Responding to Women’s Self-Harm: A 10-Year Reflection on the Need for Trauma-Informed Care

... At the practice level one way to implement this framework would be to ensure that care and social supports are offered from a stance that frames women's experiences of abuse (including leaving experiences) in relation to the contextual features of women's lives, by understanding women's fears about leaving an abusive partner within the context of gendered poverty, stigma, and discrimination, and by responding with a wide range of services that could be offered, versus viewing and judging those issues from an individualistic perspective. Taking such a structural lens to women's experiences of staying in or leaving abusive relationships would also make it necessary for providers to act upon what women identify as their most immediate concerns, such as safety; securing safe and affordable housing, income assistance, or employment; and coping with issues related to child welfare, custody, and access (Dell, 2012). This would mean a re-casting of the role of professionals from experts to advocates and change agents who are willing to listen to women's experiences and engage in collaborative and joint decision-making processes. ...