The Resource The National Sexual Violence Resource Center's Newsletter 2013 Spring & Summer (Cover photo of guitar with hand strumming - in black and white with 1 blue string) 1BlueString campaign Strikes a chord INSIDE Reflecting on the Steubenville trial PAGE 9 Together, we say: NO MORE PAGE 10 9 jobs, 9 Voices sharing 1 goal PAGE 12 A Q&A with Miss America PAGE 34 COVER: 1IN6’S CAMPAIGN BRINGS MUSICIANS INTO THE MOVEMENT, PAGE 14 2013 Spring & Summer Contents FEEDBACK The National Sexual Violenc Resource Center (NSVRC) welcomes feedback: The Resource/NSVRC 123 North Enola Drive, Enola, PA 17025 Toll free: 877-739-3895 Fax: 717-909-0714 TTY: 717-909-0715 Email: resources@nsvrc.org www.nsvrc.org Editor & designer: Tracy Cox, NSVRC Communications Director NSVRC Director: Karen Baker, LMSW CEO Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape: Delilah Rumburg NSVRC Advisory Council • Victoria L. Banyard, Ph.D., Durham, NH • Peggy Brown, Juneau, AK • Susan Chasson, MSN JD, Provo, UT • Maia Christopher, Beaverton, OR • Robert Franklin, Richmond, VA • Keith Kaufman, Ph.D., Portland, OR • Patrick Lemmon, Portland, OR • Grace S. Mattern, (Vice Chair), Concord, NH • Strong Oak, LICSW, Greenfield, MA • Holly Ramsey-Klawsnik, Ph.D., Canton, MA • Jennifer Rauhouse, Phoenix, AZ • Malia Richmond-Crum, MPH, Atlanta, GA • Delilah Rumburg, Enola, PA • Cassandra Thomas, Houston, TX • Rebecca Ward, Psy.D., San Juan, PR • Ellen Yin-Wycoff (Chair), Sacramento, CA This publication was supported by Cooperative Agreement #1H28CE002205-01 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PCAR or NSVRC. About the Cover (Picture same as cover - Photo by David Lisak) Music can be life changing. Songs have a unique way of becoming the soundtrack of our lives. Music can move people and unite them. Wouldn’t it be powerful if we could use music to bring about social change? Now we can, with the 1BlueString campaign. You see, a guitar has six strings. What if musicians would replace one of those strings with a teal blue string to illustrate the fact that one in six males will be sexually abused before they reach age 18? That’s the premise of 1in6’s campaign that launched last fall. When we heard about the campaign, we thought it was genius! It gives mainstream culture a unique way to destigmatize the issue and talk about sexual violence. Within two months of the campaign’s debut, 1in6 shipped nearly 3,000 strings. You can get strumming with your own 1BlueString. Order a free kit at www.1BlueString.org. Together, we can make music that matters. Inside In every issue 4-8 Contributors 9 Director’s Viewpoint 24 From the Library 26 Coalition Spotlight: ID 28 Coalition Spotlight: NC 36 Awards & Milestones 43 Coming Up: NSAC Main Features 12 We asked nine people one simple question: In your role, what are you doing to prevent child sexual abuse? See what they said. 16 We all play a role in preventing sexual violence. Find out what college and university faculty can do to make campuses safer. 18 So, you want to change the world? You’re going to need some help. Check out these six steps for sustaining activism. 20 Are you engaging Spanish-speaking communities? Check out the new findings from the national needs assessment. ABOVE PHOTO: Mariska Hargitay, founder and president of the Joyful Heart Foundation, attends an announcement by Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder (not pictured) as part of NO MORE Day in Washington, D.C., on March 13. 2013 Spring & Summer Contributors Mark Bergeron-Naper is the prevention specialist in the Sexual Assault Prevention and Survivor Services program at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. He has presented on issues of sexual violence prevention and gender violence issues locally and nationally. He works with Massachusetts rape crisis centers to increase capacity to improve sexual violence prevention efforts. Alison C. Cares, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Assumption College in Worcester, MA. Her teaching and research center around issues of violence against women. She is currently working on an evaluation of a campus-based sexual violence bystander prevention program as well as developing materials for an Office for Victims of Crime funded project Integrating Crime Victims’ Issues into University and College Curricula. Robin Chaurasiya is an activist working for the rights of girls, women and gender minorities. In 2010, she was kicked out of the U.S. military under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” A triple minority, her case was prominently covered by the media. Then she moved to India and started Kranti in 2011. Daniela Rodriguez Da Silva is the newest addition to the Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR) staff team, working with U Visa applicants and assisting with Latino outreach. Her understanding of sexual violence informs her work at Autostraddle.com and her volunteer efforts at The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health. Paul O. Daugherty Jr. has been a Registered Nurse since 2006. He has worked with patients suffering from eating disorders, trauma, abuse, and other concurrent conditions since that time. Currently, he works for the Sheppard Pratt Health System delivering inpatient and community-based health care services. Rachel Dissell is a reporter with The Plain Dealer. She covers a wide range of topics, but mainly focuses on violence against women, children and other justice issues. Her work on Cleveland’s response to sexual assault and teen dating violence has led to changes in state laws and police department policies. Rachel’s work has garnered awards from End Violence Against Women International and the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. Alison Hall has been at Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) since 2004. In 2011, she was selected by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) and the Association of the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) to receive the Gail Burns-Smith Award for being the driving force behind establishing the first Sex Offender Court in the Pennsylvania. Katie Hanna is the Executive Director of the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Ohio’s statewide sexual assault coalition. She holds a Master’s degree in counseling from Ohio University, is a licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and holds a B.F.A. in photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Sandra Henriquez is the Executive Director of the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA). Sandra has worked in the anti-violence against women movement, addressing the intervention and prevention of sexual and domestic violence. She is published in the Hastings Women’s Law Journal, and has been active in local, state and national policy efforts. Carole J. Johnson has been Executive Director of Women Organized Against Rape (WOAR) for over 20 years and is affiliated with many organizations including Chair of the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Advisory Council. She has received multiple awards throughout her career most recently of which is the Women’s Law Project Myra Bradwell Society Award. Vicki Krueger is Director of Interactive Learning/News University (www.newsu.org) at The Poynter Institute, leading one of the world’s most innovative online journalism and media training programs. As the e-learning home of The Poynter Institute, NewsU extends Poynter’s mission as a school for journalists, future journalists and teachers of journalism. Steve LePore brings over 25 years of NPO management experience to 1in6. Before founding 1in6 in 2007, Steve was the Director of Human Resources for Six Flags Corporation and Landmark Entertainment Group. Later, he worked with homeless and runaway youth in Los Angeles, CA. Steve is a Durfee Foundation Stanton Fellow and served on the board of the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA). Sally J. Laskey joined the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) in 2001 and serves as the Director of Special Projects. For more than 20 years, Sally has worked for social change at local, state and national levels. Currently, Sally is pursuing a master’s in Community Psychology and Social Change from Pennsylvania State University. Jennifer Gentile Long is the Director of AEquitas, the Prosecutors’ Resource on Violence Against Women. At AEquitas, she works with allied professionals here and abroad to improve the quality of justice in cases involving gender-based violence and crimes against children by developing, evaluating, and refining prosecution practices that increase victim safety and offender accountability. Jennifer also served as a prosecutor in Philadelphia, PA. Hallie Martyniuk is the founder of TD3 Consulting, a national consulting firm dedicated to strengthening justice systems and enhancing the response to crime victims through research, training, and technical assistance. She has been a victim advocate for more than 20 years. Maureen McDonald is the Community Relations Director for the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. She has been with the Coalition for more than six years. Prior to coming to the Coalition, she spent several years working as a television news producer for WMUR-TV in Manchester, NH. Paul Mendofik is a retired Pennsylvania State Police Trooper and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He works as a Homeland Security Exercise & Evaluation Program practitioner and a trainer in emergency management. Paul is a Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) Board Member and provides training and support to anti-sexual assault and domestic violence agencies. Kelly Miller has worked to end violence against women and girls for 30 years. She is the Executive Director of the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence, a statewide nonprofit coalition engaging voices to create change in the prevention, intervention, and response to domestic violence, dating abuse, stalking, and sexual assault. Bill O’Brien was named Penn State’s Head Football Coach in January 2012. In his 20th year of coaching, but his first as a head coach, he was selected as the 2012 Bear Bryant Coach of the Year, ESPN Coach of the Year and the Maxwell Football Club Collegiate Coach of the Year, as well as the Big Ten Coach of the Year. He and his wife, Colleen, have two sons. Jen Przewoznik, MSW, is the Prevention Education Coordinator at North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCCASA). Jen provides training and technical assistance to organizations around the state working on sexual violence prevention in their communities, and co-facilitates a variety of statewide multidisciplinary projects. She has more than 15 years of experience in women’s and LGBTQ health. Jen lives with her partner and many rescued animals. Jane Randel is Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Brand Services at Fifth & Pacific Companies, Inc. (formerly Liz Claiborne Inc.). For more than 15 years, Jane spearheaded Love Is Not Abuse, an award-winning program aimed to generate awareness, educate the public and ultimately prevent violence against women. Jennifer Rauhouse has been working since 1981 to prevent sexual violence before it begins. She founded Peer Solutions in 1996 and has developed, implemented and evaluated STAND & SERVE (S&S), a locally and nationally awarded student, school, family and community primary prevention initiative cultivating safety, equality and respect as norms. Chad Sniffen has been a Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator at the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) since 2006. He provides assistance to California rape crisis centers, works on state and national projects, and maintains CALCASA’s technology infrastructure. Chad has more than 12 years of experience as an advocate, prevention educator, board member and volunteer for agencies and campuses in California and Arizona. Denise Snyder was Executive Director of the D.C. Rape Crisis Center from 1988 to 2013. Since then the organization has grown from five staff with a budget of $120,000 to an organization with 16 staff and a budget of over $1.1 million. Denise’s bachelor’s degree is in Social Work and her master’s degree is in General Administration. STAY CONNECTED. CHECK US OUT ONLINE. Read the latest news and information online at www.nsvrc.org Post your event on our national calendar at www.nsvrc.org/calendar View new resources at www.nsvrc.org/publications Find Sexual Assault Awareness Month info at www.nsvrc.org/saam Use your smartphone to scan the QR Codes above for more information online. Director’s Viewpoint Tracy Cox, NSVRC Communications Director It started with a phone call, followed by some emails, and before I knew it — it was on. Just like that, I was searching for hotels near Steubenville. In January, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) teamed up with Katie Hanna from the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence (OAESV) to cover the Steubenville rape trial. Over the next two months, a simple request would morph into a plan — one that would have us convening in a small town in Ohio to provide information and context into what happened at a high school party last August. OAESV reached out to us in part because of our recent partnership with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) in covering the Jerry Sandusky case. NSVRC and PCAR worked together to provide state and national coverage of the child sexual abuse trial last summer. I was able to draw upon my experiences in the Sandusky case and build upon it. OAESV jumped right in. We took a proactive approach, and our organizations teamed up with a local advocate, Sandra Lyons. The three of us bonded quickly and worked together to coordinate resources, blogs and interviews. By the time March rolled around, we were physically prepared to cover the trial. However, I’m not sure any of us were ever mentally prepared for what we would hear during testimony. The trial lasted for five days. During that time, we were in the courtroom, showing our support to Jane Doe and interacting with the media. During the breaks, we tweeted, jotted down ideas for our daily recaps, talked with reporters and thanked supporters who were outside the Jefferson County Juvenile Detention Center. Most days, we heard at least 12 hours of testimony, then we’d follow-up with our daily recaps that addressed such topics as supporting victims, engaging bystanders in prevention and how the use of technology and social media impacted this case. In case you missed it, you can check out all of our Steubenville-related posts and resources at http://tinyurl.com/cu26b9h and www.oaesv.org/response/. I emerged having immense gratitude for Katie and Sandra. They are working on the state and local levels to create awareness about sexual violence, educate the public about prevention and engage communities in widespread social change. No small feat. I know that this work can be intense and draining, but it’s also heartfelt and crucial. I applaud their hard work, dedication and success. This type of outreach forever changes you. In the advocacy world, it’s where the rubber meets the road. And we know it stretches beyond Steubenville, Ohio. Sexual violence impacts everyone, everywhere. Sitting in the courtroom, we saw firsthand how it impacts families, friendships and communities. I’ll never forget listening to Jane Doe on the stand. She was so composed, so brave, so courageous. She was the reason we were there. That’s why we do this work ... to let her and other survivors know they are NOT alone. We’re all in this together, and there IS hope, healing and resiliency. Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Awareness Together, we say: NO MORE By Jane Randel, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Brand Services at Fifth & Pacific Companies, Inc. In late 2009, in a conference room in New York City, dozens of leading advocates, corporate foundations and government representatives came together to explore the idea of uniting the domestic violence (DV) and sexual assault (SA) movements under a common brand. Seeking a breakthrough on these issues – spotlighting the urgency, lifting the stigma that keeps those affected by DV and SA from seeking help or speaking openly about their experiences – the group acknowledged the value one brand or one symbol could bring. Thanks to meetings with brilliant marketers, creative geniuses and social strategists, and the incredible generosity of a New York-based branding firm, we were able to develop one unifying symbol. After conducting research into how the public might receive such an initiative – including the best terminology to describe DV and SA, we softly launched the initiative to both the field and interested members of the general public. Now, it’s all about going public in 2013. We believe that with the public launch of NO MORE, we are at the dawning of a new day for domestic violence and sexual assault in our country. What makes this campaign different from the many others is its ambition. The goal is for the NO MORE symbol to be instantly recognized and associated with DV/SA, the same way pink ribbons are for breast cancer or red ribbons are for HIV/AIDS. The symbol is not intended to replace the branding of DV/SA-related organizations, but rather to give us all a new, unified platform for our message. NO MORE wants to reach new audiences in order to garner more attention, more funds, more help and get more people involved. In fact, it is bystander engagement that is really at the heart of the NO MORE initiative. (Picture of Woman Speaking at Podium) Twilight actress and Avon's Ambassador for mark. Ashley Greene speaks at NO MORE Day in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, in Washington, D.C., on March 13. It is a crucial time for DV/SA organizations. NO MORE’s intention is to supplement and augment awareness and fundraising efforts of the wonderful array of groups working so hard on these issues. In fact, one of the objectives of NO MORE is to build equity in the NO MORE brand on a large scale so that all DV/SA agencies can benefit from it. (Picture of 4 Women) From left, NO MORE Executive Committee member Virginia Witt poses with the Joyful Heart Foundation’s Founder and President Mariska Hargitay and NO MORE Executive Committee members Anne Glauber and Jane Randel prior to Hargitay’s speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on March 13. The approach we are taking is twofold – what we refer to as “top down, bottom up”: • First, through the Executive Committee and its broad reach, we are working to get national attention for NO MORE using a newly redesigned website, social media, celebrity PSA campaigns and large-scale public events such as NO MORE Day this past March 13 and NO MORE Week coming in June. • Second, and perhaps more critically, we are working with many organizations around the country and relying on them to see the value of a movement united by a universal symbol and to integrate NO MORE into their work and their communities, thus further propelling brand recognition. We believe that working together will generate great synergy and that making NO MORE ubiquitous will move these issues higher on the public agenda and help eliminate the stigma that surrounds them. These are exciting times. And while there is still a lot of work to be done to gain brand awareness for NO MORE and thereby DV/SA, it is simply thrilling to see how the movement as a whole has come together to say, “NO MORE.” (Photo of Basketball Game) On March 13, the NBA game between the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., was deemed “NO MORE Night.” MORE INFO NO MORE Week is coming in June. To learn more about it, visit http://nomore.org You can say NO MORE, too. To find out how, visit http://nomore.org/sayit NO MORE also has an action kit available online. To download it, visit http://nomore.org/action-guide Community Voices In your role, what are you doing to prevent child sexual abuse? REGISTERED NURSE Paul O. Daugherty Jr. “I work in both hospital and community settings. My areas of specialty include identification of potential at-risk patients, triage and ongoing treatment (physical and psychiatric), as well as community education. Early identification and diagnosis of potentially abusive situations are critical in order to prevent abuse from occurring in the first place.” REPORTER AT THE PLAIN DEALER Rachel Dissell “As a journalist, I cover specific cases involving child sexual abuse, but I always try to view things as part of a bigger cycle of sexual violence. The stories are often difficult to tell because of the privacy and secrecy that can surround sexual abuse. But with sensitivity and awareness about trauma, it can be done and the stories often greatly impact communities and force social change.” RETIRED STATE POLICE TROOPER Paul Mendofik “I try to remain vigilant in perceiving indicators of abuse. Those would be reported to the proper authority. I would remain willing to cooperate, including testimony as necessary. Since separation from my law enforcement career, I have continued to be an advocate and presented information to my colleagues through various formats.” VICTIM ADVOCATE Hallie Martyniuk “As a victim advocate who specializes in the creation of training and resource materials, I have developed curricula, produced a video and written many resource materials on child sexual abuse prevention for advocates, educators, parents and other professionals, including the NSVRC’s Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Information Packet.” OAESV EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Katie Hanna “It was a young girl I worked with who first opened my eyes about child sexual abuse. After weeks of acting out in an after-school program, she disclosed to me that her mom’s boyfriend had “done something.” At the coalition, I keep hers and others’ stories in the forefront as we advocate for system and policy changes to improve children’s lives.” AEQUITAS DIRECTOR Jennifer Gentile Long, J.D. “My work enhances the criminal justice system‘s effectiveness and response to crimes of abuse by increasing victim safety, offender accountability, community safety and justice. I support prosecutors in their role as leaders educating allied professionals and the public about child sexual abuse and working to prevent it.” PENN STATE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH Bill O’Brien “I have worked on and off the field to raise awareness and support victims of child sexual abuse. In addition to mandated [reporter] training, I had the honor of speaking at the sexual abuse conference held on campus. Our team has shown support by wearing awareness stickers on their helmets and hosting a ‘blue out’ game where proceeds from T-shirts were donated to [Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape] PCAR.” FOUNDER OF PEER SOLUTIONS Jennifer Rauhouse “Peer Solutions prevents child sexual abuse by working to end the reasons why it exists: Oppression, Silence and Normalized Violence. We use pre-womb, science-based, environmental strategies to maximize efforts and include everyone in the solution by cultivating the opposite — Safety, Equality and Respect— as norms. Today’s children are tomorrow’s parents.” FOUNDER OF KRANTI Robin Chaurasiya “Kranti [Revolution] empowers the daughters of sex workers to become agents of social change. We provide a healing home, comprehensive education, leadership training and community organizing skills to solve social problems in their communities. The Revolutionaries design and implement empowerment programs for teens vulnerable to trafficking, reaching more than 500 girls in 2012.” 1BlueString Campaign strikes a chord By Steve LePore, Executive Director of 1in6 Since 2007, 1in6 has been a leader in helping men who have had unwanted or abusive sexual experiences in childhood live healthier, happier lives. Recently celebrating its sixth anniversary, 1in6, Inc., has made significant strides in a short period of time. With three-time Tour de France champion Greg LeMond on its board of directors, 1in6 has worked with many professional athletes and public figures to help raise awareness, including former-NHL All-Star Theo Fleury, and CNN host Don Lemon. In 2011 and 2012, 1in6 consulted on two Law & Order: SVU shows that educated viewers on the unique issues related to male childhood sexual abuse. In addition, 1in6 board members have been featured on CNN and other news networks. In 2013, Major League Baseball awarded a grant to 1in6 at the request of Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey, himself a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. The underpinning of our work has been to create dialogue around the issue of childhood sexual abuse of men, with the hope of destigmatizing the issue and reaching more people who may be dealing with the effects of abuse as adults. To that end, we launched 1BlueString in the fall of last year to great success. 1BlueString, from the creative mind of Chris Carlton (former Director of Marketing and Branding for 1in6), is the first awareness campaign of its kind, asking guitar players at all levels to replace the ‘low E’ string on their guitar (acoustic or electric) with a blue string that 1in6 provides, for free. Between the launch date of Nov. 1, 2012, through the end of the year, 1in6 shipped almost 3,000 strings. Our goal this year is to distribute over 10,000 blue strings to people across the nation. People can support the campaign simply by registering for the free 1BlueString kit at www.1BlueString.org. Kits include a blue string, picks, stickers and a talking points card with suggestions on how to talk about the issue should someone ask, “Why do you have one blue string on your guitar?” Once registered, all we ask in return is that people consider sharing photos and stories with us, to be posted on the 1BlueString website. We want to see how people helped the cause — and we want to share it with the world. Another thing we’d love to see from musicians who play in front of audiences is not just that they play with a blue string, but that they share the campaign and offer a way for fans to support the cause, including texting the word “STRING” to 80888 to donate $10 to 1in6. Recently, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses since 2006, was seen onstage in New York playing with one blue string, and Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: SVU and founder of The Joyful Heart Foundation, an integral partner of 1in6, has her own 1BlueString guitar. From the very beginning, our intention has been threefold: No. 1, to create awareness about the issue; No. 2, to create awareness about the services of 1in6; and No. 3, when possible, to create revenue to support the work of 1in6. All of our services are free to individuals, but many people wanted to have a way to support our work, so we included the text-to-give opportunity. Because of a generous seed grant from Patricia Brown and the Bettingen Corporation the kits are free to individuals who register. 1BlueString merchandise is also available for sale. There are 1BlueString T-shirts, extra strings, picks and the very popular 1BlueString bracelet, which is made of six tightly-wound guitar strings (five silver and one blue) representing the one in six men who have suffered unwanted or abusive sexual experiences in childhood. All of the merchandise can be purchased through the store portal on the 1BlueString website, at www.1bluestring.org/store. This year, 1BlueString will begin to aggressively use social media to get the word out about the campaign and is a featured charity of the Warped Tour during the summer months. Look for us. We’ll be in a city near you. (Photo of 6 individuals) Representatives from 1in6 joined Mariska Hargitay, third from left, on the set of Law & Order: SVU in New York City with fellow actor Danny Pino, on left, and producer Warren Leight, fourth from left. GET STRUMMING To get your free 1BlueString kit, visit www.1BlueString.org For more on 1in6, visit http://1in6.org On Twitter at http://twitter.com/1in6org and https://twitter.com/1BlueString Sexual Violence On CampusWhat is the role of college faculty in stopping sexual violence? By Alison C. Cares, Assistant Professor, Assumption College and Co-Principal Investigator on The National-Scope Demonstration Project to Integrate Crime Victims’ Issues into University and College Curricula, awarded to University of Massachusetts Lowell One of my college presidents once defined the role of faculty as the production and dissemination of knowledge. However, I have realized how much more the role can encompass – faculty often function as advisors, mentors, role models, career counselors, supervisors, a resource for students in times of crisis and a stakeholder in the issues colleges face. Sexual violence is one of those issues, with an estimated 20 to 25 percent of female students experiencing an attempted or completed sexual assault during college. There has been little attention paid to the role faculty can play in addressing sexual violence in our communities. While recognizing that faculty differ in their readiness and ability to do something about sexual violence, this article aims to get faculty and those who work with them thinking and talking more about what faculty can do. What can faculty do to address sexual violence in our communities? Recognize what sexual violence is, that it is prevalent and that faculty have a role in stopping it Every faculty member can assume there are survivors among our students. After the first step of becoming aware of sexual violence as a problem, faculty can think about what role they can effectively play in responding to it. This does not mean intervening beyond one’s abilities but involves educating ourselves about sexual violence and recognizing that students learn from us, not only from class content, but outside of class as well. Knowing about sexual violence in our community and doing nothing sends a message that sexual violence is not an important issue for our community or our students. Provide support to survivors of sexual violence Being a survivor of sexual violence can interfere with college success. When a student is struggling in a course, faculty can ask if there is something we can help with and be prepared for a student to disclose a sexual assault. Student disclosures of experiences with sexual violence can also come during class discussion, in assignments or in conversation or an office hours visit. This reflects that students see faculty as a source of support when they need guidance. Responding to a disclosure of sexual victimization requires care and preparation, but faculty does not have to be experts or therapists. Some simple steps include showing that you believe the student, thanking them for sharing, asking how you can help, knowing the reporting requirements that apply to you and knowing the campus and community resources to which you can refer. The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) materials referenced on the next page and the resources of NSVRC can help. Teach about sexual violence in a responsible manner Teaching about sexual violence requires planning so that material is presented in a way that dispels misconceptions and is sensitive to survivors of sexual violence. This, for example, starts with crafting a syllabus that includes guidance for discussion of sexual violence and self-care if course material becomes difficult, and referral resources for support. There are free materials available to help from the OVC-funded Integrating Crime Victims’ Issues into University and College Curricula, including guidelines for teaching about victimization as well as curricular materials faculty can adapt for their courses. The materials are available online at www.uml.edu/vic. Be an active member in the campaign against sexual violence This includes faculty making efforts inside and outside the classroom (including online virtual classrooms) to raise awareness of sexual violence and help students, faculty and others see a role for themselves in stopping sexual violence. Academic efforts could include integrating content on sexual violence in courses, promoting structured outside-of-the- classroom learning experiences (such as community service learning with organizations working against sexual violence), encouraging students to consider working with victims of sexual violence as a career option or conducting research on sexual violence. Students also learn from faculty outside of the classroom, where we lead by example. Faculty can speak out against sexual violence and the culture that contributes to it – the inappropriate jokes, gender stereotypes, rape myths and blaming of survivors — and be active by advising student groups, attending awareness-raising events, getting involved in the policy process, and advocating that colleagues do the same. All faculty members have a role to play in creating a climate that reduces sexual violence, and everyone’s role will look different. Faculty from all along the continuum of awareness from knowledge to action can join together to be leaders on this issue. A joint effort by faculty can: • Validate survivors and communicate that they are not to blame, they are not alone, and help is available. • Dispel myths about sexual violence that silence victims and create a climate that facilitates perpetration. • Facilitate student interest in sexual violence services as a career or volunteer choice. • Prepare students to encounter survivors of sexual violence in their personal and professional lives. Taken together, these efforts can motivate students, fellow faculty, and others to help rid campuses of sexual violence. 6 steps for sustaining activism By Sally J. Laskey, Director of Special Projects at the National Sexual Violence Resource center Do you define yourself as an activist working to end sexual violence? Do you think that having activists who are focused on creating a world without sexual violence is necessary in the world today? With the support of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), I began a quest to gather activist sustainability stories in order to share critical lessons learned and strengthen the movement to end sexual violence. This article provides an overview of trends identified in preliminary research on sustaining long-time activism in the anti-sexual violence movement. Background of study Research consisted of in-depth interviews with six individuals that have done anti-rape activism work for at least 20 years. The average number of years spent in anti-rape activism was 27 years, but ranged between 20 and 34 years. All of the participants volunteered for and/or worked for an organization that provided direct services and advocacy to survivors of sexual violence during the previous 20 years. Participants in this study were asked a series of open-ended questions about what inspired them to become activists, how their activism affected them, what sustains their activism and what lessons they have learned. Based on their stories, the following initial recommendations for sustainability emerged: Step One: Educate and mobilize Creating opportunities for community dialogue and action about sexual violence and its prevention increase the likelihood that people will become engaged in activism work. While consciousness- raising groups were a powerful force for community mobilization for many of the activists interviewed, we now have social media, strong coalitions, and national and international sexual assault awareness campaigns to support and grow local mobilization efforts. Step Two: Invite people in One important external factor that emerged during the interviews was the importance of being invited to join the activism community. Most activists were encouraged by a mother, friend or mentor to join this social change movement. Step Three: Create community Breaking isolation, building community and gaining an identity as an activist were strongly related to sustainability for the individuals interviewed. Creating safe communities for survivors of sexual violence and their allies is revolutionary work and to do this within own our activist spaces provides essential training and skill building for changing the world around us. Step Four: Build organizational supports for addressing trauma Activists working to end sexual violence are surrounded by stories of sexual trauma. With so much activism in the United States being supported by, growing out of or developing into organizations, activists described the need for organizations to increase support for volunteers, staff and community members around resiliency in the face of trauma and systematic supports for reducing vicarious trauma. Step Five: Break the silence around survivorship “Never separate the life you live from the words you speak,” Paul Wellstone said. While great strides have been made by activists to break the silence and shame about sexual violence in our culture, many activists feel discouraged from talking about their experiences as survivors. Openness, support and options for survivor-activists and allies who want to discuss the impact of sexual violence within activist communities were identified as needs. Step Six: Focus on the intersections of oppression The activists interviewed described both the struggle and commitment to address racism, heterosexism, poverty, ageism and ableism as part of their activism work to end sexual violence. This awareness has led them to be politically engaged in anti-oppression work and more likely to build partnerships with other activists outside of the sexual violence movement. They identified this as critical to preventing sexual violence and supporting all survivors. These are just baby steps toward understanding what is needed to sustain the movement to end sexual violence. I have deep gratitude to all of the activists who have shared their stories with me over the last few years, and I am eager to hear from more of you as we seek to write our future together. References Laskey, S. (2013). Sustaining long term activism in the anti-rape movement. [Manuscript in preparation]. La prevención de violencia sexual en comunidades El símbolo “@” es usado para representar la versión femenina y masculina en las palabras y la inclusión de género El Centro Nacional de Recursos sobre la Violencia Sexual (NSVRC, por sus siglas en inglés), en asociación con el Centro de Investigación y Evaluación Sociomédica de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, llevó a cabo La prevención de violencia sexual en comunidades latinas: Un estudio nacional de necesidades para aportar al limitado cuerpo de investigación sobre la violencia sexual en las comunidades latinas y/o hispanoparlantes. El Comité Asesor del Proyecto de Acceso Multilingüístico del NSVRC ayudaron a orientar el desarrollo de la investigación. Aquí están algunos de los resultados: ¿PREPARADO? 39.3% Se consideran tener una preparación para realizar trabajo de prevención de violencia sexual en comunidades latinas NIVEL DE DOMINIO DEL ESPAÑOL ENTRE PARTICPANTES* 29% No habla español 23% Dominio profesional avanzado 18% Dominio funcional de un(a) nativ@ 18% Dominio profesional general 12% Dominio de trabajo limitado ORGANIZACIONES SIN DIVERSIDAD CULTURAL Y LINGÜÍSTICO EN: 44.2% Supervisores 39.2% Directores(as) de centro 25.9% Asesores(as) 14.8% Mesa directiva 13.2% Personas voluntarias 13% Personal (*Cuyas organizaciones sirven a personas latinas e/o hispanoparlantes **Recursos con pertinencia cultural y lingüística) servir a l@s latin@s ORGANIZACIONES QUE UTILIZAN RECURSOS “RELEVANTES”** 39% Para nada 26% Algunas veces 13% No está segur@ 6% Con cierta frecuencia 7% Con frecuencia 9% No informó ¿NECESIDADES? 44.6% Eligieron estrategias para el alcance/el establecimiento de relaciones con la comunidad como una de las tres áreas más importantes para el desarrollo de capacidad ¿INCENTIVOS? 37.7% Organizaciones que brinda incentivos a su personal para mejorar su competencia lingüística o su habilidad de llegar a comunidades culturales diversas 5 TEMAS PARA EL DESAROLLO DE RECURSOS 1. Abordar el estigma de la violencia sexual dentro de las comunidades latinas 2. Prácticas óptimas de prevención de la violencia sexual en las comunidades latinas 3. Involucrar a hombres y niños en la prevención de la violencia sexual 4. Adaptar los currículos y las estrategias de prevención para poblaciones culturalmente específicas 5. La trata humana ¿CÚALES SON MÉTODOS EFECTIVOS DE ENLACE? 58% Conversaciones personales 46% Anuncios de TV 41% Folletos 37% Anuncios de radio 27% Afiches Infographic by Tracy Cox © National Sexual Violence Resource Center 2013. All rights reserved. Preventing sexual violence in Latin@ communities Study examines needs in serving Note: The symbol “@” is used to represent the feminine and masculine versions of words and promote gender inclusion. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), in partnership with the University of Puerto Rico Center for Evaluation & Sociomedical Research produced Preventing sexual violence in Latin@ communities: A national needs assessment to add to the limited body of research on sexual violence in Latin@ and/or Spanish-speaking communities. NSVRC’s Multilingual Access Project Advisory committee helped guide the survey. Here are some of the results: READY? 39.3% Providers who feel prepared to conduct sexual violence prevention with Latin@ communities SPANISHLANGUAGE SKILLS OF SURVEY PARTICIPANTS* 29% Don’t speak Spanish 23% Advanced 18% Functional native 18% General 12% Limited ORGANIZATIONS WITHOUT CULTURAL & LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN THEIR: 44.2% Senior management 39.2% Center directors 25.9% Consultants 14.8% Board members 13.2% Volunteers 13% Staff *Whose organizations serve Latin@s and/or Spanish speakers Latin@s ORGS USING CULTURALLY & LINGUISTICALLY RELEVANT RESOURCES 39% Not at all 26% Sometimes 13% Unsure 6% Fairly often 7% Very often 9% Didn’t answer CRITICAL NEEDS? 44.6% Listed strategies for outreach and relationship building as one of their top three needs for capacity building MOTIVATION? MOTIVATION? 37.7% Organizations that provide incentives to their staff to improve linguistic skills or ability to reach out to culturally diverse communities 5 THEMES FOR RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT 1. Addressing stigma of sexual violence within Latin@ communities 2. Best practices for sexual violence prevention in Latin@ communities 3. Engaging men & boys in sexual violence prevention 4. Adapting prevention curricula & strategies for culturally specific populations 5. Human trafficking WHAT IS AN EFFECTIVE OUTREACH METHOD? 58% In-person discussion 46% TV ad 41% Brochure 37% Radio ad 27% Poster Learn more about the report at www.nsvrc.org Infographic by Tracy Cox © National Sexual Violence Resource Center 2013. All rights reserved. From the Library The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2010 Findings on Victimization by Sexual Orientation By Mikel L. Walters, Jieru Chen & Matthew J. Breiding The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a report looking at the lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence, sexual violence and stalking victimization by sexual orientation. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2010 Findings on Victimization by Sexual Orientation is the first survey of its kind on a national level. Researchers found that gay men and lesbians reported equal or higher levels of intimate partner violence and sexual violence than heterosexual individuals. Bisexual women also report “a higher prevalence of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner [61 percent] compared to both lesbian (43.8 percent) and heterosexual women (35 percent),” according to the CDC. The idea that people who identify as lesbian, gay, and bisexual report higher rates of sexual violence is not new. However, this national-level study has a scope, credibility and level of detail that will benefit practitioners in their prevention and intervention efforts. Useful companion documents supplement the larger report, including a four-page fact sheet and seven-page “frequently asked questions” document. The study does have some limitations. For instance, it relies on self-reports of sexual orientation during a telephone survey; some participants might not have been comfortable providing that information. The report also does not speak specifically to violence happening within the context of same-sex relationships. It is important, however, that CDC researchers included this information in the NISVS survey a nd compiled it into a report. The findings will prove useful for researchers and practitioners alike. — Written by Jill Laster, NSVRC MORE ABOUT NISVS ONLINE To download the findings, visit http://tinyurl.com/d59tzx5 RECOMMEND A RESOURCE Have you read a recent book or report that you’d like to share? What about a new DVD or eLearning tool? We’re always looking for innovative resources to feature. Email your suggestions to resources@nsvrc.org and it could be reviewed in an upcoming issue of The Resource. Engaging bystanders in the prevention of sexual and domestic violence Developed by PreventConnect This online course, Engaging bystanders in the prevention of sexual and domestic violence, developed by PreventConnect, a project of the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, provides a comprehensive overview of bystander engagement strategies with the goal of supporting preventionists in applying these strategies to their sexual and domestic violence prevention efforts. The course centers around a 21-minute PreventConnect video presentation, and the NSVRC’s Engaging Bystanders in Sexual Violence Prevention booklet. The video presentation emphasizes culturally relevant messaging that resonates with a community’s shared values around caring for others, social justice, solidarity, resilience, etc. The presentation also explores strategies for bystander engagement at every level of the Social Ecological Model, offering examples and questions for consideration. The presentation outlines 10 steps to take when introducing a bystander engagement approach. These steps provide an insightful, concise, and practical guide to initiate bystander engagement practice in communities. It concludes with a discussion of organizational capacity-building to support bystander engagement. To learn more, visit http://tinyurl.com/comkcot. — Written by Annie Gebhardt, NSVRC ‘Sexual Violence and Abuse: An Encyclopedia of Prevention, Impacts, and Recovery’ By Judy L. Postmus Sexual violence impacts every part of a survivor’s life and every section of society. It’s so complex that it can be difficult to wrap your brain around – much less describe in writing. But a new two-volume encyclopedia sets out to define and discuss a wide range of issues related to sexual violence and – despite the difficulty of the task – largely succeeds. Sexual Violence and Abuse: An Encyclopedia of Prevention, Impacts, and Recovery includes 264 entries by more than 190 experts in the field. The encyclopedia is easy to use, with alphabetical and topical indexes; individual entries include further readings, related entries and relevant websites. There is a caveat when using Sexual Violence and Abuse, which editor Judy L. Postmus discusses in the preface: “The contributors have tried to maintain a ‘neutral’ stance on sexual violence and abuse; however this social problem is anything but neutral, since an overwhelming number of victims are female and an overwhelming number of the perpetrators are male.” Postmus also goes on to explain that most entries focus on heterosexual sexual violence, due to limitations of available research. — Written by Jill Laster, NSVRC Coalition Spotlight In Idaho Working with youth is valuable in creating social change By Kelly Miller, Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence The Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence embraces adolescents to end sexual violence, primarily against women and girls. Here’s why: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “One in five women and nearly one in seven men who experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner, first experienced some form of violence between 11 and 17 years of age” (2011, p. 49). And, almost half of all female victims who have been raped experienced their first rape before age 18 (30% between 11 and 17) (CDC, 2011). Embracing adolescents means the active and sustained involvement of young people through socially meaningful activities, such as the mobilization of hundreds of high school students for Idaho’s One Billion Rising. The Idaho Coalition employs young people throughout the year to develop social change campaigns such as 2013 Real Moments, Real Relationships for National Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month. It cannot be about convincing young people to embrace our values – it must be about helping them connect to their own. Educational systems play an important role in preventing violence. The Idaho Coalition engages and educates young people about healthy relationships and social emotional learning skills in the following ways: • In middle schools with The Fourth R • In high schools teaching positive bystander behavior through Green Dot • Community-wide with the Love What’s Real writing contest with more than 3,000 submissions, the Power of Words poetry slam where teens speak out against violence against women and girls, and ChalkHeart, where teen artists created illustrations of the writing contest selections. (Photo of people holding signs) Photo provided by Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence On February 14, Idaho high school students and allies danced up the steps of the Idaho Capitol for One Billion Rising to end violence against women and girls. Popular culture has been an effective strategy for social change with movies such as the Twilight series and The Hunger Games, which depict positive gender roles in the midst of a dystopian society. In The Hunger Games, Katniss is a 16-year-old female who is strong, intelligent, and skilled at archery and caring for her younger sister. Peeta, the male counterpart to Katniss, is physically strong, emotionally expressive and a cake decorator. The movie provided a vehicle for discussions about gender roles and the power of gender equity as a way to end violence. Our work spans the socio-ecological model. We strive to change organizational behavior through events such as the October 2013 Embracing Adolescents, a gathering of innovators who want to transform our communities and end adolescent relationship abuse and sexual assault. At Embracing Adolescents, no one could come alone. Participants had to register and participate in a community because we believe that conversation yields innovative moments, sparks ideas, and is more likely to create change. Change also occurs through policy work, including successfully amending state rules to require schools to implement policies for preventing relationship abuse and sexual assault. Ending violence against women and girls requires a proactive, interconnected movement to create social change. We still have much to learn from practice, research and other social justice movements. We have to find the courage to understand what we know and to give our collective voice to ending violence against women and girls. References U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 summary report. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/NISVS_Report2010-a.pdf USING POP CULTURE In 2012, The Hunger Games was the highest-selling DVD in the United States and won the 2012 Teen Choice Award for actress, movie, book and more. Use the movie to help discuss social change. Download lesson plans and social change campaign ideas for The Hunger Games and Catching Fire to be released November 2013 on www.engagingvoices.org. Coalition Spotlight In North Carolina Finding success through collaborative partnerships By Jen Przewoznik, Prevention Education Coordinator, North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault The North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCCASA) works with members and partners all over the diverse, multi-dimensional and complex state of North Carolina, a state whose citizens pride themselves on community, collaboration, faith and a rich topography. NCCASA, our members and partners in this state value the camaraderie we receive from one another as we support each other in our commitment to social justice. With the help of strong, committed collaborators, NCCASA has worked to cultivate leadership within communities that have been historically left out of many anti-sexual violence mobilization and programming efforts. NCCASA and partners developed two specific projects to engage youth, primarily youth of color, in leadership development. The Young Advocates Institute, a weekend for 200 teens ages 13-17 to take part in prevention education and leadership workshops, was held on the campus of North Carolina Central University (NCCU), one of the state’s historically black colleges. Youth from across North Carolina. stayed in dorm rooms, used new media to record their experiences, and published first- person narratives of their lives. The Reclaiming Rites of Passage Program, inspired by the African tradition of youth requesting the right of passage from an elder to continue to a higher level of social and educational development, addresses the unmet need for sexual violence prevention programming specifically geared toward African-American men and boys, both of whom make up a significant portion of the population in North Carolina. Collaborators include a historically black fraternity, the women’s centers of two local colleges, faith-based groups and local rape crisis centers (RCCs). Through our strong partnerships, NCCASA has helped to develop innovative events and projects to end sexual violence. In October 2012, we partnered with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to hold the first-ever N.C. Sexual Violence Primary Prevention Summit at which preventionists from around the state engaged in conversations about, among other things, partnerships between RCCs and college campuses, heteronormativity in sexual violence prevention education, and using risk and protective factors to create collaborative programming. In fall 2012, we also held our first-ever Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Symposium. Attendees included 276 professionals from N.C. and surrounding states who are committed to ending human trafficking. Partnering with local communities and RCCs has benefited everyone around the state. The Enhancing Rural Strategies project focuses on working intensively with local Coordinated Community Response (CCR) and Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART) Coordinators to build multidisciplinary response teams in 11 rural counties across N.C. Additionally, NCCASA partnered with the Orange County Rape Crisis Center (OCRCC) to create a document guiding sexual assault agencies through the process of planning, implementing, and sustaining support groups for sexual assault survivors. The story of NCCASA’s success is, therefore, a shared story of partnerships and a focus on collaboration whose formula is hard to articulate, but whose impact is realized in our programs and projects. PARTNERSHIP NCCASA is the lead organization of the National Sexual Assault Coalition Resource Sharing Project’s (RSP) Women of Color Caucus. The caucus addresses leadership development, advocacy, and emerging issues while sustaining a leadership pipeline for people of color. NCCASA is a proud partner in this endeavor, as we realize that dismantling racism both in and out of our institutions plays a huge role in ending sexual violence. WANT TO SPOTLIGHT YOUR COALITION? The Resource would love to hear about all the great prevention work happening in your state. Tell us about it, and it could become an article in an upcoming edition. Email us at resources@nsvrc.org. Rape Prevention & Education (RPE) program (Photo of a group) Above, participants in the "EMPOWER Collaborative" held in Denver, Colo., in 2011. EMPOWER-ing experiences By Jen Przewoznik, NCCASA; Mark Bergeron-Naper, MA Dept. of Health; Phyllis Millspaugh, KY Dept. of Community Based Services; Diana Read, ND Dept. of Health; Agnieszka McCort, CO Dept. of Public Health and Environment; and Regina Podhorin, The Leadership Group Enhancing and Making Programs and Outcomes Work to End Rape (EMPOWER) began in 2005 when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded four Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) states (Colorado, Massachusetts, North Dakota and North Carolina) and had a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with two additional RPE states (Kentucky and New Jersey). The purpose of EMPOWER I was to build individual and system capacity for sexual violence prevention and program planning among a subset of RPE programs. Under EMPOWER I, states brought together diverse planning teams to develop comprehensive state sexual violence prevention plans using an empowerment evaluation approach. From 2008 to 2012, the same six states were funded under EMPOWER II to develop evaluation and sustainability plans for the goals and objectives identified in the states’ comprehensive sexual violence prevention plans. The six state Departments of Health that received EMPOWER II funding worked with diverse planning teams convened under EMPOWER I to develop evaluation and sustainability plans, implement sexual violence prevention system capacity goals and objectives identified in their comprehensive state sexual violence prevention plans, and work to build capacity of the state as well as local RPE- funded programs to collect and utilize evaluation data. Here are some of their successes: • In Massachusetts: The EMPOWER projects’ impact fulfilled its purpose to build capacity while creating a plan for state sexual violence primary prevention and evaluation. The team experienced success and challenges while working to secure systems-level improvements. Policy and capacity improvements are noted in areas such as responsible parenting networks, agencies serving adults and youth with developmental disabilities, higher education institutions, early childhood and youth-serving agencies, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It has been essential in this process to support and bring together rape crisis/RPE programs with the broader violence prevention and sexual health “systems.” • In Kentucky: When the state participated in EMPOWER, it moved from questioning whether prevention is even possible to the University of Kentucky successfully competing for a $2 million research project with the CDC to implement Green Dot, a sexual violence prevention strategy that engages bystanders. Kentucky’s EMPOWER experience can be compared to the work of laying railroad track one section at a time. As each new piece of track is laid, another can be put in place immediately in front of it, allowing further movement down the track. • In Colorado: The Sexual Violence Prevention (SVP) Program benefited from EMPOWER in multiple ways, the most important of which is the completion of a five-year research-based and data-driven prevention plan that will guide the work of primary prevention of sexual violence throughout the state. This prevention plan prioritizes serving traditionally marginalized communities and is the foundation of a statewide evaluation system, which enables the program to demonstrate the efforts and impacts of all prevention activities implemented with program funds. EMPOWER facilitated a process that resulted in the SVP Program integrating the expertise of community-based prevention practitioners with prevention science, leading to relevant outcomes for Colorado communities. • In New Jersey: The state implemented evidence-based bystander intervention and media literacy prevention strategies. To see if the strategies are having a positive impact, the Bystander Intervention/Media Literacy Workgroup consisting of each of the RPE-funded Prevention Coordinators met in 2010 to explore the implementation and evaluation of the prevention strategies. The workgroup continues to meet monthly to provide a collaborative learning forum for idea sharing and mentoring. The workgroup has, among other things, created and piloted process and outcome evaluation tools and wrote a New Jersey Prevention Guidance Document for consistent implementation and evaluation. • In North Dakota: Task forces in Fargo struggled to address sexual violence prevention due to a lack of community ownership. To increase ownership, the task forces chose to hold a community summit. On Sept. 18, 2012, It’s Everyone’s Business: Summit to Prevent Domestic and Sexual Violence brought together 177 local and state leaders to discuss effective prevention strategies. Over a period of nine months, 50 community and state leaders planned this event. Polling methods revealed significant increases in knowledge and commitment to engage in prevention strategies. To further these commitments, summit participants will develop a multiyear action plan in 2013. • In North Carolina: A 2009 survey of North Carolina colleges indicated that 20 percent had no college sexual assault policy. Given the timing of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights’ “Dear Colleague” letter sent in April 2011 to all institutions receiving Title IX funds, college administrators were motivated to enhance their ability to effectively address the issue of sexual violence on their campuses. After much research and guidance, the N.C. Sexual Violence Prevention Team (NCSVPT) drafted a policy template that was appropriate for use by all North Carolina campuses. Though most other polices were solely focused on intervention, the NCSVPT plan highlighted the importance of primary prevention as well as intervention. The policy was vetted with state and national experts in the fields of education, law and advocacy, and was completed in winter 2012. It was disseminated through the N.C. Campus Consortium and the North Carolina Prevention Summit as well as to administrators in the University of North Carolina system. An important objective among former EMPOWER states is to figure out ways to use the lessons learned during this experience to support building evaluation capacity in all RPE states. We hope that this is the beginning of many conversations within and between states for how to use the skills we have all developed over the past few years to help each other do the best work possible. Q&A: Mallory Hagan ‘I chose to help by being a voice for this difficult topic’ (Photo of Miss American, Mallory Hagan. Photo taken by Matt Boyd) Five months ago, Mallory Hagan, from Brooklyn, N.Y., was crowned Miss America 2013. She’s using this opportunity to shed light on a very important topic: Child sexual abuse prevention. We recently had the opportunity to ask Mallory why this topic has become her platform, and here’s what she had to say: Q: Why is child sexual abuse awareness and prevention important to you? A: It is important for me to begin to destigmatize this conversation for not only those in our country, but for this message to be heard around the globe. Two million children will be victims of sexual exploitation this year, and with such alarming statistics, it is important for me to be the voice for child abuse prevention and help to promote education on this important topic. Q: Who/what helped you and your family? A: My mother began dealing with her child sexual abuse issues during my teen years, which lead to my mother’s post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression. And as a result, during some of my most important years of growing up as a teen while in high school, I felt as if I did not have a mother. Q: What can people do to help? A: Our family therapist was instrumental in helping my mother, my father and myself face the challenges that come from child abuse. It is important to find sources of support, whether it is a local advocacy center, a family physician or friends, because every person deals with abuse differently. Q: You support organizations such as Stop It Now!, Safe Horizon and Darkness to Light. How did you begin working with these organizations? A: I chose to help by being a voice for this difficult topic and prior to winning Miss America, I volunteered at the Brooklyn Child Advocacy Center. People can become involved through volunteerism, monetary donations or by raising awareness by having a conversation about abuse and spreading the message. Q: Looking ahead, what do you want to accomplish this year? A: As Miss America, I now have realized that people are more open to the conversation, and there is a need to understand it. Although I have not personally been abused, I understand the issues of the victims, and I am committed to talking about this subject to help with prevention on a national level. Q: What are three things you can’t live without? A: My parents, my cellphone and my music! Awards, Celebrations and Milestones Several organizations across the U.S. are celebrating anniversaries The Bay Area Women Against Rape celebrates 42 years By Daniela Rodriguez Da Silva, Bay Area Women Against Rape The Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR) was founded in 1971, becoming the United States’ first rape crisis center. Our mission is to empower, support and intervene on behalf of and advocate for sexual assault survivors. For 42 years, we’ve been hard at work addressing sexual assault by establishing and maintaining a space where rape and incest survivors can receive accessible, quality counseling and advocacy, and by providing community education to raise awareness about sexual assault and empower members of every community to be an agent of change. Here at BAWAR, we have the unofficial long-term goal of working ourselves out of a job. Turning 42 this year reminds us to celebrate our accomplishments and the truly amazing women who fought for our ability to be here today. Thanks to the hard work of those who created and were with the movement from the start, we were able to establish credibility among professionals who didn’t see the value in our grassroots origins. One of our biggest accomplishments was our instrumental role in developing the first California state medical protocol for the treatment of sexual assault survivors. As we look back and celebrate our multitude of achievements, we know our work and the challenges on the road are far from over. We invite anyone interested in learning more about us and our ever- growing number of programs to contact us. While we’ll never forget those who came before us, we are excited to see and connect with the new faces joining the field. BAWAR is currently a member of the Alameda County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), the Alameda County Sexual Assault Investigators Association and the California State Sexual Assault Investigators Association (CSSAIA). BAWAR ONLINE Website: www.bawar.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/BawarOrg Twitter: @BawarOrg The D.C. Rape Crisis Center reflects on 41 years By Denise Snyder, D.C. Rape Crisis Center The D.C. Rape Crisis Center (DCRCC) was established in 1972 by a group of Washington feminists who were frustrated with the treatment of rape survivors. The group established a women’s collective and set up a hotline, operating in the basement apartment of several members. Unaware of any other rape crisis programs, they incorporated under the name “Rape Crisis Center, Inc.” DCRCC has had many milestones along the last 41 years. In 1975, we had our first paid staff and we did our first presentations in public schools. Elementary school children received little buttons picturing an acorn because they were “Safety Nuts” after they completed the lesson. Our book, How to Start a Rape Crisis Center, was used by hundreds of programs nationally and internationally for more than 20 years to help others get started. In 1991, we hired our first clinical staff person and increased our client caseload tenfold with the help of graduate students majoring in social work. The most important DCRCC story is our long-standing adherence to our philosophy, even as we have grown tremendously in programs, staffing, and budget. First, we focus on the empowerment of women and children. Second, in everything we do, we recognize the connections between forms of oppression. This philosophy anchors our mission to work toward an end of sexual violence and to support and advocate for survivors. While change is always essential, our core philosophy will carry us for the next four decades. DCRCC ONLINE Website: http://dcrapecrisiscenter.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/DCRapeCrisis Twitter: @DCRapeCrisis New Hampshire Coalition hosts events for 35th anniversary By Maureen McDonald, New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence In June of 1977, a group of women from across New Hampshire gathered to address the critical issue of domestic violence, forming the New Hampshire Coalition on Battered Women, which would later become the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (NHCADSV). Today, the Coalition includes 14 independent community-based member programs, a Board of Directors, and staff working together to create strong public policy, ensure compassionate and quality care for victims, and prevent violence and abuse before it occurs. We are celebrating our 35th year with several special events. In November, we held a Hall of Fame Luncheon with keynote speaker U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who has been a champion for domestic and sexual violence survivors here in New Hampshire and around the world. In February, we took part in One Billion Rising, the global movement to end violence against women, and joined with several of our member programs at a community awareness celebration. And in April, at our 35th Anniversary Celebration, we joined with our supporters, partners and friends to thank them for their efforts and reflect on all we have accomplished together. As we look ahead to the future, the coalition is joining with other statewide coalitions and embracing the national NO MORE campaign. NHCADSV and all of its member programs are united in support of NO MORE and we are encouraging all citizens, from individuals to schools to businesses and legislators, to get involved and take a stand to make New Hampshire a safer and more just state. NHCADSV ONLINE Website: www.nhcadsv.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/nhcadsv Twitter: @NHCADSV Women Organized Against Rape highlights 40 years of advocacy By Carole Johnson, Women Organized Against Rape In 1972 in Philadelphia, a woman who reported being raped was brought by police to the emergency room of Philadelphia General Hospital. There, she waited with everyone else for medical attention. Treatment by medical and criminal justice professionals was at best casual and impersonal and at worst painful and demeaning. On May 1, 1973, Women Organized Against Rape (WOAR) opened the first “above ground” rape crisis center at Philadelphia General Hospital, working in cooperation with the medical and criminal justice systems. Throughout these past 40 years, WOAR has celebrated many accomplishments. I’m so proud of WOAR’s leadership role on the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Advisory Council, which influenced the development of the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center. As a major community leader and advocate for victims’ rights and for ensuring proper treatment, respect, and quality services from the various systems in Philadelphia that work with victims of sexual violence, WOAR has expanded beyond just helping women. We have men’s groups, children’s services, outreach to faith-based communities, and are training for bystanders to speak up. I’m excited about the work we are doing with underserved populations whose cultural taboos and language barriers keep victims from seeking help. I’m amazed at how much WOAR has accomplished and yet how much more still needs to be done. I’m shocked that phrases such as “legitimate rape” are still being used. Thank God that in today’s world, this reference evokes outrage and not compliance. We’ve come a long way, but we still have a journey ahead of us. WOAR ONLINE Website: www.woar.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/woarinc Twitter: @WOARphila Pittsburgh Action Against Rape still innovative after 40 years By Alison Hall, Pittsburgh Action Against Rape Pittsburgh Action Against Rape In 1972, gasoline cost 55 cents, M*A*S*H aired its first episode, and Pittsburgh Steeler Franco Harris caught the “Immaculate Reception.” It is also the year that rape victims in Allegheny County did not have to face police, hospital emergency staff, and defense attorneys alone – Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) was officially there to assist sexual assault victims. There were no services to sexual assault victims prior to PAAR’s crisis services offered by volunteers. Today, PAAR has over 30 employees, and services that include therapy for women, children, and men. We also reach thousands of individuals through our primary prevention programs. We no longer have to push ourselves into a case – we are now invited by law enforcement, hospitals, or the District Attorney. We are especially proud of our historic legal challenge in 1980 when PAAR refused to turn over client records and was held in contempt of court. The appeal made its way to the State Supreme Court, resulting in the Pennsylvania legislature passing the first law in the nation recognizing total confidentiality between victims and rape crisis counselors. Our own pioneer, Ann Hyman, a PAAR staffer for 35 years, won Pennsylvania’s first award for Outstanding Advocacy and Community Work in Ending Sexual Violence, presented by the NSVRC in 2003. In 2006, PAAR convened the first-ever county- wide task force with a victim-centered approach to sex offender management. PAAR then became the driving force in helping to establish the first Sex Offender Court in Pennsylvania. In 2010, PAAR received first Creative Counseling Award given by the American Counseling Association. After 40 years, PAAR continues to break ground with counseling modalities, prevention, and advocacy; until we end sexual violence we will continue to celebrate anniversaries. PAAR ONLINE Website: http://paar.net Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Pittsburgh-Action-Against-Rape-PAAR/32017314059 Twitter: @paarnews Gail Burns-smith Award Honors Recognizing creative partnerships The Gail Burns-Smith Award recognizes people who have made significant contributions to preventing sexual violence through their work to facilitate effective partnerships between advocates working on behalf of victims and survivors and those working in the area of sex offender management and treatment. The award is jointly sponsored by the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), two organizations with similar missions and goals that are honored to carry on the vision of Gail Burns-Smith. SUBMIT A NOMINATION There’s still time to nominate someone for this year’s Gail Burns-Smith Award. Nominations are due May 31. Visit www.nsvrc.org/ gbs-award for details. AWARD RECIPIENTS 2010: Elizabeth “Beth” Barnhill, Executive Director, Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault and National Resource Sharing Project, Des Moines, Iowa. Beth served as president of the Iowa Board for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, co-chair of the Task Force on Sexual Exploitation by Helping Professionals, member of the Sex Offender Research Council, and on the Department of Corrections Multidisciplinary Team. 2011: Alison Hall, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Action Against Rape, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Alison organized Sex Offender Management of Allegheny County (SOMAC). Her work through SOMAC led to the establishment of the first Sex Offender Court in Pennsylvania. 2012: Lindsay Palmer, Director of Prevention, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, Renton, Washington. Lindsay organized the King County Sex Offender Management Team and works to address housing options and expand community education efforts. National Sexual Assault Conference Coming up NSAC 2013 heads to L.A. By: Sandra Henriquez, Executive Director, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) The California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) is pleased to host the National Sexual Assault Conference (NSAC) Aug. 28 to 30, at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles. NSAC is a two-and-a-half day, advocacy-based conference providing advanced training opportunities and information regarding sexual violence intervention and prevention. The theme for NSAC 2013 is Inspire a Movement, Invest in Change, Imagine … . We anticipate that this year’s NSAC participants will accompany us as we reflect upon where we are and what type of a movement we wish to inspire. It will provide an opportunity to broaden the tent by inviting and engaging new partners and reinvigorating existing allies as we join efforts to invest in change. Together, we will imagine and affirm what we strive to create in the future, and what systems we need to reach to achieve this. We know that together we are capable of creating new investments, creating change and realizing our imaginations. CALCASA is one of the rotating hosts of NSAC. We appreciate the efforts of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) for contributing to the continued growth and diversification of NSAC. We thank the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault for hosting in Chicago in 2012. Attendance has been growing annually, and this year we expect 1,200 participants from around the nation who are working to intervene and prevent sexual violence. We rely on many of our national partners and colleagues to make this year’s conference a success through workshop application submissions, attendance and in advertising this national sexual violence-based event. We ask each of you to partner with CALCASA as we move forward in planning and carrying out a successful NSAC 2013. SEE YOU IN AUGUST Registration will open in late May. Visit www.calcasa.org/nsac2013 On Twitter, use #NSAC2013 On Facebook, let CALCASA know if you’re attending by visiting www.facebook.com/events/288544147920853/ Tech Roundup Poynter and NSVRC team up to help journalists report on sexual violence By Vicki Krueger, Director of Interactive Learning/News University At The Poynter Institute Stories in the media about sexual violence tend to feed the cultural myths that already exist rather than help news consumers understand the greater context: the pervasiveness of sexual violence, who perpetrates these acts and how these crimes can be prevented. To help journalists cover this complex topic with context, accuracy and sensitivity, Poynter’s e-learning project, News University, and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) have teamed up to create an online course for journalists, educators and the public. The online course, Reporting on Sexual Violence, will help journalists go beyond conventional reporting to help audiences learn more about the reality of sexual violence. This is a free, self-directed e-learning course that participants can work through on their own schedule. The total time it takes to complete the course is two to three hours. The course has several goals: to equip journalists to report on sexual violence in a factual, trustworthy manner and generate story ideas that go beyond crime reports; and to help their audiences understand the impact of sexual violence and engage communities in prevention efforts. Using readings, interactive activities and videos, participants in the course will learn: • The types of sexual violence and data about the prevalence of sexual violence • Who is affected by sexual violence and forms of vulnerability and victimization • How to interview victims of sexual violence with sensitivity, compassion and professionalism • To use the most accurate and straightforward language possible when describing acts of sexual violence • The role that video, photographs and audio play in telling stories about sexual violence • How to report on sexual abuse cases that involve an institution or organization TAKE THE FREE COURSE Reporting on Sexual Violence, funded by a grant from NSVRC, is available online at Poynter’s NewsU at https://www.newsu.org/courses/reporting-sexual-violence CALCASA launches app By Chad Sniffen, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault “To app or not to app,” that is the question now facing organizations with a communications goal. With staggering growth in the global mobile device market in the last few years, anyone whose job is to spread ideas should consider how they might interact with their audience in a mobile format. For the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) staff working on the PreventConnect project, the question of developing an app hinged on one essential question, “Can we develop an app that will do better than a mobile website?” PreventConnect distributes many forms of media across several different websites and systems. Although the PreventConnect.org site can aggregate these streams of content, we ultimately decided YES – we can develop an app with built-in functionality that would exceed the capacities of a mobile website. The end-product of that decision, after support from PreventConnect’s funders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was the PrevCon App for iOS and Android mobile devices. With the app, users are able to: • Read our blog and tweets • Listen to our podcasts • Watch our videos • Have notices delivered to their device • Share their stories of intervention and prevention • Put their prevention program in a national directory • Find programs on a global prevention map YEP, THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT Give CALCASA’s mobile app a try at preventconnect.org/mobile-apps/ Sexual Assault Awareness Month Recap SAAM video, social media and 26 awardees among the highlights By Laura Palumbo, Prevention Campaign Specialist, NSVRC To empower the movement to prevent sexual violence, it is imperative to celebrate the successes and positive impact of our work. The individuals and organizations working to promote safe, healthy communities can inspire us all to do our part to contribute to a future free from sexual violence. Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) just wrapped last month, and it was the busiest campaign to date. Some highlights from the 2013 campaign included: • Barack Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation: http://tinyurl.com/cqao3ft • We worked with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) to host Weekly Twitter chats called Tweet About It Tuesdays, with hosts Dr. Janet Rosenzweig, Tara Murtha, Casa de Esperanza, and Dr. Ian Elliott. • NSVRC shared educational materials and interactive content, including a poster series and blogs — with a guest blog for the U.N. Women National Committee. • We added a SAAM-themed video on YouTube. To view it, visit http://tinyurl.com/d5bwhwy • NSVRC partnered with San Francisco-based CauseURGood for the design and production of SAAM-themed T-shirts that promoted A future free of sexual violence. Each April, NSVRC recognizes outstanding prevention work with Visionary Voice Awards. This year, while working with state, tribal and territory anti-sexual violence coalitions, NSVRC honored 26 leaders in sexual violence prevention. NSVRC is pleased to announce the 2013 Visionary Voice Award winners in partnership with the following coalitions: • David L. Williams, Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ACASA) • Linda Bowen, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) • Crista Maestas, Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA) • Anne Mahoney, Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services (CONNSACS) • Denise Snyder, D.C. Rape Crisis Center (DCRCC) • Alicia A. G. Limtiaco, Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault & Family Violence • Kristina Marie Korobov, Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault (INCASA) • Rebecca Lockwood, Jane Doe Inc. (The Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence) • Angela Blumel, Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (KCSDV) • Judy Benitez, Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault (LAFASA) • Terry Moore, Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA) • Cordelia S. Anderson, Minnesota Coaltion Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA) • Cari Emerson, Nebraska Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Coalition (NDVSAC) • Jane Ann Heenan, Nevada Coalition Against Sexual Violence (NCASV) • Kathleen M. Kimball, New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (NHCADSV) • Mark Medoff, New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, Inc. (NMCSAP) • Amanda Wingle, New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault NYSCASA) • Dodie Sacia, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence (OAESV) • Robert Funk, Jr., Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (OCADVSA) • Patrick Rushton, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) • Krista Heeren-Graber, South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault (SDNAFVSA) • Carmen Wyatt, Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (TCADSV) • Gary Scheller, Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault (UCASA) • Keith E. Goslant, Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence • Debbie Medeiros, Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (WCSAP) • David W. Miller, West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services (FRIS) Each year, coalitions are invited to submit nominations for this award. To learn more about SAAM and the Visionary Voice Award, visit www.nsvrc.org/saam. The theme of the 2014 campaign will be announced in the fall. In the meantime, check out the SAAM blog (www.nsvrc.org/blogs/saam) for updates. New Info Packet: find out how sexual violence can impact emplyment and the workplace. Resources for Journalists MEDIA PACKET: Info and stats for reporters covering sexual violence. E-LEARNING: To take this free, online course from NSVRC & Poynter’s NewsU, visit http://tinyurl.com/b22xzz8 NSVRC National Sexual Violence Resource Center 123 North Enola Drive Enola, PA 17025 Toll Free: (877) 739-3895 Email: resources@nsvrc.org www.nsvrc.org facebook.com/nsvrc twitter.com/nsvrc