Gender issues

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The challenge of effective support is to be as unlike an offender as possible by:

• behaving in a way that does not further abuse the victim;
• ensuring that your practice does not reinforce the myths pertaining to sexual assault;
• be guided by an accurate understanding of the social context of sexual assault.

Gender issues for workers:

Female workers may:

• over-identify with victim/survivors;
• feel enraged on their behalf;
• feel distant or superior.

Male workers may:

• wish to compensate for the pain inflicted on the victim;
• focus on the sexual aspects of the assault rather than the violence;
• have greater difficulty in identifying with female clients.

The role of all workers is to prevent the contact from being a recapitulation of the original trauma and to ensure a victim's active choices are made BY the victim, and not FOR the victim.

Sponsor

SECASA

Disclaimer Copyright Updated: 2 Oct 2009