Advocacy for Survivors of Domestic Violence: Best Practices for Social Workers - Essay Sample

Introduction

Advocacy can be interpreted as the process by which representation and negotiation occur for another or self, and is one of the solutions of working with the oppressed (Davies & Lyon, 2013). In domestic violence, advocacy is a type of direct service and an essential intervention to support survivors of domestic violence. There is little information regarding the best practices for social workers and other aiding professionals in assisting survivors of domestic violence who present for legal settings, non-residential outreach, and services at shelters. The scale of domestic violence remains to be a hot topic in literature, necessitating the need for further research on its advocacy (Davies & Lyon, 2013). This essay focuses on discussing why it is important to advocate on domestic violence.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Importance of Advocating on Domestic Violence

Firstly, shelters and advocacy centers offer essential services for survivors when they choose to utilize them. These kinds of services fall under the therapeutic of counseling services of umbrella services. Victims of domestic violence use referrals and advocacy related interventions the most (Davies & Lyon, 2013). Advocacy in domestic violence cases encompass aiding and information that is linked to medical, legal, financial, and needs related to children. Advocates offer education and referrals on domestic violence and act as a lint to receiving support from society. Also, advocacy interventions ensure that survivors obtain skills to enable them to care for themselves and make better choices.

Another importance is that advocates of domestic violence make up for the workforce of many shelters and offer immense services to domestic violence survivors. Advocacy takes place either at the institutional or individual level catering for anyone entering a domestic violence agency or shelter (Carey, 2011). The essence of these services ensures that advocates know what outcomes to expect, what works for most survivors, and how and why the services are of aid.

Conclusion

Victims of domestic violence have diverse needs that can be spiritual, mental, physical, or economic. Most women hardly access mental health services due to the reluctancy of leaving their abusive partners. Through advocacy, light is brought to social issues; hence, it is a good fit for movements on domestic violence. The society needs more advocates of domestic violence to speak on behalf of people's situations, that do not allow them to speak.

References

Carey, C. (2011). Correcting myopia in domestic violence advocacy: Moving forward in lawyering and law school clinics. Colum. J. Gender & L., 21, 220. https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/coljgl21&div=8&id=&page=

Davies, J., & Lyon, E. (2013). Domestic violence advocacy: Complex lives/difficult choices (Vol. 7). Sage Publications. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=YbUgAQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=DOMESTIC+VIOLENCE+ADVOCACY&ots=vbGiC_sGJE&sig=F3nyPLnuXg4137g9cs6FkdYrF5s&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=DOMESTIC%20VIOLENCE%20ADVOCACY&f=false