Women and girls are the
experts in their own experiences
Women and girls are the experts on their own experiences
They need our support in moving forward (much like a pregnant woman needs a midwife to help her through labour), but women and girls are the experts on their experiences, what they need and how we can best support them.
Depathologisation
Often women with abusive partners are pathologised which involves treating them as if they are “psychologically abnormal”. However, women’s reactions and management of their lives with an abuser are usually totally normal. The issue is the abuser, not the woman or girl.
Depathologisation
Trauma Literacy and Psychoeducation
Building women’s and girls' literacy about trauma will enable them to more quickly regain ownership of their lives and make sense of the ways they have responded to an abuser and the wider pressures and challenges within their life.
Trauma literacy and psychoeducation
Information ownership
The information within the group will be owned by the group.
Information ownership
Right use of power
Right use of power
The facilitator and the organisation using Own My Life holds significant power and this must be acknowledged and managed appropriately.
Collaborative not competitive
Own My Life recognises that patriarchy seeks to divide women and girls to conquer them, this is evident in women’s magazines, TV programmes, the beauty industry and across society. We seek to foster collaborative spaces which build sisterhood and resist competitive attitudes.
Collaborative not competitive
Liberation and equality
The current state is one in which women are oppressed by men and misogyny; black people are oppressed by white people and white supremacy; lesbian and gay people are oppressed by heterosexual ideals; transgender people are oppressed by transphobia; and disabled people are oppressed by a society designed by and for able-bodied people. Own My Life works to ensure all participants experience equality of opportunity but seeks to move beyond equality to full liberation.
Liberation and equality
Honouring resistance
Women and girls always resist abusers and this resistance should be honoured. Sadly, when women share how they have resisted abuse, they can be met with scorn and blame. Own My Life seeks to honour women's resistance.
Honouring resistance
Addressing the professional/
personal dichotomy
Addressing the professional/personal dichotomy
Women’s services have developed a tendency to treat professional knowledge and expertise as of greater value, however appropriate and ethical use of our personal narratives as professionals can be helpful and useful to women and girls.