Social Work and Sexuality: Strategies for Sex Positive Social Work Practice

Abstract

The limitation of a sex-positive approach in social work practice may negatively affect the holism of biopsychosocial assessments and interventions. The aim of this article is to ensure that issues related to sexuality, which have been left out in social work practice, become visible and to provide strategies for integrating sexuality into social work practice. In the article, it is explained how to create appropriate intervention conditions for clients who hesitate to talk about sexuality within the scope of sex positive social work practices. It was emphasized that social workers should improve their ability to talk about sexuality with clients and develop their own reflexivity about their own sexuality. In order to initiate an in-depth communication with the applicant about sexuality, it was emphasized that the specialist should use an inclusive language, ensure the suitability of the physical environment, organize the forms and procedures used to cover all sexual identity spectrums, and create a safe space that includes methods that can be used to break the ice with the applicant during the sexual history taking process. It was suggested that the sex positive approach should be adopted by social workers and implemented in social work interventions, case studies, group interventions and trainings should be carried out at individual, group and community levels.

Keywords

• Biopsychosocial assessment
• Sexuality
• Sexual history taking
• Sex positive approach
• Sex positive social work

Sosyal Hizmet ve Cinsellik: Seks Pozitif Sosyal Hizmet Uygulaması için Stratejiler

Abstract

Sosyal hizmet uygulamalarında seks pozitif yaklaşımın sınırlılığı, biyopsikososyal değerlendirme ve müdahalelerdeki bütünselliği olumsuz etkileyebilmektedir. Bu makalenin amacı sosyal hizmet uygulamalarında dışarıda bırakılan cinsellikle ilgili konuların görünür olmasını sağlamak ve cinselliği sosyal hizmet uygulamasına entegre etmek için stratejiler sunmaktır. Makalede, seks pozitif sosyal hizmet uygulamaları kapsamında cinsellik hakkında konuşmaktan çekinen müracaatçılar için uygun müdahale koşullarının nasıl oluşturulabileceği açıklanmıştır. Uzmanın, müracaatçılarla cinsellik hakkında konuşma becerilerini artırma yolları ve kendi cinselliğine dair düşünümsellik süreçlerini geliştirmesi üzerinde durulmuştur. Müracaatçı ile cinsellik hakkında derinlemesine bir iletişim başlatabilmek için uzmanın, kapsayıcı bir dil kullanması, fiziki ortamın uygunluğunu sağlaması, kullanılan form ve prosedürleri tüm cinsel kimlik spekturumlarını kapsayacak şekilde düzenlemesi, cinsel öykü alma sürecinde müracaatçı ile buzları kırmak için kullanılabileceği yöntemleri kapsayan güvenli bir alan yaratması gerekliliği vurgulanmıştır. Uzmanlar tarafından seks pozitif yaklaşımın benimsenerek sosyal hizmet müdahalelerinde hayata geçirilmesi, birey, grup ve toplum düzeylerinde vaka çalışmalarının, grup müdahalelerinin ve eğitimlerin gerçekleştirilmesi önerilmiştir.

Keywords

• Biyopsikososyal değerlendirme
• Cinsellik
• Cinsel öykü alma
• Seks pozitif yaklaşım
• Seks pozitif sosyal hizmet

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