour Ethics, Applied For
Sponsored by Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa
This course provides a forum for mediators, attorneys, therapists, victim advocates, and other professionals who work with individuals or couples to examine the practical and ethical issues involved in cases where one of the parties is a batterer. The focus is on maximizing the safety of all participants and supporting ethical mediation and attorney practices.
This two day course is required for trained mediators wanting to be on the Sixth Judicial District Roster of Family Mediators. It is useful for all family law attorneys and mediators.
Domestic violence is common: At least one in four women has experienced domestic violence. That’s 25% of the women or couples in your practice. Risk of violence is highest when parties are separating.
Batterers are more likely to stalk, harass, batter, injure or kill their intimate partners when the victim takes steps to end the relationship. The rate of intimate partner victimization (per 1000 persons) is 31.9% for divorced and separated women and 6.2% for divorced and separated men.
Do you know enough about detecting domestic violence to be responsible in your role? Your client’s safety and the safety of you and your staff are at stake.
Day 1 we explore the basic dynamics of domestic abuse, including the characteristics of perpetrators and the impact on victims, as well as screening techniques. The goal is to gain skill in effectively using strategies for identifying whether mediation is appropriate in a given situation. We will watch and discuss techniques used a training video on screening in the afternoon.
Day 2 we focus on power imbalances in mediation and the tools available to us as mediators, by using a video of a mediation and role plays and discussion.
Participants will:
- Enhance their knowledge and skills regarding assessing for domestic abuse and its impact.
- Recognize common mistakes and misperceptions regarding batterers and battered women.
- Examine their own beliefs and attitudes regarding domestic abuse and how those may impact their decision-making process and practice.
- Be able to screen effectively for power and control dynamics.
- Be able to assess the parties’ capacity to mediate and the appropriateness of mediation.
- Be able to adapt the mediation process or terminate it safely, as determined appropriate.
- Enhance their domestic abuse assessment screening skills.
- Examine their own mediation style and make conscious choices in their approach.
- Recognize and monitor power and control tactics and victim impacts throughout the mediation process.
This session is highly interactive. We know people learn better when they are interested and engaged. In spite of the seriousness of the topic, we guarantee you will enjoy the session.
Presenters:
Kirsten Faisal
Kirsten Faisal has been with the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, ICADV, since 1995, where she provides technical assistance to agencies that impact battered women and their children. She is co-author of the curriculum used by the Department of Corrections for women convicted of domestic abuse; serves on the Batterer Education Program Steering Committee; and has trained for the Department of Human Services and the Law Enforcement Academy. Ms. Faisal’s public policy work has influenced welfare reform, child protective services, and court systems in Iowa.
Prior to ICADV, she spent eleven years providing crisis intervention and graduated with honors from Iowa State University with a B.A. in anthropology.
Annie Tucker
Annie Tucker is the director of Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa, which administers the 6th Judicial District Family Mediation Program. She is a mediator and has mediated over 600 family law and other cases since 1995. She has an M.A. in Conflict Resolution. She was a member of the Iowa Supreme Court Mediation and Domestic Violence Work Group in 1999. She produced, through MSEI, the training video used in this course.