Sharing Bad News with Survivors of Domestic Violence

This tipsheet offers trauma-informed strategies for navigating difficult conversations. Grounded in the ACRTI (Accessible, Culturally Responsive, Trauma-Informed) framework, it emphasizes building trust, ensuring safety, and preparing environments and relationships long before bad news must be shared. 

Explore ways to communicate with calm, clarity, and compassion; offer realistic expectations and alternative options; and provide emotional support while staying connected. The tipsheet also addresses staff wellbeing, encouraging reflective practice and peer support to sustain effective, survivor-centered advocacy.