Involvement in a Cause
As part of their therapeutic journey, we may encourage our clients to get involved in a social change movement. When we hear social change, it can come across in a negative or positive manner, depending on who the audience is and what the topic being discussed is. There are various factors involved in creating positive social change. The Fund for Southern Communities (n.d.) main focus is to create positive responsiveness for the whole of society, as opposed to confined answers for individuals or smaller populations. Another resource that your client can get involved in is community-based participatory research, which encourages the client to support the community and the community may become a support for your client (Collins et al., 2018).
Zero Abuse Project
The social change movement identified in this post is the zero abuse project. This movement aims to end abuse and sexual assault for children. If we can end child sexual abuse, we may be able to solve more societal issues then those that arise from the initial trauma, such as negative emotional dysfunction as well as negative behavioral dysfunction. However, this project also aims to equip those involved in the healing process for the child with the tools they need to treat the child effectively and prevent the children from being revictimized. When a child is ignored or not treated appropriately and does not have the support needed to heal from sexual abuse, it can cause various issues for that child such as substance abuse, negative behaviors that may affect other in society, and in some cases it may cause them to victimize others.
The Zero Abuse Project (2024) focuses on education for the children, parents, and those that aid in the investigation, therapy, and healing of the children that are victims. The multifaceted approach is what attracted me to this movement. It is a complex issue and because each child is different there may be various ways that this affects the victims. One social change that is yet emerging is ending sexual abuse for children. This may be in the distant future but I can see this project having that big of an impact on this social problem. By educating to prevent, equipping with coping mechanisms that are effective, and treating adequately, we may eliminate this altogether and solve an array of other societal issues in the process. This can change the face of childhood for those in the future generations.
References
Collins, S. E., Clifasefi, S. L., Stanton, J., The LEAP Advisory Board, Straits, K. J. E., Gil-Kashiwabara, E., Rodriguez Espinosa, P., Nicasio, A. V., Andrasik, M. P., Hawes, S. M., Miller, K. A., Nelson, L. A., Orfaly, V. E., Duran, B. M., & Wallerstein, N. (2018). Community-based participatory research (CBPR): Towards equitable involvement of community in psychology research. American Psychologist, 73(7), 884–898. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000167
Fund for Southern Communities. (n.d.). What is social change? Retrieved from http://www.fundforsouth.org/social_change.htmLinks to an external site.
Zero Abuse Project. (2024). Strategic Plan. Retrieved from https://www.zeroabuseproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Strategic-Plan-2021-2023-Public.pdfLinks to an external site.