Conduct some secondary research about your topic/s. Post your research and reflection
Start your ecosystem map. You can do it digitally or analog, please post it online. How might you share it with a user or subject matter expert?
I did preliminary research last semester through scholarly articles to understand what resources exist to support the long term healing of trauma survivors specifically with intimate partner violence and sexual violence. Many of the articles said that the most important support for healing long term is relationship/ support from family and friends. However that is where many survivors experience the most harm (through blame, shame, guilt, and disbelief).
After doing the ecosystem maps, I began to see that self help and interpersonal support provide the most opportunity for long term support where as the criminal justice system and the medical system are most utilized immediately following the crisis. Additionally they do not necessarily provide support in healing but provide services. The criminal justice system has historically been unkind to sexual assault survivors and while it has so many issues, I believe culture has to shift first. Non-profits do provide services like hotlines, information, and advocates but most are geared around immediate services after crisis. I believe innovating in the longer term care space is essential. My research also showed that many women do not acknowledge their trauma or begin to have issues coping until many years later and the services needed will be different that what is needed for someone coming in immediately after the incident.
I might share it with an expert to understand what other services I am missing. Maybe there are non-profits or community centers doing this work that just aren't appearing in my searches. I would like to talk to other survivors to see what they have done to heal and also talk to experts in the field who may know more about what programs exist.
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