Topic outline

  • Orientation to trauma informed practice with men who have been sexually abused in childhood

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    This module provides an orientation to trauma informed practice with men who have been sexually abused in childhood.

    Trauma informed practice is presented here as an orienting framework providing guiding principles for developing and enhancing service responses to men sexually abused in childhood. Trauma informed practitioners recognise the significant impact sexual abuse can have on people's mental health and relational well-being, and the need for service providers to adapt responses to support recovery. Trauma informed practice has been conceptualised as a whole of organisation and service system approach supporting change and recovery, not just the role and responsibility of an individual practitioner. It recognises that individuals subjected to sexual violence are over represented in drug and alcohol, homelessness, corrections, mental health and health services, and that service providers have a role in creating a safe supportive environment that helps to address past trauma and improve quality of life.

    OrientationTrauma informed practice is a developing framework that benefits from being refined to meet the specific and particular needs and difficulties that confront men who have been sexually abused in childhood. Sexual violence is a particular type of trauma. It is an interpersonal, psychological and physiological experience that impacts on a person's sense of bodily integrity and self. It is a gendered experience and people's responses are gendered and hence practitioners and service providers are challenged to design gender and culturally appropriate effective, trauma informed counselling and support.

    An overview of the Three Phase Trauma Framework that guides Trauma Specific Service and provides the architecture for the accompanying three modules (in development) is provided. In so doing, the collection of practice principles, considerations and orienting frameworks that make up Trauma Informed Practice are presented as essential elements that support the foundational base of Phase I: Engagement, Safety and Stability of the Trauma Informed Framework.

    Trauma Informed Practice is a hopeful approach that supports people throughout their life course to address difficulties, develop relationships and live meaningful, purposeful lives.

    “A trauma informed approach does not rely on a finite goal of resolution or healing. Rather this perspective looks to manage the effects in a proactive way that recognises the ongoing strength and resiliency to cope and thrive in life.”

    This module is an initial orienting overview, it is the responsibility of all practitioners to ensure that they access appropriate training, possess qualifications and meet registration requirements as welfare or health care professionals.

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