Lisa Marasco IBCLC wrestled with a keyboard and this emerged:

> Cynthia,
> I may be naive here, but I don't quite understand why LCs should not
> ask a mother about sexual abuse.

Hi Lisa,
we've discussed this quite a bit in the doula circle, so my comments
are coming from that background, but those who work with survivors
are more and more agreeing that the woman should be in charge of
revealing that information.  By asking you are putting the woman on
the spot, "outing" her so to speak.  If she is not ready to reveal,
then she has to lie to you, and that's not going to help her feel
good about herself.  She may start to wonder if she "acts" or "looks"
like a survivor--how is she behaving that betrays her secret?  If she
does not have consious memory this may open up a whole can of worms
that she is not ready to deal with.  If the question is asked, it
should only be asked if you are ready to help her with referrals and
information if she answers yes.

I feel that as in birth work, it isn't necessary to know whether or
not a woman was abused.  She gets the same compassion and assistance
regardless.

regards,
Beth

--
Beth Johnson, CBE, Doula
Certified Breastfeeding Educator
Resigned ICEA Certified Chilbirth Educator
Post-Partum Doula
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/9235/

"Beautiful words are not truthful,
 truthful words are not beautiful."--Lao Tzu

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