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Understand Me

Personal trauma resulting from past or ongoing abuse, neglect, disinterest or dismissal by significant people in their lives, or resulting from key losses (e.g., death of a loved one, parents' divorce or frequent moves growing up) rarely emerged when young women discussed factors that they believed increase their risk for depression. On those occasions when young women did mention such trauma, the effect on them was clearly profound whether from having survived abuse or from facing the grim statistics that project that many young women will experience such abuse:

My major problem is about being sexually molested as a child . . .  [I] really haven't been able to get over it for six years . . . My mom, particularly, [says,] "Oh, she's going through her whole growing-up phase. . . ."

Another young woman stated:

A lot of girls, too, are faced with being sexually abused. It's just a lot easier for girls to be the target because they are considered the "weaker gender." . . . There's a whole group of verbal, emotional, sexual or any kind of abuse and it does happen a lot.

In fact, the statistics for sexual abuse of Canadian girls and young women are appalling: one in three females, by the time they are 18, will have experienced some form of sexual abuse or assault. We need to find ways to let girls and young women know that we know that sexual abuse exists, and that if they have experienced this trauma we will believe them and help them to get the support they need.

While the young women mentioned trauma only cursorily, these experiences make distinctive imprints on a young woman's life and ought to be considered along with social contextual factors, such as economic status (e.g., whether she has the financial resources to fulfill her needs and wants) and biological factors (e.g., genetic contributors to mood).

Support Me

Young women who have experienced trauma may prefer to see a female doctor or counsellor. Listen for clues to some of the issues mentioned in this section. If the young woman discloses a history of trauma, it is important that you be able to respond in a supportive and validating manner. Sometimes hearing details of the trauma story can make us feel overwhelmed and unsure of how to respond appropriately. The young woman needs to feel that you believe her, care about her and will not judge her.

Learn about trauma and young women, and familiarize yourself with professionals in the community who work well with girls and young women and who also have expertise in the area of trauma. Offer support by providing information on post-traumatic stress and the effects of violence.

When working with newcomers to Canada, it is also very important to become familiar with the kinds of experiences that young immigrant or refugee woman may have had prior to coming to Canada. Examples include separation from close family members and friends; time spent in transition or in refugee camps; experiences with war, political violence and associated trauma; and even adapting to a lower standard of living in Canada than the person was used to in her country of origin. Educate yourself about young refugee women, and find professionals in the community who have expertise in the area of trauma caused by war and political violence.

Prevention of and early intervention for trauma and abuse can begin through age-appropriate discussions about healthy versus unhealthy actions and words, as well as by providing strategies and contacts that can help girls and young women. Ideally, these discussions should begin in a child's preschool years, and opportunities for dialogue should continue to be given by youth service providers throughout youth and adolescence in a variety of settings such as schools. For mental health and addiction professionals:

Haskell, L. (2003). First Stage Trauma Treatment: A Guide for Therapists Working with Women . Toronto: CAMH.
This publication is for a diverse audience: mental health and substance use professionals who treat women who are abuse survivors, and related caregivers who wish to understand more about the clients they serve. Learn ways to increase safety and reduce and stabilize symptoms in the women abuse survivors with whom you work.

Other helpful publications and web links include:

Bograd, M. (1999). Strengthening domestic violence theories: Intersections of race, class, sexual orientation, and gender. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy , 25 (3), 275–289.

Haskell, L. (2001). Bridging Responses: A Front-Line Worker's Guide to Supporting Women Who Have Post Traumatic Stress . Toronto: CAMH.
This book includes tools to help recognize responses to post-traumatic stress in women's lives, and information on what complex post-traumatic stress disorder is; helpful interventions for front-line workers; treatment approaches; how to establish a level of confidence in women who have survived abuse and violence that encourages them to consider referrals to appropriate services or resources. See A Critical Link Referrals and Additional Resources for more information.

Haskell, L. (2004). Women, Abuse and Trauma Therapy: An Information Guide . Toronto: CAMH.
This guide is for women who are in therapy, or are looking for a therapist, to help them deal with the long-term effects of prolonged or repeated experiences of abuse and violence. It is also for family members and friends who want to understand and support a woman who is going through trauma therapy. See A Critical Link Referrals and Additional Resources for more information.

Haskell, L. (2004). Women: What Do These Signs Have in Common? Recognizing the Effects of Abuse-Related Trauma . Toronto: CAMH. This brochure helps women understand the experience of trauma and learn where they can go for help. See A Critical Link Referrals and Additional Resources for more information.

Public Health Agency of Canada—National Clearinghouse on Family Violence: Child Abuse and Neglect Overview Paper

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ncfv-cnivf/familyviolence/html/nfntsnegl_e.html
Topics covered include: What is child abuse? How does society respond to child abuse? How widespread is the problem? Facts to consider. Reporting child abuse. Where to go for services. What can be done to prevent child abuse.

Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect—Safe Children and Safe Families Are a Shared Responsibility

http://www.childwelfare.gov
Topics covered include: Sharing your message. Supporting families. What works to promote safe children and healthy families. Developing and sustaining prevention programs in tough times. When children are not safe: Child abuse and neglect.