Students have a unique elective to chose this fall that will, among other things, explore how forms of oppression affect common perceptions of interpersonal violence, investigate theories as to why interpersonal violence occurs, and consider prevention and intervention strategies.
Assistant Professor LB Klein, who is an intervention researcher and prevention scientist whose interdisciplinary research focuses on interpersonal violence and LGBTIQ+ well-being, will teach the course.
Highlights of the course include completing a project of interest, investigating case studies together in class to practice skills, and voting on topics to cover for a deeper dive as a group.
The following is a Q&A with Dr. Klein about the course and what students can expect.
Who can take the course?
The course is open to juniors, seniors, and graduate students. Students with a variety of majors have taken the course in the past. Students in the course can expect an overview of risk and protective factors, theories, services, research, and activism related to interpersonal violence. Our goal is to not only learn about interpersonal violence but how to prevent it or intervene at individual and community levels. There are a lot of opportunities to learn and practice skills.
Why is a course on interpersonal violence important?
Unfortunately, interpersonal violence is so pervasive that there is no career trajectory that won’t involve working with interpersonal violence. Certainly, social workers will see individuals, families, and communities impacted by harm no matter what their area of practice is. Workplaces of all kinds, virtual and in person, are impacted by sexual harassment including online harassment. Healthcare providers will encounter patients facing intimate partner violence, sexual assault, or elder abuse. Teachers in schools will encounter teen dating violence, child sexual abuse, and bullying. We will learn about and practice skills that are translatable to a variety of settings.
In what way is a school of social work positioned to offer a course like this?
There is no social work practice area that is immune from interpersonal violence, as it occurs across the lifespan and systems often fail survivors of harm. We cover intimate partner violence, child abuse and neglect, elder abuse, sibling violence, sexual assault/harassment, sexual exploitation, community and peer violence, institutional and state violence, and structural and identity-based violence. This course is rooted in social justice and applied practice. Social work education bridges theory and real-world engagement, preparing students not only to understand the root causes of violence—including systemic oppression, intergenerational trauma, and structural inequality—but also to intervene effectively across micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Social workers are often front-line responders to interpersonal violence, whether working in child welfare, healthcare, schools, crisis services, or community organizing. Without formal preparation, students may enter the field unprepared to recognize signs of abuse, respond in trauma- and violence-informed ways, or navigate the legal and institutional systems survivors must interact with. A dedicated course provides the foundation for ethical, culturally responsive, and survivor-centered practice. Moreover, social work’s values and frameworks—such as intersectionality, anti-oppressive practice, and systems theory—enable critical engagement with how violence impacts different communities and how social workers can contribute to prevention and systems change. Including this course in the curriculum ensures graduates are equipped not only to respond to harm but to advance equity and collective safety.
Through this course, are we we filling a gap of knowledge that could benefit agencies where our students are placed or get jobs after graduation?
Employers are seeking social workers who have strong knowledge and skills related to trauma and violence. There are needs for social workers with these skills across sectors, but there is also a need for social workers who specialize in working with survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and other forms of harm. In addition, interpersonal violence is embedded in all of our policy and structural systems and survivors and communities are impacted by decisions at the local, state, and federal level. Having a knowledge of trauma and structural violence frameworks is crucial to advocating for policies that help to prevent violence and support survivors.
More information:
Soc Work 623: Interpersonal Violence
Thursdays, 9:30-10:45AM
Fall 2025
Information in the UW-Madison Guide