The Ethical Dilemma

The ethical dilemma that I find challenging is the right to the self-determination. I always find it difficult to allow the clients to make their decisions, even after guiding them to explore the available options. One context where I have experienced this ethical issue is when I was assisting a client in overcoming the problem of an abusive intimate relationship. After taking her through the available options, I could not stand her accepting to continue with their relationship. From what I got from her, it was crystal clear that the man did not love her.
Natasha, 26-years-old African American woman, reported to the family service agency complaining about her 31-year-old abusive husband. The couple had no children, despite being married for 3 years. Natasha was serving as the family housekeeper while her husband, Eric, was a plumber. Natasha is complaining about her husband becoming very violent upon the slightest provocation. Moreover, she also claimed that her husband had beaten her on three occasions. Eric on his side claim accepted that he has been violent recently, but denied beating his wife.
The ethical theory that is applicable in this case is the Aristotle: Virtue Ethics theory. The theory emphasis on both the state of mind as well as the character while making ethical decisions. On the other hand, the aspects of the NOHSE code that are applicable for my dilemma include the need for the social worker not only to build but also recognize the community strengths. Another NOHSE code that is relevant and applicable for my dilemma is the need for the human service professional to protect the integrity, security, and safety of the client records (Keith-Lucas 12I).

My personal experience in family life is a potential source of biases when handling family related issues. My family life experience made me have a negative opinion of men. As a result, I always tend to convince my female clients to make decisions that do not favor their male partners. The only remedy for overcoming this biases is to exercise professionalism and to draw a distinction between my personal experiences from my professional duties.
Work cited
Keith-Lucas, Alan. “Ethical Issues in Social Work, Ethical Decisions for Social Work Practice.”
Journal of Education for Social Work 19.1 (2013): 120-21.