CQUniversity Unit Profile

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SOWK29004 Family and Structural Violence

Family and Structural Violence

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All details in this unit profile for SOWK29004 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.

General Information

Overview

In this unit, you will expand your knowledge of family and structural theories of violence, with a focus on family and gender-based violence against women. Gender-based and family violence is pervasive in Australia, with 1 in 3 women experiencing violence by a partner, known person or a stranger since the age of 15, and 1 in 5 women experiencing sexual violence since the age of 15. These statistics underscore the urgent need for targeted social work interventions. You will design social work assessments and interventions informed by evidence-based practice, social work values and ethics, and sound theoretical underpinnings, specifically addressing the needs, safety resources and strengths of victim-survivors and their children. You will employ critical thinking and reflection skills to analyse societal power imbalances that sustain family violence and navigate ethical dilemmas involving care and control, such as autonomy and protection, as well as confidentiality and safety. This analysis includes understanding how intersecting identities such as gender, ethnicity, age, culture, class, and religion shape nuanced experiences of oppression and injustice. You will develop strategies and skills to collaborate with others to address systemic power structures that sustain violence and advocate for more positive outcomes for those impacted by violence and inequality. The unit also covers self-care, safety, and supervision strategies, recognising the specific challenges that family and gender-based violence can introduce into social work. This unit aims to equip you with the skills and knowledge to address family violence, promoting a more equitable and just society.

Details

Career Level: Postgraduate

Unit Level: Level 9

Credit Points: 6

Student Contribution Band: 10

Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Pre-requisites: SOWK29001 Ethical and Legal Issues in Practice SOWK28005 Social Work Field Education 1

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 1 - 2026

Sydney

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).