Foundation for Professional Development

Gender Based Violence in Community Health Settings

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Short course

Course type

5 hrs

Study time

Online

Mode of learning

Course overview

Gender-based violence (GBV), including sexual violence, is a widespread and deeply rooted issue that affects individuals across all communities. It is not only a violation of human rights but also a critical public health concern with far-reaching consequences for physical, mental, and social well-being. In community health settings, healthcare workers and allied health professionals are often among the first to encounter survivors—sometimes without even realising it.


This course is designed to empower you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to recognise and respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) within your professional role and scope of practice. Whether you are a nurse, paramedic, social worker, physiotherapist, or community health worker, your role is vital in identifying signs of abuse, offering compassionate care, and connecting individuals to the support they need.

This 5 hour course is course is fully online, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Your knowledge will be assessed through a short quiz at the end of each of the 5 modules.
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Who is this course for?

South African healthcare professionals, healthcare workers and community health workers

Required qualification

None

Course level

Beginner

Develop your professional skills

Why choose this course?

  • Comprehensive Curriculum: Covers all key concepts and skills, ensuring a deep and thorough understanding of the subject.
  • Expert Developers: Learn from industry leaders and academic experts with years of real-world experience and insight.
  • Flexible Learning Options: Our online courses provide the flexibility and convenience of learning in your own time, from the comfort of your home or office.

About the academic institution

Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) is a South African Private Institution of Higher Education established in October 1997 by the South African Medical Association and has been registered with the DHET since 2002.

580 000+
Students 

27
Years

110
countries

FPD contact info

  shortprog@foundation.co.za
  +27 87 821 1109

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Course Lessons

  • Certificate included

    Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a certificate of completion from the Foundation for Professional Development, a name synonymous with excellence in professional growth.

Course developer 

Prof
Soraya Seedat

Professor Soraya Seedat is a leading South African psychiatrist whose work has significantly advanced understanding and response to gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa. As the former South African Research Chair in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Executive Head of Psychiatry at Stellenbosch University, she has spent over two decades researching trauma, PTSD, and anxiety—particularly in the context of GBV affecting women and adolescents.


Her research includes studies on the psychological impact of rape on adolescent girls and evaluations of GBV prevention and response programmes at South African universities. She highlights the long-term mental health effects of GBV and the need for integrated, trauma-informed approaches.

Seedat has also contributed to public discourse on GBV through academic publications and reports, including co-authoring a piece in The Lancet Psychiatry on the persistent nature of intimate partner violence in South Africa. She emphasizes that addressing GBV requires coordinated, cross-sectoral efforts.

In addition to her research and advocacy, Professor Seedat plays a key role in building research capacity across lower- and middle-income countries, promoting culturally relevant interventions for trauma and GBV. Her work bridges science, policy, and practice to tackle the deep-rooted challenges of GBV in South Africa and beyond.
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Student testimonials

FPD is the best learning platform I found so far. I was pleasantly surprised with the possibilities.
- Josh Stobbard
FPD is the best learning platform I found so far. I was pleasantly surprised with the possibilities.
- Josh Stobbard
FPD is the best learning platform I found so far. I was pleasantly surprised with the possibilities.
- Josh Stobbard
Available on mobile and web

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