Pre-Conference Workshop

Decision making in Abusive Relationships Interview (DIARI) Training

PRESENTERS: Drs. Ed Hilterman; Ilvy Goossens; Tonia Nicholls

DATE: June 15, 2026

TIME: 9am - 5pm

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS: 7 credits

COST: $500 CAD (includes 2 catered coffee breaks; lunch NOT included)

DESCRIPTION: 

In this workshop we will focus on need factors to assist women who are, or have been, in abusive intimate relationships (i.e., domestic violence, dating violence). The Decision-making in Abusive Relationships Interview (DIARI 1.1; Nicholls, Hilterman, & Goossens, 2017) was developed to guide assessments and intervention planning of the needs of women who have been experiencing violence by their partner or ex-partner. The tool can especially be helpful in safety and intervention planning to increase the health and well-being of who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). The DIARI aims to contribute to the accurateness of the assessment of the needs of these women and the subsequent enhancement of the prevention of revictimization. Moreover, an objective of this structured approach is also to increase the knowledge of the decision-making process of women abused by (ex)partners.  

One of the primary principles of the DIARI is to organize the intervention together with the woman around her needs and in line with her preferences, and not to focus on stay or leave decisions.

Unlike many IPV assessment approaches that rely on offender-focused evaluation, the DIARI does not require direct assessment of the abusive partner. Instead, it centers on the woman’s lived experience, her needs, her capacity to maintain safety, and her willingness to seek and accept support. The DIARI is designed to function as a standalone measure when offender assessment is not feasible or appropriate or to supplement offender assessments to support person-centered, gender-informed care plans and prevention. As such, the DIARI is adaptable to a range of assessment and treatment planning contexts and service systems. However, it would be preferrable to use the DIARI alongside a structured IPV risk assessment tool focused on the perpetrator whenever possible.

This initial workshop introduces participants to the purpose, structure, and clinical utility of the DIARI, with attention to how it guides professional judgment related to safety planning, intervention prioritization, and decision-making. The workshop aims to enhance conceptual understanding and practical awareness of how the tool can support holistic, victim-centered assessment and intervention planning. Participants will be introduced to the DIARI and trained in using this tool by means of a case study example. Implications for need assessment and intervention planning will be discussed and research results with the DIARI will be presented.

This workshop is relevant for professionals who support women experiencing or remaining in contact with abusive partners (e.g., shared custody). Diverse professionals and disciplines in mental health, healthcare, social services, victim advocacy, shelters, child protection, and justice settings are welcome. It is particularly well-suited to

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  

1. Understand the structure and purpose of the DIARI. Participants will be able to describe the interrelated risk and need domains of the DIARI and explain its role in assessing safety, revictimization risk, and decision-making in abusive relationships.

2. Apply an assessment framework centered on the person who experienced IPV. Participants will apply the DIARI assessment to a case vignette and experience how the DIARI centers on women’s lived experiences, needs, safety capacity, and help-seeking decisions. 

3. Integrate the DIARI into professional practice. Participants will be able to identify how the DIARI can inform safety planning, intervention prioritization, and documentation, and recognize when it may be used as a standalone tool or alongside structured offender-focused IPV risk assessments.