Module 5 Communication with Victims and Survivors Learning

Module 5 Communication with Victims and Survivors

Learning Objectives v Demonstrate your use of active listening techniques. v Differentiate between open-ended and closed-ended questions. v Demonstrate your use of five communication skills (e. g. , active listening, paraphrasing, reflective listening, affirmation, and open-ended and closed-ended questioning) to establish trust with a victim. 1

Key Communication Skills: Active Listening and Paraphrasing 2

Activity Listen to My Story 3

Introduction to Communication with Victim Survivors Foundation skills for effective communication: v Active listening v Paraphrasing v Reflective listening v Affirming v Open-ended and closed-ended questioning 4

Effective Communication In effective communication, one person conveys information or a message to another, and they both agree on the meaning. 5

Active Listening v Listening carefully to what the speaker is saying, without judgment or evaluation. v Listening to content of message as well as the feelings being expressed. v Attempting to stand in the other’s shoes to understand relate to another’s situation and feelings. 6

How Do You Practice Active Listening? v Be attentive. v Take time to listen to the story without interrupting. v Allow client to be silent. v Ask for clarification or repetition of statements. v Listen without judgment. v Set your reactions aside and focus on the victim’s feelings. 7

Activity It Changed My Life 8

Actions Speak Louder Than Words v Nonverbal communication v Face-to-face communication 9

Paraphrasing v Paraphrasing: Stating back to the victim in your own words what you understood the victim to say. v Purpose of paraphrasing: To make sure that you have heard and understood what the victim has said and is feeling. 10

How Do You Paraphrase? v Listen to the victim carefully, focusing on key words, phrases, and concepts. v Repeat what the speaker has said, using your own words, without changing the meaning. 11

Activity Paraphrasing 12

Key Communication Skills: Reflective Listening, Affirmation, and Open-ended and Closedended Questioning 13

Reflective Listening v Reflective listening: Reflecting their feelings back to victims. v Purpose of reflective listening: To make sure that you have understood what the victim is feeling, although the victim may not have expressed the feelings. 14

Techniques To Practice Reflective Listening v Listen to the victim carefully. v Make a mental note of key points. v Notice how you are feeling. v Ask yourself how you would feel if you were the victim as you listen to the victim share the experience. v Listen for what is not being said. 15

Activity It Changed My Life: Reflective Listening 16

Affirmation v Affirmation: Statements that recognize and validate a victim’s strengths. v Purpose of affirmation: To help build the victim’s confidence in his or her ability to persist. 17

Activity Affirmation 18

Open-ended Questions vs. Closed-ended Questions v Open-ended questions: Questions that cannot be answered by “yes” or “no. ” v Closed-ended questions: Questions that can be answered by either “yes” or “no. ” 19

Getting Information with Questions v Ask yourself what information you need to get before you ask a question. Ask questions that will help you provide effective services to the victim. v Ask questions one at a time. Multiple questions can easily confuse or put off the other person. 20

Activity Open- and Closed-Ended Questions 21

Using Key Communication Skills 22

Activity Communication Self -Assessment 23

Review of Module Learning Objectives v Demonstrate your use of active listening techniques. v Differentiate between open-ended and closed-ended questions. v Demonstrate your use of five communication skills (e. g. , active listening, paraphrasing, reflective listening, affirmation, and open-ended and closed-ended questioning) to establish trust with a victim. 24