Institutional Betrayal and Organizational Trauma

Organizational Trauma can result from a single devastating event, from ongoing wounding in the form of collective emotional and psychological injury, or from the cumulative trauma of repeated exposure due to the empathic nature of work or the workplace (Vivian and Hormann, 2013).  It is reasonable to suggest that anyone attending the Advocates’ Retreat works for an organization that, due to the nature of the work, has the potential to experience Organizational Trauma at some point.  Institutional Betrayal occurs when trusted and powerful institutions (schools, religious organizations, military, government) act or fail to take action in ways that harm those who are dependent upon them for safety and wellbeing,  (Freyd and Smith, 2014).  In this session we will provide an overview of Institutional Betrayal and Organizational Trauma, and then explore the relationship of the two.  Participants will be given the space to consider their own experiences with both phenomena.  We will examine what impact Institutional Betrayal may have on employees of the institution and on the system itself, and provide resources for addressing and preventing Organizational Trauma.

Presenters: 

Angela Seguin is the Assistant Director for Victim Advocacy at the University of Delaware’s Student Wellness & Health Promotion, and a Founding Core Member of UD’s Center for the Study and Prevention of Gender-Based Violence.   She coordinates UD’s Sexual Offense Support (S.O.S.) which operates through the UD Helpline 24/7. 

Angela Hattery is Professor of Women & Gender Studies and co-Director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Gender Based Violence at the University of Delaware. She is the author of 11 books, including, Gender, Power and Violence: Responding to Intimate Partner Violence in Society Today (2019).

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Participants will be able to explain what Institutional Betrayal is and how it can occur.
• Participants will be able to explain what Organizational Trauma is and how it can occur.
• Participants will be able to identify tools for assessing, healing from, or preventing Organizational Trauma.
• Participants will be given the space to consider their own experiences with Institutional Betrayal and Organizational Trauma. 

Helpful Links and Resources:

This program is funded through the Delaware Criminal Justice Council by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Family Violence Prevention and Services Program.