Individual Paper On The Advocacy Role
Individual Paper on a Specific Population and the Advocate Role
To begin with, I have always been interested in working as a counselor or social worker in the Gay and Lesbian population. I feel that this population is seriously neglected and underserved, and sadly, it has been for quite some time. This population also has a lot of sub-populations as well, such as AIDS patients, transgendered identity challenged individuals, Gay and Lesbian domestic violence, hate-crime victims, Gay and Lesbian discrimination in schools and the workplace, Gay and Lesbian Teens who are trying to deal with the whole realization that they are in fact, gay, as well as plenty of individuals who are just trying to cope with their own coming out, personal and family issues. These individuals are in serious need of help and attention.
I personally have a special interest in working with the population of Gay and Lesbian domestic violence. I feel that this population is in dire need of advocacy, and attention. There are so many victims in this population. Obviously, there are two sides to every story. I think that both the abuser and the individual being abused are in need of guidance and mentoring if they are both willing. I also feel that emotions that run so high and rampant in domestic violence situations are even more intensified in Gay and Lesbian relationships, for so many reasons. Therein an advocate needs to be extremely sensitive to these emotions. Firstly, I feel that the most important thing that an advocate can do is to listen extremely well to both sides of the story of the individuals in question. Secondly, an advocate needs to be supportive, non-accusatory, understanding, patient. The advocate needs to be well prepared to advise what steps are critical in the improvement of the relationship, in order to stop the cycle of abuse from continuing.
One of the first steps would be to determine if the abuser is willing to change and correct his or...
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