American researcher, author, educator, and speaker, Dr. Jennifer Freyd, will join us to explore ways to address sexual violence with institutional courage. Dr. Freyd is best known for her theories of betrayal trauma, institutional betrayal, and institutional courage.
Join us Thursday, September 24th from 7-8:00 pm.
This FREE event will be hosted on Zoom.
About Dr. Freyd’s Work:
Civilization is built upon its institutions. From government to health and education, institutions ideally provide a framework to enrich and protect the lives of citizens. Unfortunately, institutions often fail the citizens they are created to serve. The term institutional betrayal refers to the wrongdoings perpetrated by an institution upon individuals reliant on that institution, including its failure to prevent or respond effectively to wrongdoings by individuals (e.g. sexual assault) committed within the context of the institution. Research shows how institutional betrayal contributes to psychological and material harm, and how institutional courage responds to it. Institutional courage denotes an institution’s commitment to participate in moral action that revitalizes its service to its people despite unpleasantness, risk, and sort-term cost.
Dr. Freyd will explore the powers that institutions have to act with institutional courage and the importance of transparency and accountability within those institutions today. She will explain her concepts of betrayal trauma, betrayal blindness, DARVO, and institutional betrayal – and how these ideas and her research findings led to her work on institutional courage. Freyd will provide us with concrete steps for individuals and for institutions to address sexual abuse through an understanding of institutional courage.