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Taken from Missouri Coalition Against Domestic And Sexual Violence
REDUCING RULES IN
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SHELTERS
WHY DO WE HAVE RULES
1. TO PRESERVE CONFIDENTIALITY
2. INSURE EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL SAFETY FOR CLIENTS AND STAFF
3. TO ASSURE HEALTH STANDARDS ARE MET
4. TO PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT OF MUTUAL RESPECT FOR CLIENTS AND STAFF
TO LIVE IN A COMMUNAL SETTING
THERE MUST BE SOME RULES,
REGULATIONS, OR GUIDELINES
COMMON BELIEF
IF WE DON’T HAVE RULES
THERE WILL BE CHAOS
F E A R
GOOD THING ABOUT RULES
IS THE DESIRE FOR THE SHELTER TO BE A
SAFE AND
SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT
FOR WOMEN AND CHILD
RULES BECOME BAD
1. WHEN THEY ARE TOO RIGID TO ALLOW FOR UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES…NO FLEXIBILTY
2. WHEN THERE ARE TOO MANY TO BE REALISTICALLY AND EVENLY ENFORCED OR REMEMBERED
RULE ARE UGLY
WHEN SHELTER WORKERS ARE
NO LONGER ABLE TO BE ADVOCATES
BUT HAVE RATHER BECOME THE
“RULE POLICE”
THE UGLIEST
IS WHEN THE CLIENT
WHO IS SEEKING TO ESCAPE AN ABUSIVE,
OPPRESIVE ENVIRONMENT
FINDS HERSELF IN AN EQUALLY
OPPRESSEIVE ENVIRONMENT IN SHELTER
THE SHELTERS IN MISSOURI FOUND THAT
OVER 30 YEARS
SOME SHELTER PROGRAMS
HAVE EVOLVED
INTO A RULES-DRIVEN ENVIRONMENT
AND MANY RULES
HAVE BEEN CREATED
IN RESPONSE TO
SINGLE A INCIDENT
OR
THERE MAY BE SOME THAT
ARE SIMPLY
‘UNWRITTEN RULE’
PROBLEM WITH RULES
FOR RULES TO BE EFFECTIVE,
THEY MUST HAVE CONSEQUENCES
IF NOT FOLLOWED
OFTEN FOR SHELTER’S
ONLY REAL CONSEQUENCE
IS TO DENY
OR
TERMINATE SERVICES
1. DO SOME OF OUR RULES CONTRADICT THE VERY PURPOSE OF
THE SHELTER? – SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT – PROMOTE SELF-DETERMINATION
2. CAN WELL INTENTIONED RULES BE PERCEIVED AS THE NEED TO CONTROL?
– A REASON WHY THE CLIENT MAY HAVE LEFT HER ABUSIVE ENVIRONMENT
3. IS IT REASONABLE TO EXPECT A CLIENT WHOSE LIFE HAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN BE ABLE TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE RULES WHEN STAFF SOMETIMES CAN’T?
4. ARE WE PUTTING CLIENTS AT GREATER RISK BY ENFORCING SOME RULES?
– MEDICATION – LOCATION OF SHELTER
5. IF WE TERMINATE SERVICES CAN WE DEFEND OUR DECISION
TO THE COMMUNITY? WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO DEFEND THAT DECISION AS REASONABLE?
QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT
TO START STAFF DISCUSSION
1. WHY DO WE HAVE RULES?
2. HOW DO NEW RULES GET ADDED?
3. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE INFORMAL AND UNWRITTEN RULES AND WHAT IMPACT DO THESE HAVE ON THE ATMOSPHERE AND CULTURE OF THE SHELTER?
4. WHAT RULES DO YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE ENFORCING?
5. WHICH RULES DO YOU ENFORCE CONSISTENTLY?
6. WHICH RULES DO YOU ENFORCE INCONSISTENTLY? WHY?
7. DESCRIBE HOW THIS RULE HAS OR HAS NOT DONE WHAT IT WAS INTENTED TO DO.
8. WHICH RULES COULD YOU NEVER IMAGINE NOT HAVING IN PLACE?
9. WHICH RULES WOULD YOU ELIMINATE TODAY?
10. WHAT DO SHELTER RESIDENTS THINK ABOUT THE RULES AND THEIR ENFORCMENT? HAVE THEY BEEN ASKED?
11. HOW WOULD YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SHELTER RESIDENTS BE DIFFERENT IF YOU DID NOT HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MONITORING AND ENFORCING THE RULES?
12. IF YOU DID NOT HAVE A RULE FOR _________ WHAT WOULD HAPPEN?
TO START STAFF DISCUSSION CON’T
BEFORE IMPLEMENTING OR REDUCING RULES
1. IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE YOUR AGENCY’S MISSION, VISION, VALUES AND PHILOSOPHIES.
2. DISCUSS HOW CURRENT PRACTICES AND RULES SUPPORT OR CONFLICT WITH THOSE CORE VALUES AND
PHILOSOPHIES.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME