Sunday, May 10, 2009


Fallen. 
Alone.
Unmotivated.
Damn.

Where to now?

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Social Work Murder

For those who have not heard or read about it, Brenda Lee Yeager, a social worker, was tragically killed in the line of duty in August 2008. She was making a home visit to a family she was working with to check on the status of the child. I was struggling to hold back my tears as I read the articles and more so, the public's comments to them. I could so connect with the job she does, having made numerous late night home visits alone myself, and at times even unannounced, to spot check the children or family I work with. There is always chance you'd walk into potential danger like domestic violence, drunk clients or even verbally abusive clients in our context.

Singapore is a fairly safe place I must say, but I've learnt to take my own precautions nevertheless - the last thing I want is for my parents to lose a daughter with money in her bank account barely sufficient to last them for a year! Hah! Jokes aside, I'm thankful that a short stint in University whereby I had to interview ex-drug addicts and ex-prisoners taught me some valuable tactics in terms of protecting myself when conducting home visits. Now before I start a session in the home, I'd usually ask to leave the door unlocked especially in cases whereby its only me and a male client in the home, stating it's my company's policy. I will always talk in the living room and never in their private bedrooms. And I will always request to sit nearer to the door for obvious safety reasons. As I make my way to the home, usually a HDB flat, I will also remember the route back to the lift lobby/staircase (some HDB layout very terok! go in circles one! plus I have a horrible sense of direction!!), just in case things get ugly and I need to run for my life! Another one is that I will not even start the session if I sense the client to be under the influence of alcohol or seemed overly agitated/violent. Luckily most of the families I work with are rather nice and such extreme cases have not happened to me (and I hope they never will!).

Of hand, there are 2 situations I could recall that had me a bit concerned, but I still had them under my control. The first one was a family session in a counselling room at the Home with a set of parents and their child. The child was residing with us so the parents came after work and dinner. Initially I did not really take notice of the Father's bloodshot eyes as I led the parents to the room, until I turned on the lights. Still I thought nothing much of it, until Father's reaction to my questions seemed a bit delayed and uncharacteristically short. It was until the smell of alcohol surfaced that I suspected Father might have had some drinks before the session. However, I carried on with that session because I assessed Father was not in any particularly violent mode (he was probably the quiet, dazed drunkard, as opposed to the high, violent kind) and there were another 2 people in the session with me.

The other one wasnt exactly risky; let's just say it was a very uncomfortable situation. I had to do late night surprise home visits to this particular family after curfew hours to spot check on the status of the child. Think after 11pm. They stay in a messier environment so there was this coffeeshop just downstairs and the time I end the session usually coincides with the time when the uncles come out for their neverending rounds of drinks. And every single time I walk pass them I feel visually raped=( haha ok well, maybe that's just me but stilllllll.......... it's uncomfortable! I wouldnt even go near such places if given a choice can!

And so, I do not recall my workplace sending me for any safety related courses, neither have I been briefed about them. I do not carry with me any safety devices except on rainy days when I have my umbrella! I do not think my male colleagues would want to accompany me late into the night for home visits; as if they don't have theirs to do. And I don't suppose I can visit families in the day when they will most likely be working. I also don't suppose there are/will be any active steps taken by SASW or any of our governing bodies to protect us on that.

So yeah. I will still continue to make my late night home visits alone with my cell and brolly at hand, try to improve my sense of direction and maybe go running a bit more often. And of course rely on my bf and buddies to alert the police when they cant get me after a stipulated time. TIA!
 
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