Transcript PCADV Advocacy Training: - Michigan State University

Community Advocacy Project:
Survivor-Centered Advocacy
And Support
Introduction to
Intimate Partner Violence
Unit 1
Domestic Violence
• Is a pattern of behaviors, not usually a
single incident
• Takes place in the context of an intimate,
on-going relationship or after the
relationship ends
• Often has physical and psychological
consequences on victims and their
children
A Batterer is:
• A person who exercises a pattern of
coercive control in an intimate, ongoing
relationship that includes one or more of:
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Physical abuse
Psychological abuse
Economic abuse
Sexual abuse
The Abuser Mindset
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Control and entitlement
Externalization of responsibility
Manipulation
Superiority and disrespect
Possessiveness
Staying and Leaving
• Staying and leaving
• Batterer-generated risks
• Life-generated risks
Roots of
Battered Women’s Movement
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Civil Rights
Anti-poverty
Feminist
Anti-war
Anti-sexual assault
Summary
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There is a connection between advocates
and a movement for social change.
Advocacy keeps the movement
responsive to survivors and their
children.
Woman-Centered Services and
Strengths-Based Intervention
Unit 2
WOMAN-CENTERED ADVOCACY……
is about working with and on behalf of
the survivor, NOT for her or doing something to
her.
Who’s Driving The Bus?
• The survivor must be the driver of
her own bus.
• Our role? An invited passenger, maybe the
navigator for certain parts of the battered woman’s
trip through figuring out her options and the
choices she wants to make at this point in time.
• Remember: she can tell us to get off the
bus at any time!
Women Have a Right To:
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Control the decisions affecting their lives
Protection and safety
Use institutions like the police and courts
Expect that the abuser will be held accountable
Autonomy
How are We Different from
Traditional Social Services?
• Instead of viewing victims/survivors as “sick” or
pathological, we believe they are reacting in
adaptive ways to oppressive societal conditions,
restrictive sex roles, and the abusive intimate
partners in their lives.
• We are non-directive.
How are We Different from
Traditional Social Services?
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We focus on survivors’ strengths.
We do not believe we are the “experts.”
We are woman-driven, not service-driven.
We understand violence could happen to
any of us.
The Strengths-Based Approach
to Human Service Delivery
“Helping” Approaches
• Pathology Oriented Approach
• Focus on people’s deficits, weaknesses,
limitations, faults
• Growth Oriented Approach
• Focus on people’s strengths, assets,
competencies, skills
• Our beliefs about individuals’ behaviors
influence our approach to helping
Why Would We Take a Deficit
Approach to Human Behavior?
• It makes us feel safer (just world
hypothesis)
• It’s easier to change individuals than to
change social structures
Human Service Delivery:
Best Practice
• The most successful human service
practices employ an ecological framework
and intervene in ways that produce broadbased family system changes.
• They also involve empowerment practice
• Involving survivors at all levels of intervention
Empowerment Practice
• People have competencies and the capacity to
become more competent
• Sometimes opportunities must be created for
those competencies to become evident
• Change is more likely to continue if the
individual feels a part of the process and the
solution
• People may or may not be responsible for the
problem but they are responsible for the
solution to the problem
Empowerment Practice
• Often means moving beyond the office
• Ideally occurs in woman’s environment
• Can see what’s really going on
• Can involve family and friends
• Shows willingness to leave professional space
• People often open up more in the car or when
engaging in other activity
Ineffective Helping
1) Undermines the person’s competence and
control;
2) Fosters a sense of indebtedness and
dependency on the helper;
3) Is incongruent with what the individual
wants/needs, generally resulting in their
refusal of the help
Effective Helping
1) Is positive and proactive;
2) Offers rather than waits for help to be
requested;
3) Involves the help-seekers’ natural support
networks;
Effective Helping
4) Involves cooperation and joint
responsibility for solving problems;
5) Promotes competencies;
6) Offers assistance that is normative to the
help-seeker’s own culture;
Does It Fit In One
of the JARS?
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Justice
Autonomy
Restoration
Safety
Justice
• Legal justice
• Holding batterer accountable
• Personal Protection Orders
• Economic justice
• Housing, employment, etc.
• Social justice
• Opportunities, access to resources
Autonomy
• Right to self-determination
• She is her own agent
• She’s driving the bus!!
Restoration
• Helping survivors heal emotionally
• Integration/congruence
Safety
• Physical safety
• Safety from threats, intimidation,
coercion, isolation, stalking
ALL We Do Should Fit
In One or More of the JARS
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Justice
Autonomy
Restoration
Safety
The Impact of Intimate Partner
Violence on Children
Unit 3
Prevalence of Children Witnessing
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In 50-75% of battering incidents, children
are present.
At least 3.3 million children aged 3-17 are
exposed to intimate partner violence
against their mothers.
Children are present and witness the
murder of victims in 25% of femicide.
Domestic Violence and Child Abuse
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30% - 60% co-occurrence of child
abuse and domestic violence.
As many as 70% of batterers also abuse
their children.
Impact on Children
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Ample evidence exists that
the emotional climate of the
home can and does influence
children’s behavior.
Impact on Children
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Witnessing domestic violence has
an impact on a child’s development;
however, it is NOT all encompassing.
Behavioral Manifestations
Externalizing (“Acting Out”)
Can include:
• Clinging
• Whining
• Crying
• Rebelliousness
• Temper tantrums
• Fighting
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Bullying
Threats to peers
Animal cruelty
Delinquency
Property destruction
Drug & alcohol abuse
Behavioral Manifestations
Internalizing (“Acting in”)
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Withdrawal
Non-verbal
Regressive behavior
Sleeping-eating
disorders
Psychosomatic
complaints
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Nightmares
Low Self-esteem
School failure
Eating disorders
Self abuse
PTSD
Children’s Resiliency
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their mother’s safety
the existence of a strong mentoring figure
social support
participation in support and
education groups
Expect that children
DO NOT
respond uniformly!
Children Need to Hear
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You are safe now
You are not to blame
You are not alone
I care, and I want to listen to you
You have many talents and strengths
It’s okay to be angry (and confused, sad, etc.)
Violence is not acceptable
Guidelines for Working with Kids
• Help them deal with their emotions
• Be consistent (they often have not had much
of this!)
• Focus on their strengths
• Strengthen the bond with their mothers
• Give them permission to be kids!
The Culturally Competent
Advocate
Unit 4
Our Working Assumptions
• Oppressions are pervasive, interwoven and entangled.
• There is no “hierarchy of oppressions.” (Audre Lorde)
• We are all hurt by oppressions.
Working Assumptions
• None of us invented oppression, but it is the
responsibility of all of us to work against it.
• There is no such thing as “passive antioppression.”
• All prejudice is learned/taught to us…the good
news is, we can un-learn it!
Distancing Behaviors
MINIMIZATION
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Minimizing someone’s experience of oppression.
Saying things are better than they used to be.
Saying “it was only a joke” or “it’s not a big
deal.”
Saying “that wasn’t what I meant.”
Distancing Behaviors
BLAME
• Blaming the person experiencing oppression for
their experience.
• Asking them why they didn’t try to stop the
oppression.
• Asking what they did to deserve it.
• Calling the victim “too sensitive.”
Distancing Behaviors
COUNTER-ATTACK
• Turning the issue around: “I wouldn’t
have….if you hadn’t….”
• Claiming reverse discrimination.
Distancing Behaviors
GUILT
• Feeling too paralyzed by guilt to do
anything.
• Distancing ourselves from other members
of our group.
Effective Communication Skills
Unit 5
Some Ineffective Helping Styles
• District Attorney: cross examines; focuses
on the facts, not the feelings
• Salesperson: overly optimistic; “everything
will turn out fine”
• Colonel: gives orders on how to feel and
what to do; “you should” ,“you must”
• Philosopher: platitudes and proverbs;
”sometimes it’s the hand we’re dealt”
More Ineffective Helping Styles
• CEO: lays out problems and solutions: “Here’s
what you need to do.”
• Psychiatrist: clinical labels “sounds like an anxiety
attack”
• Pollyanna: offers simplistic solutions “get an PFA
and leave.”
• Center of Universe: turns attention on self; “that
happened to me…” “I know just how you feel.”
Guarding Against
Unhelpful Behaviors
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Self-awareness
Honesty
Be aware of your value system
Know your limits
Non-verbal communication
The Helping Relationship
Helpful communication is achieved through
(1) respectfully listening to what is being said
and becoming empathic to the person
communicating;
(2) clarifying your values as well as the values
of the person with whom you're speaking;
(3) integrating feelings, values, and attitudes
into the problem-solving process.
Factors Interfering With Our
Ability to be Helpful
• We enjoy giving advice!!
• Many of us want to immediately move to
problem-solving, which is more
comfortable than “just” listening
• Thinking we know best
• Not understanding cultural differences
Empathy
• Empathy is simply listening and responding to
someone’s feelings in a caring and respectful
manner.
• Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone or pitying
them.
• Empathy is more helpful than sympathy!
Effective Communication
Techniques
• Use open-ended questions instead of closed-ended
questions
• Closed-ended questions have yes/no answers.
• Open-ended questions require elaboration.
Closed-Ended vs. Open-Ended
Questions
• Closed-Ended
• Open-Ended
Did that upset you?
Are you tired?
Do you want to go?
Can I help you?
How’d that make you feel?
How are you feeling?
What would you like to do?
How can I help?
“Polite Imperative” Questions
• “Polite Imperatives” (Questions phrased as
statements but requesting more information from
the speaker):
• Tell me more about that.
• It sounds like…
• What I’m hearing you say is…
Effective Communication
• Sometimes less is more. Instead of doing a
lot of talking yourself, you can nod, say
“mm..hmm,” and use body language to
communicate that you are listening.
• Don’t be afraid to say what you think the
speaker might be feeling, as long as you do
so tentatively, and are open to her or him
correcting your perception.
Using Silence Effectively
• Many people are afraid of silence, and try to
fill it immediately.
• However, silence is an effective
communication tool.
• Waiting quietly and attentively encourages
the speaker to elaborate.
Using Self-Disclosure
Reasons to Use Self-Disclosure:
• Self-disclosure can remove barriers between
the listener and speaker.
• Can communicate to the speaker that you
have felt similar feelings.
HOWEVER….
Using Self-Disclosure
Self-Disclosure Must be Used Carefully:
• Don’t remove the focus of the conversation
from the speaker.
• Never presume (or say) that you know how
someone feels.
• Don’t self-disclose for the sake of selfdisclosure.
Helping the Speaker (Survivor)
Clarify Their Values
1) feeding back values as you hear them
2) restating or paraphrasing values
3) asking questions to check your perceptions
of underlying values (i.e., ”It sounds like
you're saying it's important to you to...")
Feeding Back Values
• “I want my children to have a good relationship
with their father.”
Response: “So you want the children to have a
good relationship with their father.”
• “Living close to a synagogue is important to me.”
Response: “So living close to a synagogue is
important to you.”
Restating or Paraphrasing Values
• “I never got to know my father growing up,
and I always said my kids wouldn’t go
through that.”
Response: “So it’s important to you that
the children have a good relationship with
their father.”
Strong feelings signal the
existence of strong values.
How would you respond?
“I just found out my 15 year old daughter is
pregnant. I don’t know how this could have
happened. I’ll kill her if she has an
abortion. At the same time, I can’t imagine
her having a child at this age. She hasn’t
even finished high school.”
How would you respond?
“My children are pressuring me to go back
to their father. They really miss him. My
little girl cries herself to sleep every night.
They miss the pool and we had to leave
their puppy behind. The pressure is making
me a wreck.”
How would you respond?
“I’ve got to get my kids away from my
husband Richard. He hasn’t hurt them yet
but I’m really afraid he’s going to, and they
get so upset when we fight. But I’m afraid
leaving will only make things worse. You
don’t know Richard. He said he’d kill me if
I ever left, and believe me, he’ll do it.”
Signs Your Values are
Getting In the Way
• You feel angry or frustrated.
• You offer advice.
• You use the word “…should..”
Check Your Perceptions
• She says: “I never got to know my father
growing up, and I always said my kids
wouldn’t go through that.”
• Possible response: “It sounds like it’s
important to you that the kids have a good
relationship with their father?”
What Is a Crisis?
• A crisis is when there is some upset in the
normal balance of an individual and where
her or his usual ways of solving problems
don't work; an emotionally significant or
radical change of status in a person's life.
Goal of Crisis Intervention
• The goal of crisis intervention is to return
the person to pre-crisis functioning, in
which they have more equilibrium, so the
person can begin to move forward to
resolve the situation.
Crisis Intervention
by Telephone Involves
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Empathy
Active listening
Staying calm
Providing immediate safety if necessary
Providing options, suggestions
Expressing Concern
Patience
Crisis Intervention
In Person Involves
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Empathy
Active listening
Staying calm
Engaged body language
Do not ignore her tears
Providing food, tea, quiet space, etc.
Providing options, suggestions if
appropriate
Signs Someone is NOT Ready
for Problem-Solving
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They want an instant answer or solution.
They are resistant to all suggestions.
They keep focusing on their feelings.
They become frustrated with the listener.
They are not available or simply won’t meet with you.
Suicide Intervention
Sometimes we don’t ask
because we’re afraid of the response…
No one commits suicide
due to a suggestion.
Suicide Might Be a Risk
If You Hear
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I’m just so tired…
I can’t take it anymore…
I feel helpless/hopeless…
This is too much to bear…
I want it all to be over…
No one will care…
I just can’t get through this…
Some Points to Consider
• Suicidal ideation is more common than suicide attempts or
completed suicides. The number of completed suicides is
relatively low. And 80% of completed suicides are males.
However, the majority of non-fatal suicide attempts are
female between the ages of 25 and 44 years.
• The best predictors of a completed suicide are previous
suicide attempts or a family history of suicide.
Some Points to Consider
• Most individuals who consider suicide are
ambivalent about dying. Your asking may be
a relief as there is now someone to talk to.
• It is not your fault if an individual commits
suicide. It is very difficult to predict, and is a
relatively rare event.
Some Common Mistakes
• Trying to “talk her out of suicide” by moral
sanctions, by arguing about the value of life,
by telling her she would be letting people
down, or by trying to convince her that
things really aren’t that bad.
• Doubting her intentions; making fun of her;
laughing at her; telling her suicide is crazy.
Suicide Intervention
• Try to establish a contract with the person
where they agree to seek help before
attempting to take their lives.
• Express care and support.
• Once again, empathy and active listening…
• Offer alternatives and hope.
Remember
• It is not your fault if an individual commits
suicide. If this should happen, seek support for
yourself.
Summary of the
Problem-Solving Process
The advocate helps the survivor:
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Define the problem.
Identify alternative solutions to the problem.
Discuss the pros and cons of each alternative.
Implement one or more solutions.
Monitor the progress each step of the way.
Modify strategy based on level of success.
If strategy has alleviated problem, wonderful.
If not, return to step #2.
Safety Planning /
Assessing Danger
Unit 6
Safety Planning must
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Validate her Experiences
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Of the violence
Of her culture, spiritual beliefs, community
Acknowledge her feelings, including anger
Build on her Strengths
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What has she done in the past to be safe?
What are her ideas now?
Assist her in visioning the short and long-term future
Safety Planning must
• Help Her Regain Control of Her Life
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What will it take for her to feel safe now?
What can she control?
What is outside of her control?
What are some solutions she can live with,
remembering her identity as a member of a
group and not just as an individual.
Safety Planning must
• Explore Realistic Options
• What are the pros and cons of different
strategies?
• A Dangerousness Assessment is critical.
• Which strategies will reduce her isolation and
empower her?
• What are the possible consequences of each
strategy?
Specific Questions to Guide
Safety Planning
• If Leaving…
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When is the best time to leave?
Where is the best place to go?
How will she get there?
What will she take?
Who will she inform about where she is going?
How will she safely get/pick up the children to and
from school/activities?
Specific Questions to Guide
Safety Planning
• If Leaving, continued…
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Does she think a protection order would be helpful?
Would she feel ok about calling the police if he comes after her?
How much money can she take? How?
Would she find it helpful to develop a list of resources that are
available to help her?
• Does she have/need a phone?
• Don’t forget to take identification, bank account numbers, social
security numbers.
Specific Questions to Guide
Safety Planning
• If Staying…
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How has she stayed safe in the past?
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Who is in her support network?
Where could she go temporarily?
How might she escape from the house?
Can she work with others to escape?
Can she remove weapons/ammunition safely?
Does she have/need a phone?
Specific Questions to Guide
Safety Planning
• If Staying with Plans for Leaving….
• Where will she go?
• What kind of income/resources will she need to gather or have
access to? (Checking accounts, ATM cards, etc. in her own name,
etc.)
• Who can she call if she needs to leave in hurry?
• Where can she safely store the things she may be gathering to
prepare for leaving?
• How much information will she share with the children about the
plans?
Specific Questions to Guide
Safety Planning
• If Returning…
• Revisit what worked to keep her safe in the past.
• Explore her expectations about her partner’s behavior.
• Who can she call if she needs help? Would someone else staying in
the home or visiting at key times be helpful?
• Identify support networks. Who can she reach out to for support
with her decision as she takes this step? Include calls to the police
in the discussion.
• Weapons in the home - can they or the ammunition be removed?
• Where will she go if she needs to leave in a hurry?
In All Levels of Safety Planning
Explain Available Resources
• Discuss pros and cons of Protection Orders
• Can you help her get a 911 phone?
• If she calls the police, tell her, “DON’T HANG
UP.”
• Does she have your agency number handy?
• Does she have the National Hotline number in
case she’s long-distance from your agency?
Safety Planning
Does she have children?
• If children are old enough, involve them in the
safety planning.
• This helps:
• protect them and their mothers
• the children feel involved and empowered.
• Provides opportunity for mothers and children to
bond.
Safety Planning with Children
• Stress:
• It is dangerous to get between the abuser and
the mother during violence.
• It is dangerous to hit or kick the abuser.
• Children should have plans to:
• Run, or
• Hide, or
• Get help
Safety Planning with Children
• Questions to discuss with children:
• Where can they hide? Is there a locked room?
• Can they leave the home? How? Where would
they go? What would they say when they get
there?
• Do they know 911? Explain that if they ever
call the police, DON’T HANG UP!
Ethics and Confidentiality
Unit 7
Definition of Ethics
• Ethics: systematizing, defending and
recommending concepts of right and wrong
behavior
• There is no universal truth, no “one right
answer” to a moral dilemma
• Ethics are dependent on our cultural, religious,
spiritual and personal beliefs
Ethical Obligations
We have an ethical obligation to:
1. survivors with whom we work (and
their children)
2. our co-workers
3. our agency and its reputation
4. Professional affiliations (e.g., NASW)
Relationships to Avoid with
Women You Work With
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Good friend/confidant
Romantic/sexual/intimate
Financial (lending or borrowing $$)
Business (hiring or being hired by;
purchasing from)
Why is Confidentiality between
Survivors and Our Programs Important?
• Privacy allows survivors to confide sensitive and
intimate information that is necessary to the
counseling or advocacy relationship
• Without the assurance of confidentiality many
survivors would not seek our services
• There is an expectation from the survivor and the
community that our services are confidential
Always Remember
• The privilege belongs to the survivor – it is
HER information.
• She chooses what information to share.
• She chooses what information not to share.
Confidential and Privileged
Communication
• A confidential communication is a statement made
under circumstances demonstrating that the
survivor intends her words to be heard only by the
person she is addressing.
• A privileged communication is a statement made
by a certain person within a recognized, protected
relationship, which the law protects from forced
disclosure.
Confidential and Privileged
Communication
• Such privileges can be created by statute,
regulation, case law, ethical rules or other
ruling of the court.
• A confidential communication may be
privileged, depending on the relationship
between the parties and the circumstances
in which the statement is made.
Privilege May be Limited by
• Duty to warn of imminent threats of bodily harm
that a violent crime is to be committed
• Suspected child abuse or neglect (if mandatory
reporter)
• Presence of others when communication is made
• Waiver by the privilege holder
• Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in
some jurisdictions
Privilege May be Limited by
• The death of the privilege-holder, depending on
jurisdiction, for all circumstances or for limited
purposes such as fatality reviews authorized by
state statute
• Court cases where court orders an in camera
review of privileged materials
• Program’s need to defend itself in a lawsuit
brought by the privilege-holder
Informed Consent
• Before any survivor of domestic violence
makes her decision to release information,
the advocate should discuss with her the
possible ramifications and potentially
dangerous consequences of consenting to
the release of confidential information, both
for herself and the program.
Conditions of
Informed Consent
• The program participant must understand what
information is being disclosed.
• The program participant must sign a release of
information form, detailing the information to be
released, to whom, and to what purpose.
• The consent form must have an expiration date,
preferably no longer than 30 days.
• The program participant should be informed she
has the right to revoke this consent at any time.
This revocation must be submitted in writing.
Release Forms
• Limit the use of Release Forms:
• Don’t assume they’re needed; don’t assume you need to
share private information.
• Never use a release form when you can facilitate the
survivor providing the information herself.
• Always consider: Is this a conversation I would
be comfortable sharing with the survivor?
When Collaboration
Becomes Collusion
• The more we collaborate, the easier it is to
break confidentiality
• You can get A LOT done without sharing
personal information about the woman
Record Keeping
Why do we Keep Records?
• To facilitate and document quality of care,
continuity of services
• To collect statistics for funding sources and
program purposes
• To allow for supervision review of staff
performance
• To possibly protect from liability
Record Keeping Cautions
“The most dangerous consequence of keeping records is that
they may end up in the wrong hands, especially those of
the [perpetrator] or his attorney. But even if they end up
in so called friendly hands, such as those of the prosecutor
in a criminal case against the [perpetrator], the
[survivor’s] thoughts and feelings would still be available
and open to someone with whom they were not intended to
be shared. In either event, the contents may also be
inaccurate, misinterpreted and twisted only to be used
against the [survivor].”
Susan H. Rauch
Nat’l Center for Women & Family Law
Example
• You are a defense attorney paid $500/hour
by the local perpetrator. Being crafty and
well paid you were able to gain access to
the survivor’s advocacy records. To your
delight you find the following in her file….
“The assault happened in her bedroom at 12:30
a.m., she called the police 9 days later”
• You look at the police report and make the
most out of any differences in details.
• What was the advocate’s purpose in
keeping this notation?
• Can this be reworded or taken out?
“Jane says that her previous therapist said
that she may be a borderline personality”
• You’ve hit the jackpot! You subpoena the
records of the therapist
• You make the most out of the speculation
that Jane is borderline
• What was the advocate’s purpose in
keeping this notation?
• Can this be reworded or taken out?
“Jane is withholding and doesn’t trust others.
She is responding in a very hostile manner.”
• Perfect! You can make Jane feel real bad on
the stand!
• What was the advocate’s purpose in
keeping this notation?
• Would you want Jane to read this?
• Can this be reworded or taken out?
“Jane says that writing in her journal has
been very helpful to her”
• You subpoena the journal!
• What was the advocate’s purpose in keeping this
notation?
• Can this be reworded or taken out?
“I am worried that Jane is taking too many
risks and that her promiscuity is putting her in
danger ”
• Another jackpot! Jane is a risk taker and
promiscuous! Take her children away! The
jury will eat it up.
• What was the advocate’s purpose in
keeping this notation?
• Would you want Jane to read this?
• Can this be reworded or taken out?
“Jane is in classic denial ”
• You would make the most of the fact that
Jane was denying or downplaying the
assault.
• What was the advocate’s purpose in
keeping this notation?
• Would you want Jane to read this?
• Can this be reworded or taken out?
“Her husband having raped her brought back
memories of her father’s having raped her as
a child ”
• You might try to say that she is trying to get
justice for her childhood assault by accusing the
perpetrator.
• What was the advocate’s purpose in keeping this
notation?
• How will Jane feel if no one else knows that she
was raped by her father and it comes out in trial?
• Can this be reworded or taken out?
Record Keeping: Info NOT
Appropriate for Files
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Poems, journals, creative writing, etc…
Verbatim statements
Statements of evaluation or judgment
Papers for safe-keeping for woman
Notes from others re: woman
Info from sources other than woman
Docs. or statements with legal opinions
Factual notations regarding specific dates, times, or
sequence of abuse
• Photos
Ethical Dilemmas Related to
Confidentiality
• Credible Threats of Harm to the Woman by
Another Actor or Self
• Credible Threat of Harm to Others
A Few More Points
• When there is a request for records from
someone other than the survivor, the
program must take care to not even confirm
that records about the woman exist or that
she ever received services. Even such a
minute acknowledgement breaches the
confidentiality privilege.
A Few More Points
• Always consider alternatives to breaching
confidentiality. How can you help the
survivor without “bringing in other
systems?”
• Consider what could happen to the survivor
in terms of Justice, Autonomy, Restoration,
and Safety once other systems get involved
What’s it all about?
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Justice
Autonomy
Restoration
Safety