Dealing with Disclosure Atlantic County Women’s Center Monday, September 17, 2007

Atlantic County Women’s Center Services Child Care Network Home to Work Program WomenSource Training Institute Violence Intervention Program counseling Referral Groups psycho-educ Prevention education Life skills services

Child Care Network

Home to Work Program

WomenSource Training Institute

Violence Intervention Program

counseling

Referral

Groups psycho-educ

Prevention education

Life skills services

What is disclosure? When a child or an adult voluntarily tells you they have experienced or are experiencing sexual abuse/incest, sexual assault (rape), domestic violence or other crisis Drug/alcohol Transitional living/homelessness Death/loss

When a child or an adult voluntarily tells you they have experienced or are experiencing sexual abuse/incest, sexual assault (rape), domestic violence or other crisis

Drug/alcohol

Transitional living/homelessness

Death/loss

Who discloses? Children/Teens Sexual violence Witnessing domestic violence Experiencing dating violence Child abuse Adults Past history of abuse Domestic violence Child abuse by partner

Children/Teens

Sexual violence

Witnessing domestic violence

Experiencing dating violence

Child abuse

Adults

Past history of abuse

Domestic violence

Child abuse by partner

How do they disclose? Within counseling At schools Accidentally Marks on body Behavior red flags Interrupted act of violence Purposefully During counseling Out of fear for other children After the abuse has stopped

Within counseling

At schools

Accidentally

Marks on body

Behavior red flags

Interrupted act of violence

Purposefully

During counseling

Out of fear for other children

After the abuse has stopped

Red Flags for Abuse Some Physical signs/symptoms Welts or other skin injuries Repeated injuries Venereal disease Unexplained injuries Lack of medical care Lack of self care

Some Physical signs/symptoms

Welts or other skin injuries

Repeated injuries

Venereal disease

Unexplained injuries

Lack of medical care

Lack of self care

Red Flags for Abuse Some behavioral signs/symptoms Extremes of behavior/mood swings Addictions Extreme fear of dark, small places, etc. Depressed or withdrawn Overly eager to please adults Inappropriate sexual information Habitually absent or late from school/care Always tired

Some behavioral signs/symptoms

Extremes of behavior/mood swings

Addictions

Extreme fear of dark, small places, etc.

Depressed or withdrawn

Overly eager to please adults

Inappropriate sexual information

Habitually absent or late from school/care

Always tired

Red Flags of Abusive/Abused Parents Story doesn’t always “add” up Overreacts/hostile when questioned Rarely touches or looks at child Has unrealistic expectations of child based on child’s age Minimizes child’s needs Focuses on self instead of child (may also be victim) Acts competitively towards child

Story doesn’t always “add” up

Overreacts/hostile when questioned

Rarely touches or looks at child

Has unrealistic expectations of child based on child’s age

Minimizes child’s needs

Focuses on self instead of child (may also be victim)

Acts competitively towards child

Why is an appropriate response important? Validation for the victim Students can’t learn if they’re not safe Less recanting of the victimization Safety for all Community responsibility Ethical responsibility

Validation for the victim

Students can’t learn if they’re not safe

Less recanting of the victimization

Safety for all

Community responsibility

Ethical responsibility

What is an appropriate response? Creating a “safe space” Listening, not investigating Non-judgment – meet them where they are Validating Empowerment, empowerment, empowerment Empathy/not sympathy Confidentiality Boundaries Be mindful of language used Your own triggers/experiences Responsibility to report Meta-communication

Creating a “safe space”

Listening, not investigating

Non-judgment – meet them where they are

Validating

Empowerment, empowerment, empowerment

Empathy/not sympathy

Confidentiality

Boundaries

Be mindful of language used

Your own triggers/experiences

Responsibility to report

Meta-communication

Do not: Minimize Blame Judge Not respond out of fear Make promises React (body language, anger, cry) Make it about you Break confidentiality unless necessary

Minimize

Blame

Judge

Not respond out of fear

Make promises

React (body language, anger, cry)

Make it about you

Break confidentiality unless necessary

Do: Take the person to a confidential spot Believe them! Provide options whenever possible Call for support/intervention Check your personal values at the door Create a safety plan Advocate for the plan Take care of self

Take the person to a confidential spot

Believe them!

Provide options whenever possible

Call for support/intervention

Check your personal values at the door

Create a safety plan

Advocate for the plan

Take care of self

What to do next: Consider safety first Explore resources Take action/Make contacts Debrief staff Stages of transition/loss Denial Anger Bargaining Hopelessness acceptance Review the results What went well? What could have gone better? What lessons are there for next time?

Consider safety first

Explore resources

Take action/Make contacts

Debrief staff

Stages of transition/loss

Denial

Anger

Bargaining

Hopelessness

acceptance

Review the results

What went well?

What could have gone better?

What lessons are there for next time?

Additional Resources DYFS 1-877-NJ-ABUSE 911 Atlantic County Women’s Center 1-800-286-4184 and www.acwc.org Ipac.aclink.org and click “clubs and organizations” 211

DYFS 1-877-NJ-ABUSE

911

Atlantic County Women’s Center

1-800-286-4184 and www.acwc.org

Ipac.aclink.org and click “clubs and organizations”

211

Thank You. Erin O’Hanlon, Director of Community Initiatives 609-601-9925, ext. 201 Michelle Duffy, Supervisor of Children’s Services 609-646-6767, ext. 661

Erin O’Hanlon,

Director of Community Initiatives

609-601-9925, ext. 201

Michelle Duffy,

Supervisor of Children’s Services

609-646-6767, ext. 661