Macro-level Advocacy for Mental Health Professionals: Promoting Social Justice for LGBTQ+ Survivors of Interpersonal Violence

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2020

Abstract

Violence, threats of violence, and fear of violence, in its many forms—self-directed, interpersonal, and collective, is an everyday reality of life for LGBTQ+ people. For LGBTQ+ victim/survivors of interpersonal violence, a focus on individual-level mental health intervention ignores the sociopolitical context that contributes to perpetuating such violence. This chapter aims to help mental health practitioners incorporate a critical response, focused on macro-level intervention, into their practice to challenge and change the oppressive, discriminatory, and disempowering systems, structures, and attitudes that contribute to violence in the lives of LGBQT+ people. The chapter explains how to engage in social justice cause advocacy as an activist/ally activist using a six-part critical response strategy: get educated, get empowered, get connected, be a connector and initiator for change, get political, and take action.

ISBN

9783030526115

Department

Social Work

Publication Title

Violence Against LGBTQ+ Persons

DOI

10.1007/978-3-030-52612-2_7

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