RELATE

RELATE refers to the initial contact with women, including screening and identification of domestic violence. This involves practitioners establishing a rapport, raising awareness and signalling that they have a safe space to discuss issues and for screening.

For WOMEN, important aspects of RELATE were:

• a whole-person approach to care: seeing “all of me”

• consideration of their unique circumstances or context

• adequate time for care process.

HEALTH PRACTITIONERS valued:

• continuity of care for their clients through ongoing contact

• a collaborative team

• employing holistic assessment for domestic violence, which involves acknowledging and addressing the client’s various needs

• mentoring

Reflective Questions

Use these questions to reflect on how effectively you are relating to the woman and how you feel about clinical and health system support available to enable this.

Suggested Scripts

Here are some examples of language, phrases and questions to use to help you to relate to the woman before you ask about domestic violence.