Gender, Violence and Social Work Organizations (From Violence and Gender Relations: Theories and Interventions, P 61- 71, 1996, Barbara Fawcett, Brid Featherstone, et al., eds. -- See NCJ-162754)

• NCJ Number: 162758
• Author(s): E Harlow
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 11 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications Ltd
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

The construction of organizations in general and social work organizations in particular can be unfavorable to women and contribute to their structural location within organizations.

Abstract

Violence is not always associated with social work organizations because social work organizations offer services to many people, including those who have experienced violence. Nonetheless, social work organizations may have the occasion to legitimately use certain forms of violence to prevent individuals from behaving violently toward themselves or others, and social workers may be subjected to violence from their clients. Violence is relevant to gender issues and social work organizations in several ways. Like most organizations, social work organizations are part of the public realm and are usually structured along gender lines. There are many ways in which men in social work organizations can undermine women or make them feel excluded and marginalized. In addition, women sometimes initiate violence against others. The author emphasizes the need for social work organizations to look closely at the role of women in the complex dynamics of organizational violence. 26 references