The Network

Welcome to the second session in our new Community and Domestic Violence Workshop Series! This year, instead of holding one large annual CV/DV training, we’re offering smaller, focused sessions designed for advocates to dive deeper into specific topics. Each session will provide space to workshop ideas and strengthen trauma-informed approaches that support survivors at the intersections of community and domestic violence. “History of Domestic Violence,” is the second session in this series, following "History of Community Violence" from October 2025.

Workshop #2: History of Domestic Violence
To effectively respond to domestic violence, it is critical to understand how domestic violence has been shaped by historical, cultural, legal, and institutional forces over time. This session will explore patterns in the history of domestic violence in the United States, with particular attention to how power, control, patriarchy, racism, and state responses have influenced survivor experiences.

Participants will examine how domestic violence was historically minimized, and survivors criminalized, in our society. The session will center the lived experiences of survivors and connects historical context to advocates’ current work, offering practical insights for strengthening advocacy, building trust, and creating more responsive, community-informed interventions.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify key historical events and patterns that shaped domestic violence responses over time
• Understand how historical approaches to domestic violence affect survivor safety and trust today
• Recognize the intersections between domestic violence, community violence, and systemic oppression
• Apply historical context to strengthen survivor-centered, culturally responsive advocacy
• Identify opportunities to build trust and partnerships by addressing historical harm and system gaps

Workshop sessions will be hosted quarterly. Attendance for each session is not required, but suggested. This session is ideal for CVI advocates or those closely related to the field.

This virtual training is provided for members and IDHS-funded organizations only; and will issues 2 CEUs at no cost. For Social Work CEUs, please indicate this clearly in your registration and later in your evaluation. Please confirm here if your organization is a member of The Network. 

A Zoom link will be provided the day before training begins.