Chris, this is the same response that my daughter (who is 17) gave. Just so you have an understanding of her she does a lot of work at school with Peer Support and victim interventions. Her thoughts were very similar to Harrison's, she believes that people who have been victimized also have a sense of empathy and would not ridicule others that have experience so degree of victimization. She also felt that if the invitation was right and the environment safe people would respond with a true sense of wanting to understand and help, not worsen the situation. Also she felt that if there was and issue individuals would self organize and look for the support they may feel they need.
Hope this helps in some way. Have a wonderful session! -----Original Message----- From: Harrison Owen [mailto:owe...@mindspring.com] Sent: Friday, September 08, 2000 4:19 PM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: Client Curveball No. 321 -- how would you do it? At 12:21 PM 9/8/00 -0700, you wrote: >Now they are in the process of planning for youth services, and they >have contacted me to use OS. The idea is to hold a couple of OS >meetings in the province to bring youth (13-19 or thereabouts) together >to get from them a sense of their needs in the victim services field. >We still need to identify who will be invited and why and what they will >be asked about, but a tricky question has come up, and I'm suffering >from a bout of either/or paralysis. >So? Whaddya think? > >Chris **************************************** My inclination would be to invite anybody who cares and forget questions (yours) about gender, sexual preference etc. With a totally mixed group you/they would get a marvelous view of what is really going on -- and I have to believe that the participants would learn an enormous amount from each other. But if you go for the "whole enchillada" -- it is absolutely critical that the invitation be a real one (which means that folks truly understand what is going to happen AND they have the freedom to turn it down) -- Law of Two Feet writ LARGE. The issue is an ethical one. If folks, of their own free will choose to engage what should be a powerful, useful and (for some) healing conversation -- they must do it voluntarily and with as full fore-knowledge as you can manage. Useful alternatives are to convene separate OS for each of the several groups -- the three "Gs" (Guys, Gals, Gays). Actually that might be worth doing in and of itself. I can imagine young ladies finding great meaning and healing in the opportunity to talk openly and honestly with peers. Rape is such a lonely-making happening. Nobody else could possibly understand... And the same might be true of the Gays/Lesbians.All this might turn into some very substantial support groups. Of course, the Guys are so macho they do not need support. And of course, you could do all of the above -- just because you don't have anything else to do. Harrison Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Drive Potomac, MD 20854 USA phone 301-469-9269 fax 301-983-9314 Summer Phone 207-763-3261 Summer Address 189 Beaucaire Ave. Camden, ME 04843 website www.mindspring.com/~owenhh Open Space Institute website www.openspaceworld.org * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html =========================================================== osl...@egroups.com To subscribe, 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign up -- provide an email address, and choose a login ID and password 3. Click on "Subscribe" and follow the instructions To unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@egroups.com: 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign in and Proceed * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html =========================================================== osl...@egroups.com To subscribe, 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign up -- provide an email address, and choose a login ID and password 3. Click on "Subscribe" and follow the instructions To unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@egroups.com: 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign in and Proceed