The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network - Research Paper Example

Section/# RAINN Mission ment: “The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network is the nation's largest anti- sexualassault organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotlines at 1.800.656.HOPE and rainn.org and publicizes the hotlines’ free, confidential services; educates the public about sexual assault; and leads national efforts to prevent sexual assault, improve services to victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice”. RAINN Statement of Vision: “The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network intends to provide a level of care and guidance to at risk individuals as a means of helping them to overcome some of the most traumatic incidents that an individual can experience. As a function of this, RAINN envisions a qualified network of professionals, both staff and volunteer, who seek to give freely of themselves as a way to provide others the much needed help, care, acceptance, and understanding that they so desperately need. Additionally, RAINN hopes to raise awareness of the issues they represent within the communities that they serve as well as assisting the individuals who seek the services that we have to offer”. Social Program Overview For purposes of this brief analysis, this student will focus upon the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Care Centre. As a means of describing the program and analyzing the micro and macro reasons for such issues within the community at large, as well as addressing the unique ways in which such a program can seek to minister to the needs of those individuals affected by the issues, the ways in which the individual components of the program integrate with both local, regional, and federal efforts to combat the issue, the analysis will focus upon the means by which the agency in question seeks to interface with the general population and ameliorate the issues presented based upon the approaches which will be elaborated upon. When one considers the litany of social programs and needs that communities espouse, issues relating to public health, child protective services, drug rehabilitation, vocational training, psychiatric services, and shelters for the homeless are oftentimes some of the preeminent issues that spring to mind. Similarly, the types and range of social programs that have thus far been enumerated upon almost exclusively describe servicers that are made available to those individuals within the fabric of the local community which are the most at risk. As such, these social services act as a type of safety net and resource of last resort for those that otherwise have few options to take with regards to the given situation that has left them eager to seek help from their local government/community. Such is much the same with shelters and/or centers which specifically target the needs of battered women within the community. As will be discussed, these shelters, throughout the nation (as well as the one in question in Ontario) seek to address the needs of a large number of women each and every day that have fallen victim to domestic violence and battery (RAINN 2013). The figures and statistics detailing violence against women are staggering. Depending on what country’s statistics are employed, it is estimated that between 40-70% of women have experienced physical abuse and/or violence at some point in their lives. This figure alone helps to shed a powerful light on the way that the community can and should engage with the promotion of women’s centers such as the one which has been listed for this case study. Whereas such high percentages of affected individuals may not necessarily exist for drug treatment needs, psychiatric needs, vocational rehabilitation needs, and/or homelessness, the presence and existence of a shelter for battered women is something that at least 25% of the population could utilize at some point during their lives (I Am Generess 2012). With respect to the underlying macro and micro reasons for the manifestation of the social problem that necessitates such a center, one need look no further than the fact that rampant sexism, and a male-dominated society typifies nearly every culture that is currently represented on planet earth. Without delving too deeply into the basic fundamentals of feminist theory, one should consider that although Western society has long prided itself on having representative government and the rule of law, it continues to fail miserably on providing women the necessary representation within society, culture, government, the wage structure etc that could otherwise have a reconstructive effect on the way that women are viewed within the society. Although one cannot merely point to gender disparity as a means of describing the reason for male violence perpetrated towards females, it is doubtless an outgrowth of the lack of respect that many of the societal norms that our culture and society have become so acclimated and accustomed. Similarly, but one of the micro issues associated with the prevalence and overall under-reporting of violence against women within our society has to do with the fear of reprisal that oftentimes is associated with the need and desire to seek help and shelter from such abuse (Finn 2008). This inability to see a viable way out of difficult and/or abusive situations is yet one evidence of the individual micro reasons which bar the way for many women towards reporting a greater number and incidence of domestic violence/battery. Sponsored and supported at the federal level by the Health Ministry, smaller regional offices such as the one that has been listed earlier in this brief analysis exist at the local level to serve as the primary point of interaction between the local/regional government and those individuals within the community that are within the greatest need. As with any outreach program, one of the most valuable services that the center can provide, apart from the respite and counseling that are physically provided to those individuals that are able to avail themselves of such services, is the knowledge and awareness that such a center exists and can serve as a resource of resort to those women within the community who would otherwise feel themselves trapped in a circle of violence, internalization, self-blame, mental anguish, and psychological issues that would doubtless be born from such situations that violence against women doubtless aggravate (Doe 2012). One of the ways in which centers such as the Family Service of Toronto helps to provide an additional layer of outreach for women’s issues and violence against women is to integrate ambulatory services, police, and psychiatric help in a framework that helps to maximize the level of assistance with the level of action that the government can take to both rehabilitate the individual traumatized while at the same time seeking to bring the full force and power of any and all applicable law to bear with relation to the individual responsible for perpetrating such an act. In this way, such a center differentiates itself from those private and non-profit centers that can be found elsewhere throughout the country and throughout the world as it seeks to not only aid the individual who is suffering from violence but also to actively rehabilitate her while at the same time punishing the ultimate culprit. Naturally, this cannot be meant to imply that there is no need for non-profit and non-governmental entities offering services to those within the community suffering from domestic violence. Rather, a duplication of such an effort is the only rational way that one can hope to stem the tide of violence and hope to correct what has become a recognizable and prevalent trend within Canada as well as the rest of the world. As this brief analysis has indicated, the role that governmental institutions play in supporting and aiding the education and rehabilitation of individuals within society that have suffered at the hands of domestic violence against women play a powerful and leading role in seeking to provide a means of escape for some of the most at risk individuals within society. Whereas domestic violence is oftentimes mentioned as one of the most under-reported yet highly prevalent forms of violence against women that currently exists, the role that centers such as the one which has thus far been discussed play in helping to provide a guiding path of escape as well as the requisite counseling and law enforcement options cannot be understated. If a recommendation could be allowed within such a brief piece, it would be that that the government should focus even more carefully on funding and expanding the services that are made available to the general public within this sphere. Moreover, the effect of government sponsored programs could be even further compounded by seeking to coordinate the approach and technique with smaller non-governmental entities which seek to provide services along the same lines. References Doe, K. (2012, December 17). RAINN has given me the greatest gift. YouTube. Retrieved January 10, 2013, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsrnVHIAcR8 Finn, J., & Hughes, P. (2008). Evaluation of the RAINN National Sexual Assult Online Hotline. Journal Of Technology In Human Services, 26(2-4), 203-222. I Am Generess Supports RAINN in the Fight Against Sexual Violence. (2012, September 15). YouTube. Retrieved January 10, 2013, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYDSmkOtOpg International Sexual Assault Resources | RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. (2012, March 15). RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network | RAINN: The nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization.One of “America’s 100 Best Charities" —Worth magazine. Retrieved January 10, 2013, from http://www.rainn.org/get-help/sexual-assault-and-rape-international-resources Read More