Publisher's Synopsis
Women of colour constitute a large proportion of most social work caseloads, and this is the first comprehensive textbook to address their unique needs. Recognizing that women of colour come from many disparate backgrounds, this book includes chapters by guest authors on particular communities, including African-American women, native American women, Latinas, Asian-Pacific women, and lesbian and bisexual women of colour.;Because all women of colour experience both racism and sexism, their restricted economic opportunities and feelings of disempowerment can have a negative impact on their health and mental well-being. Social workers must help their clients deal with both the concrete problems in their lives and their debilitating psychological effects of powerlessness.;This book describes the concept and techniques of the empowerment approach and shows how social workers - using client education, participatory practice processes, and a strong focus on client and community strengths - can help women of colour increase their own influence over the circumstances of their lives.
