Sociology - Human Services Advocacy Domestic Violence

Sociology - Human Services

Advocacy

Domestic violence and abuse can occur to anyone, in spite of mass, gender, or might, yet the crisis is frequently ignored, exempted, or denied. This is particularly accurate when the abuse is psychological, rather than physical. Emotional abuse is frequently diminished, yet it can leave profound and enduring scars. Becoming aware of and admitting to the warning signs and symptoms of domestic violence and abuse is the first step to stopping it. No person should live in dread of the person they love (Domestic Violence and Abuse, 2011).

Education is the key to stopping the cycle of domestic violence. Both the victim and the abuser need to be educated as to what domestic violence is and how it can be stopped. In order for people who suffer from domestic violence to get help they need to first recognize that the behavior that they are enduring is indeed domestic violence. In order for those who abuse to get help they need to understand that the behavior that they exhibit is not right. And in the end both parties need to know where to get help from. Unfortunately reaching out to these individuals is often not easy since it frequently takes place behind closed doors and those involved keep it to themselves because they are embarrassed.

Advocacy/Case Management is a theory that can be used to help those who suffer from domestic violence. Advocates, frequently work directly with legal staff, in order to assist victims find their way through the maze of public and private, court referral and self-selected services. Advocates provide survivors of domestic violence with wide-ranging legal and non-legal services in order to make possible safety and self-sufficiency for survivors, encourage abuser responsibility and to support and develop a helpful neighborhood reaction to survivors and their kids (Client Advocacy, 2010).

An advocate's mission often entails providing survivors of intimate partner abuse with wide-ranging support and encouragement as they make their way through the legal, health and social service systems. Essentially these services are intended to make easy safety and self-sufficiency through self-determination for the survivors. One advance to advocacy is based on the strength/empowerment model of advocacy where the survivor's knowledge concerning their life is listened to and honored (Client Advocacy, 2010).

Using this theory of advocacy a program to educate both abusers and victims can be founded in order to try a break the cycle of domestic violence. Advocacy programs need to be developed and implemented into communities in order to lay out the signs of abuse so that victims can recognize what behaviors constitutes abuse. There also need to be programs that discuss why it is that abusers do what they do to the ones that they love and how they can stop behaving this way. Unless this information is provided to the general public then those who really need help may never know that they need help. Domestic violence is such a private crime that many times those who are involved are not exposed to the vital information that they need in order to get help. And that is where these advocacy education programs can come into play. As part of these programs the resources that are available for both victims and abusers to get help must be identified so that people know what help is available and where to go about getting it.

The field of Human Services distinctively approaches the purpose of meeting people's needs by way of an interdisciplinary knowledge foundation, centering on deterrence as well as remediation of troubles, and upholding a promise to enhancing the overall quality of life of service populations. The Human Services line of work is one which encourages improved service delivery systems by dealing with not only the quality of direct services, but also by trying to improve openness, responsibility, and organization among professionals and agencies in service delivery. The guiding principles of The National Organization for Human Services include:

The capability of human development and change.

Advocating for social fairness.

Identifying and making use of peoples' power and capabilities.

Sustaining physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.

Endorsing teamwork and responsibility.

Including all associates of the human services community (The National Organization for Human Services, 2009).