Summary:

Examines the critical role of victim service providers in advocating for crime victims. When you know how to advocate for crime victims, you ensure that their voices are heard and they receive the appropriate assistance.

Summary:

Describes how to accurately determine the services that will help victims in the aftermath of a crime. Conducting a thorough needs assessment helps you identify a victim's specific needs so you can refer the victim to the most appropriate resources.

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Provides the essential skills you need to communicate clearly with victims. Effective communication skills not only help you target victims' needs; they also help you establish the kind of rapport that's crucial for reassuring and comforting the victim.

Summary:

Identify the challenges to a successful working partnership and describe responses to these challenges. No single organization can provide all the resources and services for crime victims, so working through other organizations to obtain this assistance is critical.

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Describes best practices for maintaining confidentiality. As a victim service provider you deal with sensitive and personal information. Understanding the laws governing a victim's privacy and confidentiality are extremely important in protecting the victims you help.

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Introduces you to skills to help you manage conflict effectively and negotiate with others when conflict arises. Conflicts can arise in any situation. You may even experience conflict with a victim you're trying to help. Resolving the conflict by negotiating an outcome that's acceptable to everyone is an important skill for a victim service provider.

Summary:

Describes how to identify when a crisis has taken place and how to help those who have experienced traumatic situations. Understanding what constitutes a crisis, and knowing how to intervene when one occurs, can make a critical difference to someone who has been victimized.

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Provides information for victim service providers who need to document information about victims of crime. Accurately recording victim data preserves the victim's privacy and confidentiality. And documenting your interactions with victims provides a record of your work and actions that may be useful later.

Summary:

Presents a structured approach to recognizing and solving problems that arise in your work. Being able to follow the steps of an effective problem-solving process will help you resolve issues quickly, and minimize difficulties when dealing with colleagues and victims of crime.

Summary:

Provides information on building and maintaining relationships with referral agencies so that you can provide critical referrals to victims of crime. Developing a referral network is absolutely essential for victim service providers. The wider your network of referrals, the more likely you'll be able to find the right kind of assistance for every victim you help.

Summary:

Covers the role of victim service providers in monitoring their own self-care and safety. Because of your work, you are susceptible to vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and other stress-related conditions. To remain effective in your job and helpful to victims, you must know the risk factors for developing these conditions, how to minimize them, and how to take care of yourself if you do experience a stress-related condition.

Summary:

Covers the impact of trauma on crime victims. Victims react to the psychological trauma of a crime in various ways. In order to ensure they receive the care they need, you must become familiar with the impact of trauma and the concept of trauma-informed care.