Statement on the Murder of Sonya Massey
Your favorite counseling organizations probably won't drop or even repost already published statements related to police violence, particularly towards Black women, so here is a brief statement from the Social Justice Counseling Network:
On July 6, 2024, Sonya Massey was murdered by Sean Grayson, a now former sheriff’s deputy of Sangamon County in Illinois. Since then, her murder has received increasing attention and spotlight that undoubtedly has implications for counselors and other mental health professionals. This is part of a long pattern and history of inherently violent and racist policing of Black Americans in the United States.
The Social Justice Counseling Network recognizes the importance of stating the inherently violent and racist nature of policing. We also recognize the ableist roots of policing that would make Black people such as Sonya Massey, Marcus-David Peters, Elijah McClain, and many other Black, disabled, and neurodivergent people, prime targets for violence from the prison industrial complex.
The Social Justice Counseling Network also acknowledges the weight of vicarious trauma that Black Americans hold from witnessing and becoming aware of this deadly and racist violence. Research has clearly documented that, exposure to such media may be traumatizing and impact the mental health and wellness of Black Americans, and specifically Black women who may see themselves represented in the violent murder of Sonya Massey.
It is essential for counselors to broach direct and vicarious experiences of police violence and its subsequent traumatization that Black clients may be burdened with. It is essential that counselors stay informed and integrate interventions that are responsive to the pervasive nature of policing and police violence in our society that impacts several marginalized populations.
Below is a brief and non-comprehensive selection of research that connects mental health, police violence, and practice- and advocacy-focused approaches for counselors to access and deepen their understanding.
This statement took about 34 minutes to write, edit, and format and it was written by one person primarily on his cellular device. Larger professional mental health organizations with more resources genuinely have no good reason for not acknowledging such racist atrocities.
Sincerely,
Darius A. Green, Ph.D., LPCC, NCC
Social Justice Counseling Network
Resources:
Bor, J., Venkataramani, A. S., Williams, D. R., & Tsai, A. C. (2018). Police killings and their spillover effects on the mental health of Black Americans: A population-based, quasi-experimental study. The Lancet, 392(10144), 302–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31130-9
Bryant-Davis, T., Adams, T., Alejandre, A., & Gray, A. A. (2017). The trauma lens of police violence against racial and ethnic minorities. Journal of Social Issues, 73(4), 852–871. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12251
DeVylder, J. E., Frey, J. J., Cogburn, C. D., Wilcox, H. C., Sharpe, T. L., Oh, H. Y., Nam, B., & Link, B. G. (2017). Elevated prevalence of suicide attempts among victims of police violence in the USA. Journal of Urban Health, 94, 629–636. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-017-0160-3
Drustrup, D., Kivlighan, D. M., & Ali, S. R. (2023). Decentering the use of police: An abolitionist approach to safety planning in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, 60(1), 51–62. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000422
Galovski, T. E., Peterson, Z. D., Beagley, M. C., Strasshofer, D. R., Held, P., & Fletcher, T. D. (2016). Exposure to violence during Ferguson protests: Mental health effects for law enforcement and community members. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 29(4), 283–292. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22105
Geller, A., Fagan, J., Tyler, T., & Link, B. G. (2014). Aggressive policing and mental health of young urban men. American Journal of Public Health, 104(12), 2321–2327. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302046
Green, D. A., & Sperandio, K. R. (2024). Abolitionist Praxis for clients who experience anti-drug policing. The Professional Counselor, 14(1), 48-63. doi:10.15241/dag.14.1.48
Green, D. A., Evans, A. M., Litam, S. D., Hornsby, T., Boulden, R., Shannon, J., Ford, D. J., & Landrum, D. (2024). Racial identity attitudes and vicarious traumatization from undue police violence among Black Americans. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 39(3-4), 848-868. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605231198484
Green, D. A., & Evans, A. M. (2021). Undue police violence towards African Americans: An analysis of professional counselors’ training and perceptions. Journal of Counseling & Development, 99(4), 363-371. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12389
Joe, J. R., Shillingford-Butler, M. A., & Oh, S. (2019). The experiences of African American mothers raising sons in the context of #BlackLivesMatter. The Professional Counselor, 9(1), 67–79.
https://doi.org/10.15241/jrj.9.1.67
Meade, B., Steiner, B, & Klahm, C. F., IV. (2017). The effect of police use of force on mental health problems of prisoners. Policing and Society, 27(2), 229–244. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2015.1049602
Motley, R. O., Jr., Byansi, W., Siddiqi, R., Bills, K. L., & Salas-Wright, C. P. (2022). Perceived racism-based police use of force and cannabis use among Black emerging adults. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 15, 100430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2022.100430
