Quote:
farah said
okay, i know we're over it, but i just wanted to point out one thing...
one of the biggest criticism leveled against (particularly international) feminist movements is their tendency to decide that they know what is best for the victim in a situation, without giving much thought to the social and cultural context in which the situation is occurring. i think it's important to remember the role of a counselor or scholar is not manipulative. you show the person you're counseling the options they have, but ultimately the decision to leave or stay has to be their own.
for anyone who works in situations dealing with domestic violence, i know it can be an extremely difficult thing to bear, especially when you see the same woman continue to go back to her husband again and again regardless of how much he abuses her. that decision to finally leave him, however, is personal and i think it's extremely vital that each person makes such a decision on their own...
k, i'm done and i'll shut up now, thanks 
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hm. where do you get that from? if anything, feminist principles created the model for how to address dv situations . the same methods and means of counseling are offered across the board - it's pretty standard procedure, be it a mainstream dv organization, an immigrant one, or a muslim one. they all operate on the counseling model where your first and foremost objective is to make sure she or her children are not in immediate danger. once that's sorted out, you simply assess the situation and offer her comprehensive options and counseling based on her situation. again, that is standard procedure regardless of what sort of agency you're seeking assistance from.
i've worked in the dv field for 6 years with three different agencies - one mainstream, two ethnic/immigrant - and never have i come across anyone forcing advice on women, or telling them what they should do. you're required to do a min of 40 hours of dv training prior to becoming a counselor, and again, it's standard procedure to advocate choice. afterall, it's about empowering the women to make their OWN decisions - if you make their decisions for them against their will, you're really just taking on the role of the perpetrator.
the ONE time i've come across someone that tried to force her advice on a client (i gave her hell about it cause we shared an office and i overhead her convo with the client)...she was reprimanded promptly and sent to mandatory trainings in addition to her 40 hours. she left soon after the incident though. point being though - if you work in the field, you have to learn to leave your judgement at the door. and also, it's a humbling experience because while you may get frustrated, you have to remind yourself that a woman will consider leaving numerous times before making the move. and you also have to remember that it could very well be you in the situation.
i just wanted to clarify that cause i feel like theres a huge misunderstanding around how these organizations work.