Problem Assessment
One of the problems Kim-Ly faces is the way she forms romantic relationships. She has an American boyfriend who is abusive, but the client still continues seeing him. The information about the duration of this affair is not given, but the girl is likely to have a certain behavioral pattern when developing romantic relationships. The major cause of this behavior may be the physical abuse she had to experience in her childhood. She might have a distorted understanding of the roles of partners and may be ready to tolerate abuse due to her status as a woman. A cultural component is also a possible reason for keeping the relationship that is rather toxic. The girl wants to live an American life, and her American boyfriend is a way for Kim-Ly to achieve this goal.
Kim’s Cultural Values
Being a Vietnamese second-generation immigrant, Kim-Ly can use her background to her advantage, but cultural aspects can also be significant challenges. Nguyen et al. (2020) note that Vietnamese female immigrants are influenced by socialist ideology, Confucian values, and neoliberal culture. Kim-Ly displays considerable readiness to assimilate and adopt American values, which can be essential for her life in American society. Kim’s acceptance of American culture can help her in her career life. Asian females develop confidence that is necessary for diverse areas in the United States (Hiền, 2016). Kim-Ly, for instance, is employed and can be financially independent of her parents, as well as her future husband.
At the same time, the client respects Vietnamese traditions and does not want to upset her parents, who focus on preserving Vietnamese values in their family. Being self-sacrificial is one of the central beliefs characterizing Vietnamese women (Abrams et al., 2016). This cultural peculiarity is one of the causes of the girl’s current distress. She has to remain obedient and meet her family’s expectations related to her potential marriage and other aspects of life. It is possible to note that her cultural background can become one of her strengths, but she needs to contemplate her heritage and the way it resonates with her aspirations and features of character.
Potential Human Rights and Social Justice Issues
One of the major issues she is facing in her professional life is racial discrimination, which is a problem associated with human rights and social justice. Kim’s supervisor has made racist comments, which hinder the development of the appropriate working atmosphere and can have a considerable impact on the girl’s mental health. In order to advocate for the client, it is possible to address the organization by asking about diversity policies they have. It could be effective to contact the organization regarding the provision of services to Asian Americans. Kim-Ly can help the organization respond to these appeals. At the same time, it is necessary to encourage the female and show specific steps she can undertake, to voice her concerns related to ethnic discrimination and her interactions with peers.
Gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment are also serious issues to be addressed. It is possible to encourage Kim-Li to initiate the discussion of these problems at her workplace with other women who could be victims of harassment as well. The use of some techniques utilized in group therapy can help Kim-Li develop proper relationships in her working place and eliminate or diminish the level of discrimination.
References
Abrams, J. A., Javier, S. J., Maxwell, M. L., Belgrave, F. Z., & Nguyen, A. B. (2016). Distant but relative: Similarities and differences in gender role beliefs among African American and Vietnamese American women. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 22(2), 256-267. Web.
Hiền, N. T. (2016). Cultural adaptation, tradition, and identity of diasporic Vietnamese people: A case study in Silicon Valley, California, USA. Asian Ethnology, 75(2), 441-459.
Nguyen, T. N., McDonald, M., Nguyen, T. H. T., & McCauley, B. (2020). Gender relations and social media: A grounded theory inquiry of young Vietnamese women’s self-presentations on Facebook. Gender, Technology and Development, 24(2), 174-193. Web.