Rachel Williams
Tacoma,WA
Summary
Experienced Domestic Violence social services professional with strong commitment to supporting women in abusive relationships.
Experience in providing support, advocacy, and resources to diverse populations while maintaining high ethical standards and Social Work Code of Conduct.
Skilled in case management, crisis intervention, and effective communication.
Client-Led practice incorporating a trauma-informed and strengths-based Lens. Solutions-focused with a strong understanding of Coercive Control.
I am a hard worker and committed to Social Justice.
Understanding of Social Systems and barriers that women face when leaving an abusive relationship.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Principal Family Violence Advocate - Social Worker – Community Outreach
Hutt Valley Women's Refuge
New Zealand
06.2018 - Current
- Support Women and Children experiencing Family Violence in the Hutt Valley, New Zealand.
- Key Responsibilities:
- Provide Key Services for Women in abusive relationships for pre-separation and post-separation Safety Planning, Risk Assessments, Advocacy and Crisis Intervention.
- Client-Led and Strengths-based practice based on her needs and a gentle and trauma-informed approach to support women experiencing violence and abuse.
- Reach out to Women through the Police Reports we receive for all Family Violence reports. Respond to agency referrals, walk-ins and self-referrals. Build rapport with our women, establish trust and provide a 'safe place' for our women with no judgement.
- Risk Assessments: Meet with Women to talk about their current situation - evaluate their risk including on-going physical abuse and coercive control. Using Evidence and research based information on how to access her risk including strangulation, level of control, isolation, stalking, and more.
- Provided wrap-around support to women in abusive relationships, addressing barriers to a violence-free life through housing assistance, legal options including protection orders, crisis intervention for safe exits, collaboration with police for statements, wellbeing support, and referrals to appropriate external agencies.
- - Ongoing networking, outreach and development of relationships with advocates, counselors and social workers at external agencies including drug & alcohol counselors, housing navigators, victim support funding, food banks and medical assessments.
- Safety Planning: Work with women to recognize her current strengths and resistance to the violence. Highlight how she is currently keeping herself safe - to the best of her ability. Discuss safety planning as she leaves the relationship and how to keep herself safe as leaving increases her risk. This includes practical safety plans such as installing alarms and cameras in her home, safety watches, how to use her protection order, relocation, recognizing any family support and strengths that she can access. In addition to keeping herself safe when at work, in the public, picking the kids up from school.
- Crisis Line Support: 24 Hour support for our Crisis Line. (0800 REFUGE). Answer the phone and support women and children during an immediate Crisis. Shifts are every 3rd weekend and one night per week.
- Safe House Admissions. Support women and children into our Safe House / Confidential Housing.
- - Facilitate our quarterly Women's Group. Moderator for our 10-week Family Violence Education program. This is a therapeutic approach to support women who are currently in the abusive relationship or who have recently left the relationship. Topics include: What is Abuse
- The Duluth Power & Control Wheel, Cycle of Violence, Coercive Control and understanding the tactics that abusers use, the effects of violence on women, the effects of violence on children, Boundaries, safety planning, entrapment, societal impact and narratives about women's role in society, self-compassion, wellbeing and self-worth.
- Representative at our Family Violence Interagency Response network. Meet weekly with the police, probation, child care and protection services, to discuss High Risk families and how to collaboratively offer support for safety.
- Training: Train new staff and social workers on Hutt Valley Women's Refuge processes and contractual obligations. Appropriate and timely documentation of Case Management notes. Organizing on-going professional development for staff.
- Executed responsibilities assigned by the manager.
- Supported women and children in a safe refuge from domestic violence.
Advertising Sales Consultant
Treatme
Wellington, New Zealand
03.2015 - 06.2018
Advertising Sales Consultant
Fishhead Magazine
Wellington, New Zealand
01.2012 - 01.2015
Advertising Sales Consultant
Capital Area Help Wanted.com
Troy, New York
01.2005 - 01.2008
Education
Stadium High School
Tacoma, Washington01-1982
Master's Degree - Social Work
Massey University
Palmerston North, New Zealand01-2020
Bachelor's Degree - Communications and Psychology
University of Washington
Settle Washington01-1986
Skills
- Non-Fatal Strangulation Clinic – Lower Hutt
- Family Matters – Safeguarding Children – Fundamentals of Child Protection
- Motivational Interviewing – Grow Ltd
- Māori Development & Multi-cultural Practice – Ongoing Monthly
- Eclipse Family Violence Services – Victim – Advocate Training
- Working Together for Vulnerable Kids" seminar hosted by Oranga Tamariki
Section name
Currently hold a Social Work Registration in New Zealand, though the registration is not recognized in the United States.
Timeline
Principal Family Violence Advocate - Social Worker – Community Outreach
Hutt Valley Women's Refuge
06.2018 - Current
Advertising Sales Consultant
Treatme
03.2015 - 06.2018
Advertising Sales Consultant
Fishhead Magazine
01.2012 - 01.2015
Advertising Sales Consultant
Capital Area Help Wanted.com
01.2005 - 01.2008
Bachelor's Degree - Communications and Psychology
University of Washington
Stadium High School
Master's Degree - Social Work
Massey University