VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS: WORKING WITH VULNERABILITY AND TRAUMA

LST4VST

2021

Credit points: 30

Subject outline

The field of criminal justice often involves working with survivors of violence and other vulnerable people. These may be victims of a wide range of violent crimes including sexual assault and family violence, and also offenders whose situations are linked to their own histories of victimization and abuse. This work requires insights and skills to ensure that individuals are effectively supported, and protected from secondary victimization. This subject offers an opportunity to develop these skills through understanding the complex and destructive reactions people have to traumatic experiences, the vulnerabilities they continue to carry, and the support that is effective in working towards recovery, rehabilitation and justice. This is provided through an integration of social approaches to vulnerability and victimisation with critical psychological theories of trauma and key theorists on vicarious trauma.

SchoolHumanities and Social Sciences

Credit points30

Subject Co-ordinatorAnthony Collins

Available to Study Abroad/Exchange StudentsYes

Subject year levelYear Level 4 - UG/Hons/1st Yr PG

Available as ElectiveYes

Learning ActivitiesSeminars, readings, case studies, library research

Capstone subjectNo

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites Admission to Criminology Honours LHCRI or by approval of subject coordinator

Co-requisitesN/A

Incompatible subjectsN/A

Equivalent subjectsN/A

Quota Management StrategyN/A

Quota-conditions or rulesN/A

Special conditionsN/A

Minimum credit point requirementN/A

Assumed knowledgeN/A

Readings

Trauma and Recovery: from domestic violence to political terror

Resource TypePrescribed

Resource RequirementN/A

AuthorJudith Herman

Year1997

Edition/VolumeN/A

PublisherBasic Books

ISBNN/A

Chapter/article titleN/A

Chapter/issueN/A

URLN/A

Other descriptionN/A

Source locationN/A

Career Ready

Career-focusedNo

Work-based learningNo

Self sourced or Uni sourcedN/A

Entire subject or partial subjectN/A

Total hours/days requiredN/A

Location of WBL activity (region)N/A

WBL addtional requirementsN/A

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

Graduate Capabilities

Intended Learning Outcomes

01. Demonstrate a critical understanding of kinds of victimization and how these relate to forms of social inequality, with an emphasis on current critical social theories of trauma.
02. Demonstrate an understanding of key theoretical frameworks for conceptualising psychological trauma and how it impacts identity, social interactions and decisions, with particular attention to the vulnerabilities it creates and the kinds of support that it makes necessary.
03. Apply theory and knowledge to specific cases of survivor support, with particular attention to ethical issues and problems of secondary victimization.
04. Demonstrate ability to critically examine and analyse key intellectual debates in this field, and to communicate that analysis clearly and effectively in oral and written form.

Subject options

Select to view your study options…

Start date between: and    Key dates

Melbourne (Bundoora), 2021, Semester 2, Blended

Overview

Online enrolmentYes

Maximum enrolment sizeN/A

Subject Instance Co-ordinatorAnthony Collins

Class requirements

SeminarWeek: 30 - 36
One 3.00 h seminar per week on weekdays during the day from week 30 to week 36 and delivered via blended.

Assessments

Assessment elementCommentsCategoryContributionHurdle% ILO*

Completion of in class activities (equivalent 500 words)

N/AOtherIndividualNo5 SILO1, SILO2, SILO3, SILO4

Class presentation (2000 word equivalent)

N/AOral presentationIndividualNo25 SILO1, SILO2, SILO3, SILO4

Case study (1500 words)

N/AOtherIndividualNo20 SILO1, SILO2, SILO3, SILO4

Research essay (4000 words)

N/AAssignmentIndividualNo50 SILO1, SILO2, SILO3, SILO4