Oppression in Persons with Disabilities in Canada - Research Paper Example

 Oppression in Persons with Disabilities in Canada Introduction Over an extended period, people having disabilities have been prone to injustice in different forms. The disabled people within the society faced a lot of segregation from the society and are often not seen as part of the community or rather not considered people with equal rights. The segregation starts with the family members who believe these people should not be brought to various places where people can see them. Most disabled individuals in the society spend the biggest part of their lives in a confined environment. Therefore, these people have little interactions with the environment, as well as the other part of the society. The disabled persons do not have most of the liberties that the normal human beings have and even if they have, it has limitations. The disabled never have the opportunity to prove their worth within the social setting, and the few who get the chance have proved to be as equally talented as the average human being (Fleischer, Doris and Zames, 2001). There have been so many famous people with disabilities, but this only comes with the necessary exposure to the society and the world at large (Dunn et al, 2008). In most cases, the society prone the disabled people with the social stigma that poses a major consequence to these individual. The stigma has majorly contributed to the confinement of the disabled people within certain environment. In doing this, the parent or guardian to the disabled person tries to hind them from the wicked talks bestowed upon them by some people within the social order. The purpose of the research study is to demonstrate a better understanding of oppression and The Responsibility Of Social Work In Preventing Other Forms Of Oppression. In doing so, various issues concerning oppression will be put into light for better dispersion of services to the disabled people within the society. Putting the issue across to the audience with impart knowledge to people with less information concerning the subject. Definition of terms Oppression can be defined as the situation in which the relations between individuals or groups of people experience in terms of supremacy, subordination, power and control (Lang 2001). Disabilities can be defined as any limitation or lack, resulting from impairment, of capacity to carry out any activity in the wins or within the range considered typical for normal human beings (Davis 1996). A Social worker is a person who carries out social responsibilities as well as ensuring social justice to the oppressed within the society. Social justice can be defined as ensuring that people hold equal privileges and opportunities in every aspect in the society. Forms of Oppression Various forms of oppression can be characterized through racism, ableism, or sexism. Ableism can be defined as a social pattern in which the people having various disabilities get unfair treatments in relation to the normal people. Disability is a form of social oppression together with other forms of oppression in our society associated with gender, race, class, and sexuality (Thomas, 2008). Means of Oppression to People with Disabilities Marginalization can be considered a means of oppression as the people within the society see the disabled as abnormal phenomenon. Marginalization takes place when social arrangements and social establishments are used to inconvenience those who do not seem as an element of the dominant crowd. These persons are regularly deprived of fair right to manage resources and become vulnerable to further maltreatment and social segregation (Grant & Ojo 2009). Sexual harassment can be bestowed upon disabled people by various members within the society. In most cases, the sexual harassment emanates from the guardians of the disabled people. The offenders can be either the person’s relative or an acquaintance to the family of the disabled persons. Physical assault is another method of oppression where the disabled often are subjected to thorough beating and other forms of physical torment. The offenders often carry out these assaults in an effort to demonstrate strength and authority over the disabled individual. This comes mostly when the disabled person does something that offends the guardian or the person closer to them. Mental torment often occurs when the disabled persons get humiliated mentally typically using offensive language. The persons get unfair treatment, which is usually, accompanied by insults, and dismissive comments concerning the disabled person. The mental distress usually leads to the systematic or institutionalized oppression in the disabled persons. Oppression by Relatives In most cases, the various forms of oppression are imparted to the disabled by their relatives or even parents to these individuals. These relatives or parents often feel that they are over bundled by the fact that they have to take care of the disabled within their custody. They usually feel difficult to take care of persons for the rest of their lives, and this brings another strange attitude towards the disabled. The strange feeling is usually because of wanting to escape from the obligation given to them. Oppression by Other People Other than the relatives, the disabled can be oppressed by the acquaintances especially if they have been given the difficult duty to take care of the disabled persons. The oppression may occur in different ways like failing to provide food and other necessity mainly because they feel that should not be their responsibility. In the institution for the disabled, they may be subjected to various forms of oppression by the workers or caretakers to the disabled. This comes because of lack of or not wanting to undertake the responsibility of caring for the disabled (Sheldon, 2001). Identification of Oppressors by the Government The government has introduced empowerment programs in recent years, as well as other programs whose greater responsibility is to ensure that the oppressors do not carry out their activities on the disabled persons. The program helps to identify the oppressors and to bring them to justice by the social workers who acts as providers for justice to the disabled. Identification of the Oppressor by the Corporate Organization The corporate organizations work together with the government to ensure that the oppressors are brought to justice. The corporate organizations usually provide resources for the government to recognize the oppressors of the disabled persons. The resources may include the lawyers and social workers who help to bring needed justice to the offenders. Impacts of Oppression Psychological Impacts of Oppression Self-hatred and distrust is one of the psychological impacts where an individual fails to reveal inner feelings and in a truthful way. The lack of communication leads to psychological suffering usually expressed as mistrust and self-hatred (Morris, 1992). Social Impacts of Oppression The disabled people especially if subjected to oppression develop an anti-social attitude towards all the people within the society. They tend to assume that all the people are the same and that they would otherwise treat them in the same way as the oppressors. Influence of experience of oppression towards the current experience of oppression The experiences of oppression have a greater impact on the current experiences of oppression. Culturing or nurturing oppression provides a basis for the future oppressors to carry out more oppression. Preventing oppression earlier helps to prevent oppression even for the future disabled people. Taking the initiative to prevent oppression and carrying out social justice will therefore assist in preventing oppression for the current and future life. Contribution of Social Workers to Experience of Oppression The social workers have the responsibility of ensuring social justice for the disabled people within the society. However, they can also contribute to oppression of the disabled people if they do not carry out their duties properly. Ineffectiveness in their work may serve as a starting point for the oppressors to proceed with oppression on the disabled. Contribution of Social Workers to Current Experience of Oppression Better and effective works of the social workers help to reduce the future experiences of oppressions to persons having disabilities. Poor services towards will serve as inspiration to the oppressors to carry out their oppression. Contribution of Social Workers in Helping to Prevent Oppression Social workers offer care and support for citizens who need assistance in dealing with demanding areas in their life and, where needed, they seek out to protect those at risk of harm. The social workers therefore serve to ensure the oppressors are brought to justice. The fact that the disabled are protected keeps off the offenders, as they often do not want to be at the other side of the law. Role of Social Workers in Advocating For Social Justice Advocating for the people in distress has been the responsibility of the social workers for a long time. They must have the capability to work together to coordinate resources required to advocate for social fairness, to empower their customers and the public, to work with them comprehensively as part of a team and to solicit the help of those in place of power. They are required to identify a variety of advocacy approaches that supplement the accomplishment of a person and combined societal and economical equity. Conclusion People with disabilities should be seen as equal human beings and should not be subjected to oppression. The oppression on these people brings about a number of effects to their lives. Confinement of the disabled people only serves to keep them away from the world experiences that would otherwise be of greater importance in ensuring they are independent in terms of expenses and other minor issues. Disability is usually not considered as the inability, so they can still do something for themselves. Recommendations The government together with the social workers bears the greatest responsibility of ensuring that the disabled people within the society get a fair treatment. They should therefore; institute measures to further protect the integrity of the disabled within the society, as well as come up with the best social models to deal with oppression. List of References Dunn, P. et al, (2008), ‘Best Practices in Promoting Disability Inclusion within Canadian Schools of Social Work’ Disability Studies Quarterly Vol 28, No 1 (2008) Fleischer, Doris Zames and Zames, Frieda, (2001), The Disability Rights Movement: From Charity to Confrontation (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2001). Morris J, ‘Personal and political: a feminist perspective on researching physical disability’ Disability, Handicap and Society, Vol 7, No 2 1992 Sheldon Alison, (2001), ‘Disabled People and Communication Systems in the Twenty First Century’, The University of Leeds Department of Sociology and Social Policy. Retrieved on November 2, 2011 from: Thomas, C, (2008) ‘Disability: getting it right’, J Med Ethics 2008; 34:15-17 doi:10.1136/jme.2006.019943 Read More