Instances of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) are among the hardest for professionals to have to deal with.  A team from the University of Sheffield have developed a board game to help professionals better support victims.

The interactive board game is designed as a training aid for health and social care professionals to help them understand the complexities of domestic abuse and find creative ways to support victims.

“The Domestic Abuse Training Game will help health and social care professionals understand the impact and effects of DVA on victims and their families, and facilitate discussion about how victims and survivors of DVA can be supported by professionals in various settings,” the researchers explain.

A significant problem

There are an estimated two million victims of domestic abuse in England and Wales, and the researchers know that many healthcare professionals lack the skills and confidence to broach the subject with patients.

“So getting students and practitioners to engage with the topic, explore their own attitudes, build an awareness of cultural sensitivities needed when approaching patients and build skills to communicate effectively with vulnerable adults will improve the quality of service provided in the long-term,” the team explain.

The game is structured in such a way as to help facilitate a conversation between a couple of healthcare professionals so they learn from each other across a range of clinical environments.

The game will be used at the University of Sheffield as part of their nurse training, but the team also plan to use it with working healthcare professionals operating in advanced care roles, whilst it’s also available commercially.

“The symptoms of DVA can be hard to spot, but they have severe physical and psychological consequences for victims,” said Dr Ali. “Healthcare professionals, such as nurses and midwives play a crucial role in identifying, preventing and management of DVA in the community, so it’s vital that the education and training we offer is effective to equip them to support those in their care.”

The team hope that the game will reach a wider audience than just clinical staff working in domestic violence related environments, and could be valuable to staff working in other frontline professions where DVA is a potential issue, whether that’s teachers, law enforcement officers or charity workers.  It’s an interesting use of game mechanics to tackle an incredibly serious topic.