How to respond when people disclose abuse: empowerment, effective communication and the legal system
Even the most well-meaning people can be at a loss for what to do or say when a friend or family member discloses that they are in an abusive relationship or have been sexually assaulted. Sometimes well-intentioned efforts at support can actually be disempowering and confusing. This workshop will explore some ways to be empowering and resourceful in the event that someone tells you they've been the victim of domestic or sexual violence. Radical law student Chris Logue and crisis counselor Carolyn Zaikowski will lead a practical discussion about the empowerment model, how to navigate the legal system, and how to best respond to disclosures of abuse.
details
- when: saturday, may 29th, 2010, from 12:45 pm - 2:15 pm
- to attend: Please see the info page for more information on attending any of the workshops at the 2010 Boston Skillshare.
- facilitated by: Carolyn Zaikowski and Christopher Logue
lesson plan
The first half of our workshop will focus on empowerment and communication and will include a discussion of common responses to disclosure of assault or abuse; exploration of the basic idea of empowerment; and a discussion of the empowerment model as a tool for effectively responding to disclosures of sexual assault or domestic abuse.
The second half of our workshop will explore the potential legal and practical needs of a victim of domestic or sexual violence. Using the empowerment model as a framework, we will briefly discuss some major topics: what it means to be a "victim" in the criminal justice system and the risks and benefits of interacting with that system; a very brief overview of the criminal process in Massachusetts; safety planning; restraining orders; family law issues (divorce, child custody, etc.); immigration issues; and sexual assault nurse examinations ("rape kits").
We intend to make this workshop as interactive as possible and hope that the workshop attendees will contribute as much personal experience as possible.
facilitator experience
Carolyn Zaikowski studied psychology and women's studies as an undergraduate and recently received her MFA in Creative Writing. She has been involved in crisis counseling and anti-violence outreach for over ten years. Chris Logue is a third year law student at Northeastern University. For the past two years he has been working directly with victims of domestic violence on a range of civil and criminal legal issues.
intended audience
Anyone and everyone is encouraged to attend this workshop. Attendees should be aware, however, that we will be discussing some very serious and potentially triggering topics. We'll talk about this explicitly at the beginning of the workshop and we will make every attempt to make all attendees feel safe and comfortable.