Intersections of Domestic Violence Law, Psychology and Social Science to Promote Effective Conversations about Addressing and Serving Families in Crisis

Part 1: New CA Domestic Violence Cases, Statutes and the Psychology Behind Them. This interactive section covers recent developments in California civil law impacting families affected by DV. Through this lens, we will discuss coercive control and the psychology of DV. Discussing cases exemplifying specific challenges will help professionals better serve families in crisis by providing context and foundation for changes in the legal landscape that will affect conversations and decision making.

Part 2: Using the Law and Social Science to Dispel Myths Regarding Domestic Abuse, Children, and Culture: Building on the earlier discussion, we will discuss how to address misconceptions about culture and abuse, and where law and social science can dispel those myths which are barriers to meaningful and effective conversations about DV. This is critical to communicating with children exposed to domestic violence and parents who experience or commit domestic violence to effect safety and change.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to describe what is significant about each of several new CA appellate decisions and statutes affecting survivors of domestic violence and their children.
• Participants will be able to describe the concept of coercive control, as well as other psychological aspects of new CA cases and statutes affecting survivors of domestic violence and their children.
• Participants will be able to apply this information in their work, through the lens of improving the context and foundations of the difficult conversations practitioners face with clients, courts and others assisting families affected by domestic violence.
• Participants will be able to identify several myths and misconceptions associated with domestic abuse and the impact of culture on promoting these myths and misconceptions.
• Participants will be able to describe how misconceptions impact decisions regarding children, how domestic abuse may impact children, and recent dependency cases involving domestic violence.
• Participants will be able to use this new information to achieve greater empathy and understanding and stronger relationships with families who are affected by domestic violence and who are in the court process.