This module critically examines the intersections of gender, power, and sexual violence within social, cultural, and institutional contexts. It explores how systemic inequalities and power dynamics shape experiences of violence and responses to it. Students will engage with theoretical frameworks, historical perspectives, and contemporary debates to understand the root causes, manifestations, and consequences of sexual violence. The module also considers legal, policy, and advocacy approaches, aiming to equip learners with analytical tools to challenge harmful norms and contribute to prevention and support strategies. Including topics around:

- Introduction to key concepts
- Theories of power and violence
- Sexual offending in different contexts
- Legal and policy frameworks
- Media representation and public discourse
- Support, Advocacy, and Prevention
- Contemporary issues and debates
- Safeguarding and failure reviews
- Case study analysis

You will deliver a presentation over Microsoft teams or produce an interactive digital poster with audio narration. The presentation/ poster presentation will be based on a British safeguarding case study of your choice, in which you will link criminological theory, academic literature and multi-agency safeguarding processes. The presentation will last 20 minutes plus 5 minutes of questions.

Scheduled learning and teaching sessions will include lectures, workshop activities, discussions, groupwork, drop-in support sessions prior to assessments. Every week relevant case studies and journal articles will be provided for discussion and tasks within the sessions. This will also assist in providing options or examples of suitable case studies that could be used in the summative assessment. Formative opportunities to practice presentation skills will be offered within tutorial sessions.

1. Critically evaluate criminological theories, concepts, professional practice, skills and competencies within the general safeguarding arena, as well as their societal impact.

Knowledge and understanding

2. Assemble literature around power and violence and critically examine the accuracy and limitations of sources and data.

Research skills

3. Assess safeguarding practices and multi-agency review processes, such as rapid reviews and offender management, for their effectiveness in preventing harm to children and vulnerable individuals.

Critical reasoning & collaboration

4. Communicate about sensitive topics using professional language associated with ethical dimensions of safeguarding against violence.

Communication

Eriksson, M. et al. (2022) “Safeguarding Children Subjected to Violence in the Family: Child-Centered Risk Assessments,” International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(21). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113779.

HM Government (2023) Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 A guide to multi-agency working to help, protect and promote the welfare of children. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2

Jay, A., Evans, M., Frank, I. and Sharpling, D (2022) The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. Available at: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/reports-recommendations/publications/inquiry/final-report.html

Nyathi, N. (2022) “A synthesis of contextual safeguarding and commonly used child safeguarding theoretical models and approaches,” Journal of children’s services, 17(3), pp. 175–191. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-02-2022-0008.

What happens when gender, power, and violence collide within society’s most trusted institutions, relationships, and cultural norms?

This module invites you to explore that question by critically examining the social, cultural, and institutional forces that shape experiences of sexual violence. You will investigate how systemic inequalities and power dynamics influence not only who is harmed, but also how they are believed, supported, or silenced.

Throughout the module, you will engage with influential theories of power and violence, alongside historical and contemporary perspectives that help explain the root causes and far‑reaching consequences of sexual abuse and exploitation. You will analyse sexual offending across a range of contexts—from intimate relationships to organisational settings—building a nuanced understanding of how such violence manifests and persists.

You will also evaluate the legal and policy frameworks designed to respond to sexual violence and explore how media narratives and public discourse shape societal attitudes and victim experiences. Through discussions on support, advocacy, prevention, and safeguarding, you will develop the skills to assess professional responses, learning from case studies and serious failure reviews to understand what effective—and ineffective—practice looks like.

Whilst the topics on this module are sensitive and the material can be distressing, they are explored within a supportive, reflective, and professionally guided learning environment.