Students from the gay straight alliance at Mason High School in Michigan.

Lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual youth who attend high schools with gay-straight alliances (GSAs) have better mental health and are more likely to graduate and go to college, according to a study co-authored by National Association of Social Workers member Caitlin Ryan.

“This new study on the benefits of GSAs to health and education adds to our growing understanding of the importance of social environments and the need to provide institutional support for LGBT youth to promote well-being in adulthood,” Ryan, MSW, PhD, ACSW.

Ryan is director of the San Francisco-based Family Acceptance Project, a group that advocates for LGBT youth.

To get the full study click here.

The National Association of Social Workers also supports equal treatment for all, including members of the LGBT community. To find out more click here to visit the association’s Diversity and Equity Web page.

Photo courtesy of WLWT.com

Social workers help people when they are sometimes at the lowest point in their lives. That is why you should read this story from WLWT Channel 5 in Cincinnati.

The television news program did an article and television segment on “Victims Advocate,” a group of University of Cincinnati School of Social Work students who provide services to the families of homicide victims. Members of the group recently met with the family of Mark Hooten, 16, who was gunned down in July while standing at a bus stop.

Hooten, a high school basketball player and youth mentor, was on the way to work.

Group members say they are learning crime victim advocacy skills they would never get by reading a textbook. “I didn’t know it would be so intense, but emotionally, it’s a lot. It’s a lot,” student Monica Middleton said.

To learn more about how social workers help people cope with death, visit the National Association of Social Workers’ “Help Starts Here” Death and Dying Web site by clicking here.

Columnist Margie Miller of the of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram wrote this nice piece about social workers at the Cancer Care Services. The nonprofit agency helps provide financial support and other services to cancer patients and their families. Photo of Miller courtesy of the Star-Telegram.

The film “Precious” puts a spotlight on many issues social workers confront, including family violence, child abuse, HIV and AIDS and teen pregnancy.

Social workers also play an important role in the gut-wrenching film, which premieres Friday Nov. 6. In fact, pop singer Mariah Carey sheds her diva image to portray “Mrs. Weiss,” a social worker who tries to help the troubled teenager Claireece “Precious” Jones.

But is the film’s portrayal of social workers fair? Do you handle some of the some issues depicted in the movie? “Social Workers Speak” urges you to see “Precious” and let us know what you think. You can post your comments below.

And we can tell you how to reach out to your community and local media to let give them your opinion on “Precious” and its depiction of social work.

How to React to Film:
Are you pleased with how the film “Precious” portrayed social workers or are you upset? If you want to contact your local newspaper, radio or television station to voice your opinion about the gut-wrenching movie, contact Greg Wright at the National Association of Social Workers (GWright@naswdc.org). Greg can give you tips on how to get involved.

How to Find Film:
According to the press, Lionsgate studios will give “Precious” a limited theater release. Is the film playing near you? Go to www.precioustickets.com to find theaters showing the movie and buy tickets.

Dr. LeslieBeth Wish, Ed.D, MSS

Dr. Wish is the author of Incest, Work and Women: Understanding the Consequences of Incest on Women’s Careers, Work and Dreams.

Q.   Actress Mackenzie Phillips announced that she had incestuous relationships with her father John Phillips.  How common is this situation?  Do most of these relationships involve father-daughter rather than mother-son?

A:  Although childhood sexual abuse includes mother-child incest, more men commit child-family member sexual abuse.  The most frequent male family offenders are step-fathers, fathers, uncles and grandfathers.

Q.  What are the warning signs?

A:  From a child’s perspective, warning signs include sudden or increased physical contact that might pass as acceptable with a family member.  For example, suddenly Grandpa wants you to sit on his lap more often.  Or, an uncle wants to caress a child’s hair or cheek more often.

Other forms of physical contact are more blatantly sexual, such as Mackenzie Philip’s intercourse with her father.  Childhood sexual abuse can also include fondling of breasts, rubbing up and down against a child and sexual comments.  Children often have a good sense that something is “wrong,” but they may not tell anyone about these sexual experiences.   Children learn rather quickly that the sexual activity with a family member is not normal.

Some offenders make it very clear that if a child reveals their “secret,” the offender will harm the child and/or the family.   Children also come to realize that telling someone puts the family in terrible jeopardy.  What, for example, would Mom do if she knew about it?  Would the family break up?  How would the family get along without Dad?  A great deal is at stake, and no child wants the responsibility of causing a crisis in the family.  If a child does reveal “the secret,” it is not uncommon for other family members to deny or not accept that sexual abuse occurred.

Some siblings, for example, side with the offender, saying that no evidence or hints of abuse exist.  To be fair to these supportive siblings—and even spouses—it is highly possible that the offender kept the secret very well-hidden.  Often, the abuser selects one or two favorite children for sexual and emotional gratification and never violates the other siblings.  As a result, the other siblings never experience or even suspect that abuse is occurring.

Finally, when a family member abuses a child sexually, the abuse is not solely about sex.  Offenders are often looking for comfort, closeness and approval from someone whom, in the mind of the offender, offers an opportunity for unconditional love.  The closeness and need for comfort can rapidly become sexualized.  Many offenders are, however, also looking for sexual gratification, power and control.

Q.  What can be done to protect the child?

A:  All parents and caregivers should talk with each child about sexual behavior that is “wrong.”  Children should be taught early about unwanted touches.  Parents and caregivers should let children know that they want to know about any kind of touching or interaction with someone who makes them feel uncomfortable physically and emotionally or who touches them.

When parents set the emotional rules and establish an environment of care, children are more likely to let a family member know.  Parents can also tell a child that if they are afraid to tell a family member that they can tell another adult whom the child trusts such as a teacher, minister, etc.  (And no jokes, please—yes these two groups have a history of being sexual predators, but there are still good teachers and religious leaders who can help a child in need.)

Q.  What is the likelihood that an incest victim will eventually seek counseling?  Also, when victims seek help do they immediately admit the incest or rather do they come to treatment for issues like alcohol or drug abuse which they’ve sought to cope with the pain of the incestuous relationship?

A:  Statistics can vary about the incidence of abuse, but roughly one in twenty-five women will experience some kind of sexual abuse by the time she is 18.  For men, the numbers are about one in seven or eight.  Since sexual abuse carries such a high degree of shame, it’s highly likely that clients will not mention it.  Substance abuse, as well as suicide attempts, is a failed effort to manage the emotional pain of sexual abuse.

Q.  What type of therapy/counseling is typically used in these cases?

A:  There are many therapeutic treatments, including medication for depression, cognitive therapies and emotional reprocessing therapy where the client learns to come to different conclusions and understandings about the self and the experience.  There are excellent training programs for therapists to learn about these therapies.

Q.  What are the long-term effects of incest?

A:  Every person is different, but common, long-term effects include suicide attempts, depression, substance abuse, fear of both emotional and sexual intimacy, promiscuity, prostitution and runaways, lack of career identity, inability to function at work.