Cultural Betrayal, Sexual Abuse, & Black Women: Healing through Liberation Health & Dreamstorming

April 11, 2025

Abstract
In this 90-minute webinar, Dr. Gómez will center U.S. Black women as relates to their lifetime histories of sexual abuse. First, she will provide a basic primer on structural racism (Neblett, 2022) and intersectional oppression (e.g., interlocking racism and sexism; Collins, 2017) that impact Black women. She then will detail her research with cultural betrayal trauma theory (CBTT; e.g., Giroux et al., 2023), which she created as a Black feminist scientific framework for examining the unique cultural betrayal harm of within-group violence in marginalized communities, including specifically Black male perpetrated sexual abuse against Black women. According to CBTT, (intra)cultural trust, such as solidarity in the Black community, is a protective factor against racism and intersectional oppression. As a violation of (intra)cultural trust, within-group violence is a cultural betrayal trauma. Research has shown that cultural betrayal trauma is associated with mental health outcomes, such as dissociation, and cultural outcomes, such as internalized prejudice (Howard Valdivia et al., 2023). To address cultural betrayal sexual trauma clinically with Black women, Gómez will introduce the liberation health framework from Belkin Martinez and colleagues as a model for incorporating cultural competency into therapy: 1) connecting clients’ mental health with their social conditions, such as oppression and trauma; 2) focusing solutions on both individual and societal levels; 3) centralizing the client’s worldview and understanding of their life into treatment; 4) promoting critical consciousness and agency within clients, while focusing on the impact of oppression in their lives; and 5) engaging in collaboration with clients in all facets of treatment. Given the role of institutions in both harm and healing, Dr. Gómez will shift to focusing on institutional change. From her book, The Cultural Betrayal of Black Women & Girls: A Black Feminist Approach to Healing from Sexual Abuse, she will share a fictionalized vignette from a non-profit organization, in which structural and interpersonal discrimination infiltrated strategic discussions on preventing and addressing sexual violence in the community. Within this example, she will identify the institutional betrayals, institutional courage steps to remedy the harm, and dreamstorming of a world in which equality were central in both process and outcomes anti-violence work. Finally, Dr. Gómez will close by discussing the necessity of hope amidst belonging to institutions and societies that remain violent and unequal.

Potential to distress: No

Target Audience

Beginning/Introductory

Learning Objectives

Upon Completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

  • Define three primary aspects of cultural betrayal trauma theory: (intra)cultural trust, cultural betrayal trauma, and cultural outcomes
  • Identify examples of therapeutic strategies at the structural, interpersonal, and individual levels
  • Describe institutional betrayal, institutional courage, and dreamstorming within the context of anti-violence work within organizations
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.50 APA
    The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • 1.50 ASWB ACE
    The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), #1744, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/20/2024 – 08/20/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.50 continuing education credits.
  • 1.50 ISSTD Certificate Program
    This program is eligible for 1.50 credits in the ISSTD Certificate Program. No certificate of completion is generated for this type of credit.
Course opens: 
09/20/2024
Course expires: 
12/31/2050
Event starts: 
04/11/2025 - 12:00pm EDT
Event ends: 
04/11/2025 - 1:30pm EDT
ISSTD Member cost:
$35.00
Your Price:
$55.00
Rating: 
0

Presenter: Jennifer M. Gómez, PhD
Presenter Bio: Jennifer M. Gómez, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the School of Social Work and Faculty Affiliate at the Center for Innovation in Social Work & Health at Boston University. Dr. Gomez graduated from the University of Oregon with their PhD in Clinical Psychology. Additionally, she serves on the Boards of Center for Institutional Courage and End Rape On Campus. At ISSTD, she serves on the Board, Scientific Committee, and Annual Conference Committee, and is a guest co-editor of the upcoming special issue of Journal of Trauma & Dissociation on intersectional oppression, dissociation, and healing in diverse marginalized people. Dr. Gómez’ research centers around cultural betrayal trauma theory (CBTT), which she created as a Black feminist theoretical framework for examining the impact of violence within the context of inequality on Black and other marginalized populations. Her research has been published in over 100 peer-reviewed journals, books, newsletters, regional and national media outlets, and the Open Science Framework. Her work has been funded by the Ford Foundation Fellowships Program, administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine (NASEM), the Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research (MCUAAAR)—National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University. Her transdisciplinary book, “The Cultural Betrayal of Black Women & Girls: A Black Feminist Approach to Healing from Sexual Abuse”, published by the American Psychological Association, won the 2024 ISSTD Frank W Putnam Outstanding Book Award. In “The Cultural Betrayal of Black Women & Girls”, Dr. Gómez centers Black women and girls through incorporating basic research on racism, intersectional oppression, and cultural betrayal trauma theory, as well as application in the form of culturally competent trauma therapy, radical healing in the Black community, and institutional courage (Freyd, 2018) to promote systems-level change. https://jmgomez.org 

Available Credit

  • 1.50 APA
    The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • 1.50 ASWB ACE
    The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), #1744, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/20/2024 – 08/20/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.50 continuing education credits.
  • 1.50 ISSTD Certificate Program
    This program is eligible for 1.50 credits in the ISSTD Certificate Program. No certificate of completion is generated for this type of credit.

Price

ISSTD Member cost:
$35.00
Your Price:
$55.00
Please login or register to take this course.

"Your Price" above reflects your final price based on your membership status and career level. 

  • ISSTD defines a student as those enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree or certification in the mental health field and who have an interest in trauma and dissociation. 
  • ISSTD defines an emerging professional as mental health professionals who have completed an advanced degree and are in the first three years of their career (or first three years after graduation for researchers).
  • If you do not fall into one of the above categories please register as Professional/Retired. 

These prices are for Tier I countries. For a list of countries by Tier click here. If you are located in a country that falls into Tier II-VI please contact ISSTD at [email protected] to receive the appropriate discount code.

Registration Policies

Cancellations prior to the webinar are subject to a $10 cancellation fee. No refunds are provided for no shows. The deadline for cancellations with a refund is April 7, 2025 at 5:00pm US Eastern Time. Requests for cancellation should be sent to [email protected].

For additional webinar policies including completion requirements, filing grievances, requesting a disability accommodation, and awarding of certificates of credits, please visit our Webinar Policies page.