So often when I go to a training or web conference, the presenter goes through a Powerpoint presentation with too many words and just provides information on top of information. While there is content, this is not very conducive to actually learning.

I am impressed with this graphic of Adult Learning Principles from Nicole Legault’s blog Flirting w/ eLearning. As we are developing and implementing sexual and domestic violence prevention efforts, Adult learning principles provide useful guidance to creating interactions that are meaningful and are more likely to lead to change.

And adult learning principles do not apply only to adults. These are helpful in our work with youth.

During PreventConnect web conferences we try to build on the knowledge of our audience and create opportunities to interact. That is why we have such a vibrant chat. I believe the best learning takes place as we are engaged, not when we are merely taking in information.

I tried to incorporate these concepts when I speak publicly, but it is easy to fall back on just providing information.

How do you use adult learning principles in your training and prevention work?

Stacy F. Everson

CALCASA is pleased to announce a training opportunity through our Advocacy Caucus for Persons with Disabilities.  We are fortunate to have Stacy F. Everson, Executive Director of SEEDS Educational Services, Inc. on Serving People with Cognitive Disabilities.  This training will focus on increasing your knowledge about people with cognitive disabilities, their strengths, and the barriers they face in our community as well as helping to build your skills to effectively advocate for survivors with care and respect.

This training is scheduled on March 27^th from 2:00-4:00pm

Staff and volunteers of CALCASA member agencies can register using the following link: https://calcasa.ilinc.com/register/hptzvzv

Materials and Recording:

• Slides [PDF]

Some additional information about Stacy and SEEDS: 

SEEDS Educational Services, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 1987 by Stacy F. Everson.  Our mission is to assist exceptional learners to build meaningful and safe relationships and to relate effectively with others in their community.  SEEDS staff and volunteers conduct classes in social skills and appropriate behavior, and host social events for people who have cognitive disabilities.

Stacy F. Everson is a Registered Nurse with a Bachelors Degree in Nursing and Public Health.  She has national certification in developmental disabilities and family life education.  She is the Founder & Executive Director of SEEDS Educational Services, Inc.  She specializes in social-sexual education,  speaking/trainings, work-shops & conferences,  coordinating and collaboration with other agencies in creating effective educational tools and opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.

Learn more about SEEDS at their website, http://www.seedseducation.org

I recently came upon a healing medium for sexual trauma survivors called Project Unbreakable: The beginning of healing through art. Grace Brown, a photographer that uses her craft to help survivors heal from sexual trauma, photographs survivors holding up posters with quotes from their attackers. The pictures are shocking and so poignant that I’m compelled to provide a caveat for those that may click on the link provided because the power of these words may just “hurt” you.

When I was first learning the ropes of prevention work a colleague and dear friend of mine that I often shadowed during presentations would start off with discussing the power of words. She’d ask the group what they thought about the old nursery rhyme about stick and stones and words never hurting anyone. It was rare to have some one say words never hurt, in fact audience members would go on in great detail about the power of words and both the positive and negative effects they have on individuals.

It was during my clinical work with clients that I really discovered how powerful words can be for an individual. Those words of reassurance and validation I provided during sessions when they were at their lowest in their process. The little spoken words of epiphany they often experienced when as one client remarked, she was able to connect the dots of how it really wasn’t “her fault”. Yet there were still words that could halt the process of healing, stop a survivor in her/his proverbial tracks if you will, and send her/him spiraling back to that moment in time when another chose to harm them.

Those words were ones of rage, lust, and at the most heartbreakingly hurtful, ones of a perverted love. The, “Don’t worry you’ll like this”, “This is how we show love”, or “Sluts like you deserve this” words that haunted survivor’s each day to the next. As a clinician I could sit there and point out the fallacy of such statements until I was blue in the face but the words often still hung there between us, permeating the healing process until the survivor learned not necessarily how to make the words never hurt them, but to deconstruct the power they held over them. This type of deconstruction can have many facets and manifest itself in a variety of ways for survivors. Project Unbreakable happens to be one of the most visually compelling of them.

Grace will be coming to California, making stops in San Francisco and Sacramento. We will keep you posted as we learn more about her trip. To learn more, visit her website:

http://projectunbreakable.tumblr.com/

And her Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/projectunbreakable

Fox news correspondent Liz Trotta has left me speechless. Literally. I have been sitting staring at this screen for 30 minutes, typing insightful introductions to this blog. For example: “AAAHHH!!”, “AARGGG…”, “REALLY?!?!?!”. Liz Trotta recently joined Fox news host Eric Shawn to discuss the recently released report addressing high rates of victimization perpetrated against women in the armed forces. Trotta seemed surprised by the interest in this report, saying, “Now, what did they expect? These people are in close contact…”. If that alone made you as upset as it made me, you might want to take a deep breath before reading the rest of her statement. [Click to continue reading Trotta's statement and our commentary].

TROTTA: But while all of this is going on, just a few weeks ago, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta commented on a new Pentagon report on sexual abuse in the military. I think they have actually discovered there is a difference between men and women. And the sexual abuse report says that there has been, since 2006, a 64% increase in violent sexual assaults. Now, what did they expect? These people are in close contact, the whole airing of this issue has never been done by Congress, it’s strictly been a question of pressure from the feminist.

And the feminists have also directed them, really, to spend a lot of money. They have sexual counselors all over the place, victims’ advocates, sexual response coordinators. … So, you have this whole bureaucracy upon bureaucracy being built up with all kinds of levels of people to support women in the military who are now being raped too much. [Text found here]

What did they expect? Most likely they expected that while they were working to protect their country, that the military would be working to protect them. They probably expected that being in close contact with people wouldn’t translate into increased opportunity for them to be sexually assaulted and raped. Can you imagine if we told that to someone who was raped on a busy subway car? “There were lots of people on that subway car, what did you expect”. I bet these victims also expected that their perpetrators would be held accountable, instead of given a free pass, like the one Trotta has offered.

I’m interested to know how many times someone needs to be raped to be raped too much. I think one time is too much. One time, for one person in a community. One person anywhere. Recently the Center for Disease Control released the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) which reported that there are over 2 million female victims of rape who live in California. Just rape victims, just in one state. I think that this is 2 million more than should ever occur.

Trotta also addresses all of these feminists who have encouraged the government to spend all of this money on sexual assault services. Two problems here. First, the government isn’t readily pouring money into this field. The President’s budget proposal completely removes the Public Health Block Grant, which would eliminate millions of dollars in funding for sexual assault prevention and intervention, commonly referred to as the Rape Set Aside. Rape Prevention Education (RPE) money has been in jeopardy, experiencing over 40%in cuts in the last year. In California, the state budget only allots $45,000 to all rape crisis centers in the state. 30,000 survivors accessed intervention services last year, which means the state only allocated $1.50 per victim served.

Second, she may be down on the feminists, and all of the work they are doing to bring this issue to the forefront and to get victims the help that they need. I, on the other hand, am proud to stand alongside my colleagues, peers, advocates, and CALCASA member agencies as we work to advance our valuable social justice work. Liz Trotta has only reminded me that we have more work to do, and that our voice in advocating for victims, enlisted and civilians, is more important than ever.

January is National Stalking Awareness Month and this year, the Stalking Resource Center of the National Center for Victims of Crime have created this website dedicated to providing resources and information to advocates and community members. The “Stalking: Know it. Name it. Stop it.” website provides sample status updates, PSA scripts, news releases, outreach materials, and resource guides to promote stalking prevention and intervention work in your local area. Visit the site to learn more about how to support the over 3.4 million men and women over 18 years of age who are stalked each year in the United States.

“We are Penn State. That’ll never change. … Understand this is really a call to duty.”

Last week, Penn State’s campus erupted. The Board of Trustees announced that beloved football Head Coach and collegiate athletics legend Joe Paterno was fired, effective immediately. Penn State football is its own culture, boarding on being a religion to students, alumni and Division I football fans.

Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno and President Graham Spanier were fired as a result of their failure to act after learning of numerous sexual assaults perpetrated by former Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky. Sandusky is currently being investigated by the Pennsylvania Attorney General for 40 counts related to child sexual abuse. Other coaching staff and campus administrators are also being charged as a result of being passive bystanders, choosing to not take any action that would protect or support the victims. University Athletic Director Timothy M. Curley and Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Gary C. Schultz are being charged with perjury and failure to report child sexual abuse allegations to the proper authorities.

Paterno is quoted as saying, “At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.”

As the complexity of the situation at Penn State unfolds, Paterno’s comment of “I wish I had done more” resonates with what advocates and prevention educators know to be true; there is more work to be done. Some of that work can be accomplished through these mechanisms:

1) Empower campus administrators, faculty, and staff to speak up and step in when they witness sexual harassment, sexual assault, or intimate partner violence.

• It is not enough that college campuses have a formal policy regarding reporting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or intimate partner violence. The crucial step is putting policy into practice. All administrators, faculty, and staff must be trained on how to report, what the formal mechanisms around reporting are, and the ramifications of failing to report.
• Administrators must place emphasis on and prioritize the well-being of the survivor, and encourage all employees of the campus to do the same.

2) Promote a campus culture that supports prevention efforts, not just intervention efforts.

• There are a number of campus programs that are geared towards promoting gender equity and safety for their entire campus population. These programs bring both administrators and students to the table, encouraging partnership and cooperation to create a community response to violence on campus. Some of the ones that have recently been discussed at CALCASA are:
• UNH Bringing in the Bystander 
• Green Dot
• Alert students to policies and procedures that exist on campus so that they know their role in preventing violence and intervening if or when they witness it. Let them know who they can speak with confidentially and who they can report to, where they can find these individuals, and what process they should follow to insure that their voices are heard.

3) Dismantle our connection between sports, masculinity, and power on campus.

• We can start this process by acknowledging that the real tragedy is not about football. It is not about who holds social and financial power on campus. It is not about asserting that sports culture and the dominant story of heterosexual masculinity that often times comes with sports culture reins supreme on a prominent state school campus. This is about a failure to uphold a legal and ethical obligation to protect a survivor of sexual assault.

4) Reach out

• There are national, state, and local partners who are trained to provide education and guidance around this topic. CALCASA staff members are able to provide referrals for campus programs, prevention education, intervention and advocacy services, and media response. Please contact:
• Denice Labertew: denice@calcasa.org (Advocacy and Campus)
• Leona Smith Di Faustino: leona.smith@calcasa.org (Prevention and Advocacy)
• Alexis Marbach: alexis.marbach@calcasa.org (Prevention and Policy)
• Jessica Renee Napier: jessica@calcasa.org (Media)

Blog post co-written by Leona Smith Di Faustino and Alexis Marbach.

Empowerment-Based Advocacy by Kimberly Wong, LCSW

CALCASA held its first Capacity Building Institute in Sacramento, Calif. This institute is an opportunity for a small group of people from California rape crisis centers to come together and learn about working with specific populations. Today’s break-out sessions include:

• Empowerment-Based Advocacy: Best Practices for Empowering Survivors
• Advocacy with Survivors of Human Trafficking/Undocumented Survivors
• Advocacy with Veteran Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma
• Advocacy with College Survivors
• Advocacy with Elderly Survivors of Sexual Assault
• Developing Infrastructure for Serving High-Risk & Undeserved Populations: Developing Partnerships, Policies & Funding Opportunities for Sustainable Programs

Denice Labertew, CALCASA’s Director of Advocacy Services, set the tone by explaining to attendees that this two-day institute is an opportunity for everyone to participate and explore working with communities with which they may not be familiar.

The first session was led by Kimberly Wong, LCSW about Empowerment-Based Advocacy. This session established the framework from which the next two-days’ discussions would be framed. She broke-down the definition of:

Empower: To promote the self-actualization or influence of.

Empowerment: Power from within.

Attendees said that it was the role of advocates to: provide tools to help; be a voice; support survivors in finding their own voice; educate the community; and push for legislation and policy changes.

Moving from this foundation of empowerment, the break-out sessions will provide attendees with tools and experiences to empower survivors from various communities to take steps for themselves on the path to healing.

Hello Members!
I am excited to share new materials with all of you. Please feel free to take a moment to review the information of the materials (listed below).

I encourage all of you to take advantage in  helping me to update our library. You can do this by sharing with me the types of materials (DVD’s, curriculum, etc.) you use that has been helpful to you or your agency. What ideas would you like to share or find available in the library?

The goal is to update the library so that it can better serve as a place where you can share the tools or materials you’ve used or created to network with other members, find the information and the resources you are seeking. I welcome your ideas and look forward to working with all of you as we update the library.

Here are some examples I am looking for:

• Curriculum that was helpful for the training needs of your agency.
• Sharing materials you or your organization have created (electronic copies) that you’d like to see circulated in the library to others.
• Materials that you know will be helpful to develop new or existing skills within your staff or agency.
• Materials to learn the latest trends and techniques in doing the work within the movement.
• DVD updates, curriculum, etc.
• Bilingual materials

With deep appreciation of the all the work you do, I thank you in advance for your time. I look forward to hearing your comments.

Please contact me if you are interested in borrowing any of the materials the library. My email is villena@calcasa.org or call (916) 446.2520 ext. 320.

Thanks!
Villena

The Bro Code: How Contemporary Culture Creates Sexist Men
From the cover: The Filmmaker Thomas Keith takes aim at the forces in male culture that condition boys and men to dehumanize and disrespect women. Keith breaks down a range of contemporary media forms, zeroing in on movies and music videos that glamorize womanizing; pornography that trades in the brutalization of women; comedians who make fun of sexual assault; and a groundswell of men’s magazines and cable TV shows that revel in old-school myths of American manhood. The message Keith covers in virtually every corner of our entertainment culture is clear: It’s not only normal — but cool — for boys and men to control and humiliate women. In the end, The Bro Code challenges young people to question this dangerously sexist ideal of masculinity.

For more information:  http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=246#press-reviews

 Generation M: Misogyny in Media & Culture

From the cover: Despite the achievements of the women’s movement over the past four decades, misogyny remains a persistent force in American culture. In this important documentary, Thomas Keith, professor of philosophy at California State University-Long Beach, looks specifically at misogyny and sexism in mainstream American media, exploring how negative definitions of femininity and hateful attitudes toward women get constructed and perpetuated at the very heart of our popular culture.

The film tracks the destructive dynamics of misogyny across a broad and disturbing range of media phenomena including: the hyper-sexualization of commercial products aimed at girls, the explosion of violence in video games aimed at boys, the near-hysterical sexist rants of hip-hop artists and talk radio shock jocks, and the harsh, patronizing caricatures of femininity and feminism that reverberate throughout the mainstream of American popular culture.

Along the way, Generation M forces us to confront the dangerous real-life consequences of misogyny in all its forms — making a compelling case that when we devalue more than half the population based on gender, we harm boys and men as well as women and girls.

For more information:  http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=234

Asking For It: The Ethics & Erotics of Sexual Consent

From the cover: The line between sexual consent and sexual coercion is not always as clear as it seems — and according to Harry Brod, this is exactly why we should approach our sexual interactions with great care. Brod, a professor of philosophy and leader in the pro-feminist men’s movement, offers a unique take on the problem of sexual assault, one that complicates the issue even as it clarifies the bottom-line principle that consent must always be explicitly granted, never simply assumed. In a nonthreatening, non-hectoring discussion that ranges from the meanings of “yes” and “no” to the indeterminacy of silence to the way alcohol affects our ethical responsibilities, Brod challenges young people to envision a model of sexual interaction that is most erotic precisely when it is most thoughtful and empathetic. Ideal for classes in gender studies, communication and sociology, and especially useful for extra-curricular programs and workshops.

For more information:  http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=243

Understanding Hookup Culture: What’s Really Happening on College Campuses

From the cover: When it comes to intimacy and sex, young people today are apparently doing away with the old rules of romance and cutting straight to the chase. If recent reports are to be believed, the rise of hookup culture on college campuses is in the process of killing off dating and courtship, radically altering some of our most basic assumptions about heterosexual sex and gender. But for all the speculation, there’s been little beyond anecdotal evidence to back any of these claims up. This lecture by Stanford University’s Paula England, a leading researcher in the sociology of gender, aims to clarify what’s actually going on. England mobilizes a wealth of data to begin to chart whether the phenomenon of hooking up represents some kind of fundamental change, or whether we’re simply seeing age-old gender patterns dressed up in new social forms.

For more information:  http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=244

 Killing Us Softly 4: Advertising’s Image of Women

From the cover: In this new, highly anticipated update of her pioneering Killing Us Softly series, the first in more than a decade, Jean Kilbourne takes a fresh look at how advertising traffics in distorted and destructive ideals of femininity. The film marshals a range of new print and television advertisements to lay bare a stunning pattern of damaging gender stereotypes — images and messages that too often reinforce unrealistic, and unhealthy, perceptions of beauty, perfection, and sexuality. By bringing Kilbourne’s groundbreaking analysis up to date, Killing Us Softly 4 stands to challenge a new generation of students to take advertising seriously, and to think critically about popular culture and its relationship to sexism, eating disorders, and gender violence.

For more information:  http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=241

New Book & Curriculum

InSideOut Coaching: How Sports Can Transform Lives [Hardcover]

Overview: Joe Ehrmann, the coach profiled in the national bestseller Season of Life, explains how coaches at every level, from Little League to high school to NCAA Division I and even the professional leagues, can use sports to transform lives. Coaches have a tremendous platform, says Joe Ehrmann, a former Syracuse University All-American and NFL star. Perhaps second only to parents, coaches can impact young people as no one else can. But most coaches fail to do the teaching, mentoring, even life-saving intervention that their platform provides. Too many are transactional coaches; they focus solely on winning and meeting their personal needs. They see sports as a simple exchange: the athlete performs to a coach’s demands and in return gets something, usually praise or a position in the starting lineup. Some coaches, however, use their platform. They teach the Xs and Os, but also teach the Ys of life. They help young people grow into responsible adults; they leave a lasting legacy. These are the transformational coaches. These coaches change lives, and they also change society by helping to develop healthy men and women.

Sports have become a secular religion, according to Ehrmann. Tens of millions of children play sports, and millions of coaches have the potential to influence the lives of these children — and through them to touch their parents’ lives as well. Children can be diminished and discouraged by their sports experiences, or they can be strengthened, uplifted, even in some cases redeemed. Sports can be a life-changing experience if coaches understand why they are coaching and redefine their measurement of success.

For more information: http://www.amazon.com/InSideOut-Coaching-Sports-Transform-Lives/dp/1439182981/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319505234&sr=1-1

Safe DATES: An Adolescent Dating Abuse Prevention Curriculum

 Description: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year, 1 in 4 adolescents experience verbal, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse from a dating partner.

It is imperative to stop dating violence before it ever starts. Safe Dates, second edition, can help with that. This evidence-based program helps teens recognize the difference between caring, supportive relationships and controlling, manipulative, or abusive relationships. It is during the critical pre-teen and teen years that young people begin to learn the skills needed to create and foster positive relationships. With Safe Dates, young people are given the tools needed to build these skills.

Highly engaging and interactive, Safe Dates reflects the issues faced by today’s teens. The curriculum includes:

• Updated statistics and facts
• Information on dating abuse through technology
• All handouts and parent resources on CD-ROM
• New Families for Safe Dates program to get families talking about healthy dating relationships and dating abuse

Safe Dates has been designated as a Model Program by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and was selected for the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP), receiving high ratings on all criteria.

For more information: http://www.hazelden.org/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?item=38103&sitex=10020:22372:US

At this year’s CALCASA Leadership Conference, I had the pleasure of co-facilitating a workshop in the Intervention track called Practice What You Preach: Working Models in the Field. Imelda Buncab, my co-facilitator, and I were really interested in engaging those that do Intervention work in a discussion around how the work gets done. The theme of the conference, The Evolution and Revolution of Our Movement, provided the perfect backdrop for this discussion because what is Intervention work if it isn’t revolutionary in its action.

There is a spark that ignites a person to do Intervention work, kindled by the stories one hears in direct service. We answer that call to action and do what needs to be done. Yet, with all revolutions, “doing what needs to be done” has to evolve into something more. Doing must have direction or what gets done can feed into a ball of chaos that doesn’t benefit anyone. Systems of accountability are set and survivors not only have a person that wants to help and hold their hand when others would shun them, but also an individual with a plan.

This person knows that kind words and an advocate’s spirit cannot sustain the survivor forever. The spark must now become a flame that burns constantly as a beacon of hope, change and the promise of healing — however the survivor defines it. When Imelda and I asked people repeatedly what was their model, our goal was to feed that flame, provide a new kind of kindling that helped those that do Intervention work critically examine their role in the evolution of our field.

I won’t be so bold as to say that goal was accomplished completely. Quite a bit could have been lost in the translation of what sounded so perfectly in my head and what actually made its way out of my mouth, but I’d like to think some seeds were planted. I hold a belief that some individuals went back to their agencies and thought internally or collectively on what they wanted their role to be in using or adopting models in their work. Also, I hold a belief that those dialogues and introspections of what works, what doesn’t and what can benefit from a revision helps push our field in a direction that constantly puts the survivor first.

After all, that is what lies at the heart of this revolution we have started: doing work that is best for the survivor.

Photo Credit: www.ellagroup.org

Recently on the PreventConnect email group, there has been a good deal of discussion about the the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s Guidelines for Choosing a Self-Defense Course. Although the National Coalition no longer exists, the Guidelines continue to be a useful resource for the selection and evaluation of a women’s self-defense program.

National Coalition Against Sexual Assault:
Guidelines For Choosing A Self-Defense Course

Self-Defense Philosophy  – Ideally, a good self-defense program should reflect these philosophical points in its outlook:

1) No one asks for, causes, invites, or deserves to be assaulted. Women and men sometimes exercise poor judgment about safety behavior, but that does not make them responsible for the attack. Attackers are responsible for their attacks and their use of violence to overpower, control and abuse another human being.

2) Whatever a person’s decision in a given self-defense situation, whatever action she/he does or does not take, that person is not at fault. Someone’s decision to survive the best way she can must be respected. Self-defense classes should not be used as a judgment against a victim/survivor.

3. Good self-defense programs do not “tell” an individual what she “should” or “should not” do. A program should offer options, techniques, and a way of analyzing situations. A program may point out what USUALLY works best in MOST situations, but each situation is unique and the final decision rests with the person actually confronted by the situation.

4. Empowerment is the goal of a good self-defense program. The individual’s right to make decisions about her participation must be respected. Pressure should not be brought to bear in any way to get someone to participate in an activity if she’s hesitant or unwilling.

Questions to ask when evaluating a self-defense course:

What is self-defense? Self-defense is a set of awareness, assertiveness, verbal confrontation skills with safety strategies and physical techniques that enable someone to successfully escape, resist and survive violent attacks. A good self-defense course provides psychological awareness and verbal skills, not just physical training.

Does self-defense work? Self-Defense training can increase your options and help you prepare responses to slow down, de-escalate, or interrupt an attack. Like any tool, the more you know about it, the more informed you are to make a decision and to use it.

Is self-defense a guarantee? There are no guarantees when it comes to self-protection. However, self-defense training can increase your choices/options and your preparedness.

Is there a standard self-defense course? There are many formats for training. They may be as short as two hours or as long as 8 weeks or a semester. Whatever the length of the program, it should be based on maximizing options, simple techniques, and respect for individuals’ experiences.

Is there a course I should stay away from? Only you can answer this question. Find out about the philosophy of the program and the background of the instructor. Observe a class session if you can, and talk to an instructor or a student. Is the instructor knowledgeable and respectful of your concerns? Is it a length at you can commit to and at a cost that you can afford? You deserve to have all your questions answered before taking a class.

Who’s better, a male or female instructor? For women, there is an advantage to having a female instructor as a role model, who has similar experiences surviving as a woman. All-woman classes tend to provide an easier atmosphere in which to discuss sensitive issues. On the other hand, some women feel having male partners to practice with can add to their experience. The quality of a class depends on the knowledge, attitude and philosophy of the instructor, not necessarily on gender. The most important aspect is that the instructor, male or female, conducts the training for the students geared to their individual strengths and abilities. Feeling safe and building trust come before learning.

Must I train for years to learn to defend myself? A basic course can offer enough concepts and skills to help you develop self-protection strategies that you can continue to build upon. Self-defense is not karate or martial arts training. It does not require years of study to perfect. Many people have successfully improvised and prevented an assault who have never taken a class. People often practice successful self-defense strategies without knowing it!

If I use physical self-defense could I get hurt worse? The question to answer first is what does “hurt worse” mean? Rape survivors speak eloquently about emotional hurts lasting long after physical hurts heal. Studies show a physical self-defense response does not increase the level of physical injury, and sometimes decreases the likelihood. Also, going along with the attacker does not guarantee that you will not be brutally injured anyway. The point of using self-defense is to de-escalate a situation and get away as soon as possible. Knowing some physical techniques increases the range of possible self-defense options, but the decision to choose a physical option must remain with the person in the situation.

What does “realistic” mean? Words like “most realistic”, “best”, “guaranteed success”, etc., are all advertising gimmicks. Choosing a self-defense class is a serious decision and is preferably based on some research. No program or instructor can replicate a “real” assault since there are so many different scenarios, and because a real attack would require a no-holds barred fight which would be irresponsible and extremely dangerous to enact. Responsible self-defense training requires control. It is important that each student is able to control her own participation in the class and never feel forced to participate.

What is the role of mace or other aggressive “devices” as self-defense aids in harming an attacker? Any device is useless to you unless you understand how to use it, and you have it in your hand ready to use at the time of the attempted assault. There is nothing “guaranteed” about any of these devices. None are foolproof. None of them can be counted on to work against all possible attackers (no matter what the labeling may state to the contrary). Realize that anything you can use against an attacker can also be taken away and used against you. While some of these devices have sometimes helped women escape to safety, it is important to be aware of their limitations and liabilities.

How much should I pay? Paying a lot of money for a course does not mean that you automatically get better instruction. On the other hand, don’t assume that all programs are the same and just go for the cheapest. It is always beneficial to be an educated consumer. Shop around the same as for anything else you buy that is important to you.

Where can I find a self-defense class? Check with your local rape crisis center. Some centers provide self-protection classes or can refer you to one. YWCA’s and Community Colleges sometimes offer classes. Some martial arts schools provide seminars and workshops. Check the phone book. If there isn’t one in your community, get involved and try to organize one.

Am I too old? Out of shape? What if I have some disabilities? You don’t have to be an athlete to learn how to defend yourself. A good program is designed to adapt to every age and ability and provides each student with the opportunity to learn. Each individual is unique and students should be able to discuss their own needs. Some programs have specialized classes for specific groups.

How can I tell a “good” course from a “bad” one? A good course covers critical thinking about defense strategies, assertiveness, powerful communication skills, and easy-to-remember physical techniques. The instructor respects and responds to your fears and concerns. Instruction is based on the belief that we can act competently, decisively, and take action for our own protection. Essentially, a good course is based on intelligence and not muscle. It offers tools for enabling a person to connect with her own strength and power. These courses are out there. Good luck in your research. Taking a self-defense class is one of the most positive things a you can do for yourself!

Prepared for the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault by the NCASA Self-Defense AD-HOC Committee:

Chair – Patricia Giggans, Los Angeles, CA
Co-Chair – Mary Brandl, Minneapolis, MN
Linda Adams, Cape May Point, NJ
Py Bateman, Seattle, WA
Mary Boland, Glen Ellyn, IL
Kathy Hopwood, Durham, NC

Peggie Reyna

In today web conference, Peace Over Violence‘s Peggie Reyna led a training that focused on the experiences and needs of survivors of sexual assault or domestic violence who are deaf / hard of hearing, or who have other disabilities. Materials from the conference include:

• Slides (PDF)
• Notes (PDF)
• Recording (will be available on Monday, August 1)

Below is a post from Colorlines titled “Violence Against Migrant Women Won’t End After DSK Case.” This post discusses the way in which global systems of violence make use of women’s bodies. This topic will also be addressed at CALCASA’s Leadership conference, which will include conversations about human trafficking.

Colorlines’ Michelle Chen writes:

The media circus surrounding the Dominique Strauss-Kahn rape case dishes out more drama each day, with a side of lurid fascination. But we basically know how the story ends. The narrative of the immigrant housekeeper allegedly assaulted by a European official perfectly illustrates an axiom of violence and power: the wider the gap between genders and races, the greater the latitude of injustice.*

Although there are countless examples of how this has happened — and is happening — around the world, Chen says that there is hope:

…women themselves are drawing their own battle line on two fronts, calling for empowerment of their communities as well as their own self-determination. …It’s true that systems of violence make excellent use of women’s bodies—as weapons of war, currency for exploitation, or objects of genocide. But the strength borne of that violence can militate against tragedy, when women become the sheer embodiment of survival.

Click to read “Violence Against Migrant Women Won’t End After DSK Case.”

The newest issue of Connections features several articles about commercial sexual exploitation of children. The voice of a survivor (who received services from the Oakland, CA based MISSEY) provides a powerful statement about the experience of sexual exploitation in this excerpt of a poem published in this resource:

All my life I’ve been rejected
All my life I’ve been neglected
All my life I’ve been disrespected
All I ever wanted to be was protected

Other articles include Know the Facts: Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children developed by The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation that provides background on this issue. I like the prevention focus of the article Addressing Demand that highlights 10 steps to demand change including raise awareness, everyday action, advocate for change and keep learning. New York based Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS) describes how to use the Stages of Change model to counsel child victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

Connections is a publication of the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs. Click here to get this issue.

Last week, Sandra Henriquez, CALCASA’s Executive Director, and I had the honor of participating at the national Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault (SCESA)’s institute in Henderson, Nevada, along with 70 women of color advocates from across the nation and US territories.  This institute titled, “Reclaiming Our Movement,” was focused on providing over 25 intensive workshops and forums on prevention, intervention/advocacy, wellness, and professional development.

We had the opportunity to share resources from our respective communities and agencies (such as Green Dot, PreventConnect, Support for Survivors, caucus work, etc.) along with our personal stories and journeys in this movement to end sexual violence.  As women of color, we are often faced with many obstacles and challenges in this movement to serve ALL communities (e.g, communities of color, LGBTQ, Native American, faith, rural,persons with disabilities,  etc.) but struggle  with limited resources to provide these services in a culturally and linguistically appropriate way.   Especially now, with such economic challenges, it even more critical for all of us to evaluate on how we can provide “equal” and quality access to our services for our communities that is inclusive of everyone.

An agency’s greatest resource is its staff.   How you manage those resources can determine if you succeed or fail.   Volunteer Managers play a key role in managing resources; they manage volunteers.  CALCASA’s Statewide Volunteer Management Training – “More Than Just Filling A Shift” will take place in Burbank California on May 25-26, 2011.

This two day training is intended for Volunteer Managers, Volunteer Coordinators or anyone who is responsible for the operations of the volunteer program and or supervision of volunteers at rape crisis centers or dual agencies in California.    Some of the content covered for this training will be:

• Marketing of your volunteer program
• Increasing agency’s capacity to utilize volunteers
• Training content for your volunteer program
• Ways to improve management of volunteers
• Evaluating your volunteer program

Attendees will be active contributors in the learning process by participating in small group activities, providing personal experiences and knowledge, completing project homework, networking and putting learned principles into practice.

Travel Stipends are available for member agencies who will be sending participants to this event.   Stipend applications will be made available to you once you have registered for the training.

To register please click here: Statewide Volunteer Management Training -”More Than Just A Shift”

For more information regarding  CALCASA’s Statewide Volunteer Managmeent Training -”More Than Just Filling A Shift” or Nuestras Voces, Nuestro Idioma: Creando Un Entrenamiento Bilingüe (majority of this training will be in Spanish)contact Kavin Black at kavin@calcasa.org or (916)446-2520 x 305.

In year’s past CALCASA has had various trainings for Volunteer Manager and Volunteer Coordniators.  However, this is the first year that we are having a bilingual Spanish speaking training.  On March 24, 2011  in Burbank, California CALCASA will have Nuestras Voces, Nuestro Idioma: Creando Un Entrenamiento Bilingüe.  This training is intended for California rape crisis center and dual program staff that speak Spanish and want to build a bilingual volunteer training program at their agency to access the diversity of volunteers in their community to address the needs of Spanish speaking surviovrs of sexual assault. To register for this event go to Bilingual Training.  For more information regarding this training please contact Kavin Black at (916) 446-2520 x305 or kavin@calcasa.org.  Once you register for this event you will have access to travel stipend ( scholarship) and other important information.  Registration deadline is May18, 2011.

Feminism For Real: Deconstructing the Academic Industrial Complex

What is feminism?

One answer (articulated in mainstream platforms): Feminism is political, social and economic equality for women!

Another response will include the evolution of feminism in the last century. In some cases, the response will include the elimination of kyriarchy, the intersection of oppressive structures, of various bodies. This goes beyond the notion that only people that self-identify as women or are perceived to be women are oppressed. There is no one form of feminism.

Asking “what is feminism for real” is not a self-indulgent exercise — not when lives are at stake. Rather, it is a responsibility that we share in distributing knowledge, narratives and community resilience. Oppressed communities struggle with feminism while remaining engaged in the movement. The contradiction(s) experienced between theory and practice is a reality that produces outrage, motivation and disappointment (among countless other emotions).

In an effort to document diverse experiences and openly discuss this contradiction, Jessica Yee, a self-identified Two Spirit multi-racial Indigenous hip-hop feminist reproductive justice freedom fighter, edited Feminism For Real: Deconstructing the Academic Industrial Complex of Feminism, an anthology of brilliant and honest essays that examine the complexity of issues surrounding indigenous people, people of color in feminist spaces.

Confronting the sometimes uncomfortable questions feminism has made us ask about what’s going on FOR REAL paved the many paths that brought the contributors of this book together to share their sometimes uncomfortable truths, not just about feminism, but about who they are and where they are coming from.

How is the anti-sexual violence movement integrating feminism, and not perpetuating oppression, into this work, professional and personal relationships, agencies, campuses, communities and across transnational borders?

Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted. As a result, April marks the beginning of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a yearly event that brings about awareness on the issues of sexual assault and rape. In Italy in 1999 , a 45 year-old man was announced by the Italian High Court as “not guilty” after raping an 18 year-old young woman because the court believed that because she was wearing jeans, there was no way he could have raped her without her help taking the jeans off. The court stated: “it is common knowledge…that jeans cannot even be partly removed without the effective help of that person wearing them…and it is impossible if the victim is struggling with all her might.” 

Although a decision later reversed, the outcry from the world created a global phenomenon that sparked the creation of a day where women and men were asked to wear jeans as a a sign of solidarity and support for sexual assault survivors, saying, “it doesn’t matter what you wear, nobody has the right to sexual assault you.”  The day took on many names from “Jeans to Justice” to “Denim Day.” More than a decade later, Peace Over Violence has taken Denim Day in LA to a historic and honorary level. This year, Denim Day in LA continues to gain even more momentum with a kick-off event this month at The Staples Center sponsored by LA City Council, LAUSD, Congresswoman Judy Chu and many others. Join Peace Over Violence this April 27 and be a part of Denim Day in LA. Wear your jeans to show your support.

April is sexual assault awareness month and it is approaching at warp speed.  Rape crisis centers around California and the nation have various events planned.  Rape Crisis Intervention and Prevention in Chico, California is today’s featured agency and is doing their part to increase community awareness around violence against women issues throughout the counties of Butte, Glenn and Tehama.

San Francisco Human Rights Commission issued a report on the challenges experienced by people that self-identify as bisexual.

The San Francisco Human Rights Commission LGBT Advisory Committee released a report on Bisexual Invisibility: Impacts and Recommendations. This is the first government report to examine the issues and challenges that impact individuals that identify as bisexual.

The report begins by recognizing the nuances of self-identification and limitations of language in capturing human behavior and orientation:

“The term bisexual is imperfect at best. It can imply a duality of genders that many people feel erases transgender and gender-variant people. For others, it connotes a requirement of an exact balance between someone’s attractions for women and men…For others, it connotes a requirement of an exact balance between someone’s attractions for women and men…At this time, there is no clear ‘best practice’ for terminology that fully honors gender diversity while not reinscribing invisibility or nonmonosexuals.”

The report highlights some startling gaps in service provision:

• Bisexuals constitute the largest population within the LGB community, but few services exist to address their specific needs
• Bisexual experience higher rates of hypertension, depression, poor or fair physical health, smoking, risky drinking, and other mood or anxiety disorders
• In 2008 and 2009, not a single grant in the entire country explicitly focused on bisexual issues

The LGBT Advisory Committee offers several recommendations for creating more visibility for bisexuals and bisexual issues in the City and County of San Francisco:

• Educate the public, city departments, and elected officials about inclusive language
• Review the STI brochures offered through San Francisco’s Department of Public Health and, if needed, encourage them to adopt models created by Fenway BiHealth in Boston
• Share this report and the results of the survey of local nonprofits on what bi-specific programming they have
• Include specific, separate information on bisexuality in diversity trainings

To read the full report, click here.

A 14-year-old female honor roll student is being forced to choose between her education or her safety as a result of school district budget cuts. The Twin River Unified School District has decided to discontinue its school bus service that picks students up at predetermined locations and takes them to their local high schools. Without the bus service, the young girl must leave home at 6:30 a.m. — usually before sunrise — to walk approximately 2.4 miles to get to school by 7:30 a.m. On several occasions men have stopped while driving their cars to proposition the young girl regarding sexual acts. Some of these men proceeded to follow her for several blocks hurling insults at her because she ignored and rejected their advances.

The girl informed her mother that she is afraid to walk to school because of the numerous sexual offers being made by older men. The girl wants to stay at home and forgo going to school until a solution can be made that ensures she does not have to tolerate the inappropriate behavior and can feel safe going to and from school.

The mother is feeling helpless because she is blind and has great difficulty walking with  her daughter to school. In addition, the family is on a limited income (below the poverty level for a family of three) and cannot afford the $50 monthly city bus pass that would allow the girl to catch the city bus that is a mile away from her house and would drop her off one block from the school.

This week, the high school is closed due to President’s Week break, but session will resume on Monday February 28, 2011. I told the mom that I would assist them in coming up with  solutions to this problem. If you have any suggestions or advice, please provide it in the comment box below.

With Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) fast approaching, CALCASA wanted to share this great resource for centers to consider as you plan your SAAM activities.  The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) and Arte Sana collaborated to develop a Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Toolkit that highlights the arts to raise awareness about sexual assault.

The toolkit highlights how you can use arts as a tool to engage communities during SAAM and year around. It includes ideas and examples of both visual arts and music. Just as the arts can be therapeutic for survivors of violence, they can also help raise community awareness and engagement.

To download TAASA and Arte Sana’s SAAM Toolkit, click here.

You can also find more information about SAAM here.

Rashida Manjoo, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women

Rashida Manjoo, who was appointed as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women in 2009, is currently in Washington D.C. visiting the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to discuss the high rates of sexual assault that Native women face in the United States.  Made possible by  Clan Star, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the NCAI Task Force on Violence Against Women, Sacred Circle, and the Indian Law Resource Center, this meeting provides Native women survivors, advocates and justice advocates the opportunity to discuss the issue of sexual assault and Native women with Rashida Manjoo.

To learn more about the UN Special Rapporteur Rashida Manjoo’s visit to the U.S., and for more information about the issues related to Native women and sexual assault, you can visit the Clan Star’s website here.

In addition to “other duties as assigned”; recruiting, training, and managing volunteers are primary functions of many Volunteer Managers at rape crisis centers.  The Corporation for National & Community Service collects data on a variety of subject areas regarding volunteering in the United States of America.  Many of the reports compartmentalize the data by state, county, and city.  You can find reports that provide information on volunteering trends, where people volunteer, why people volunteer etc.  This information can be useful in the recruitment of volunteers, marketing your program and sustaining volunteers.

Additional Information

The New Volunteer Workforce

Health Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteering in America 2010 Brief

Volunteering In America 2010 Fact Sheet

At a department store I was involved in a 30 minute fortuitous discussion on the seriousness of sexual assault and stalking.  While in the store I heard a woman screaming “Leave me alone!, You’re embarrassing me!, Please go!, and It’s over!”  I turned to my right and saw three security guards pulling and pushing a twenty something year old male out the doors of the store as the woman continued screaming at him.  The security guards stood outside the store preventing the male from re-entering as the male shouted threats of injury and cursed at them. The woman stood alone for several minutes in the store.  I approached her and ask if there is anything I can do to help.  As she proceeded to talk, 6 other people gathered around.  The woman  indicated that she and this male had been dating for several months, she wanted to discontinue the relationship, but he wanted to continue dating and get engaged to be married.

I informed her that I worked at CALCASA, what CALCASA does and that I could give her several telephone numbers of local crisis centers that could provide services (e.g. advocacy, emergency protective orders). The young woman indicated that she did not need that type of help; after all she has not been raped or battered.  Then she proceeded to describe what he has done:

• One night he drove her to an isolated area in the county and would not drive back to the city until she had sex with him.
• He got drunk at a night club, pushed her to the ground and pulled her by her ankles out of the club across the parking lot and into his vehicle.
• He sits outside of her house, college classes and job for several hours a day watching her.

Once the woman disclosed this information; there began a intense discussion by the 6 customers regarding what she should do.  I was shocked that no one blamed the young lady.  The group placed the blame at the feet of the guy.  The discussion covered reporting to law enforcement, safety planning, her well-being and a super duper “butt kicking” of the guy.  The young lady did not make a report when law enforcement arrived.  One customer indicated that she came to the store  for a sale but left with information to provide to her students; she teaches 11th grade English.

To begin the New Year, CALCASA is unveiling a new page on its website called “Resources and Publications.”  The page will contain electronic versions of publications and other similar items that have been produced by CALCASA staff and/or in partnership with other writers and collaborators.  CALCASA is committed to providing high-quality educational materials that will supplement knowledge for advocates, allies and those who are committed to ending sexual violence.  We hope advocates, agencies and allies will find the information useful and effective. 

On the page, we have just released new updated chapters to our Support for Survivors Training Manual, as well as newer versions of our Information Packet series. These new releases are focused on how advocates, rape crisis centers and allies can support survivors of sexual assault from various underserved and unserved communities, such as LGBT, individuals with disabilities, and immigrants.  There are also two new chapters for the Support for Survivors manual discussing how to support survivors of prison rape and human trafficking.  You can view and download these publications.

To go directly to the Resources and Publications page, just click on this link: http://calcasa.org/calcasas-resources-publications.  If you wish to access the page through our main homepage (www.calcasa.org) just look for the small box on the right side entitled “Resources & Publications.”   Click the “here” link and you will be taken to the Resources and Publications page. 

In addition to publications, CALCASA also has an extensive library with books, videos and magazines. If you’d like to inquire about a listing in the library, please email info@calcasa.org.

Thanks and have a happy New Year!

Family Violence Prevention Fund

Did you know:

• That girls who experienced physical dating violence were 2.8 times more likely to fear the perceived consequences of negotiating condom use than non-abused girls?
• More than one-third (38.8%) of adolescent girls tested for STI/HIV have experience dating violence.
• For adolescent youth, 80%-85% of all pregnancies are unintended.

Identified as reproductive coercion, many young women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) are also experiencing issues with birth control sabotage, pregnancy coercion and sexual coercion. As defined in an earlier post, “Understanding the intersections of reproductive justice and violence against women,” reproductive justice refers to the power to make healthy and informed decisions about our bodies, sexuality and reproduction.

In a briefing held this week at the California Capitol, presented by the Family Violence Prevention Fund and The California Endowment, and sponsored by the Legislative Women’s Caucus and the California Latino Legislative Caucus, Dr. Elizabeth Miller, M.D., Ph.D., of UC Davis made the connection between intimate partner violence and family planning, birth control sabotage, pregnancy pressure, and unintended pregnancies as well as the importance of addressing these issues in health care settings. As noted in the statistics above, young women are faced with many of the underlying layers related to intimate partner violence, layers that they can’t generally identify but do experience. Adolescents are also much more likely to access health care and family planning services before accessing services from a domestic violence or sexual assault agency, so providing health care and family planning centers with the resources to address the issues related to reproductive coercion and its connection to IPV, including sexual violence, is important.

Dr. Miller identified three intervention methods that health care providers may begin to practice:

1. Ask the questions. You can use resources like the FVPF’s Reproductive Health Safety Cards to help ask the questions.
2. Provide options for birth control such as emergency contraception and other safe forms of birth control.
3. Connect with the local domestic violence and sexual assault agencies.

Other organizations such as the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, Vision y Compromiso, and California Latinas for Reproductive Justice also shared how their agencies are working to increase awareness and help link resources for adolescent youth experiencing reproductive coercion and IPV.

For more information about the FVPF’s program and to access resources related to reproductive justice, you can visit the kNOw More project’s site here.

Below are additional resources related to Reproductive Health and IPV:

Policy Brief: Violence Prevention-Rethinking The Standard of Care for Family Panning

Dr. Miller’s: “Making the Connection”

Fact Sheet on Reproductive Health and IPV

State Assembly Report on Unintended Pregnancy

TIME Article: Study on Forced Pregnancy-Help for Women who Face Threat

Jacquie Marroquin & Melanie Berru discuss leadership styles at the A.S.C.E.N.D. Academy.

On the fourth day of the A.S.C.E.N.D. Academy, the trainees (myself included) are focusing on management styles. Jacquie Marroquin and Melanie Berru asked attendees to think about: their first inclinations when they receive a project; how they react under pressure; what feedback they’ve been given about themselves; and what direction seems to best describe you?

Jacquie & Melanie adopted an activity from the Leadership Compass: Deepening Perceptions to Self & Others. I think every organization should have its employees understand the Leadership Compass — I learned a lot about myself and my peers. The Leadership Compass divides leadership styles into four extremes: warrior, healer, visionary and teacher. Of course, individuals identify with components of each style; however, people generally default to a dominant style.

Trainees gathered with people who identified as the same dominant management style. Each group discussed their strengths and weaknesses based on the extreme characteristics of their dominant management style. Then trainees identified their second, third and least dominant management style. In small groups, attendees worked to create a $5,000 campaign — working from their least dominant management style.

Some of the feedback from the groups was that it was possible to work from your least dominant management style if one is open to it. Attendees also realized that they already possessed some of the skills within their least dominant style.

“The goal of today’s workshop — Understanding Your Leadership Style — is to create, nurture and develop consciousness for the students,” Berru said. “To be able to develop consiousness of the community and of self. To be able to look at their role in leadership and the context of anti-oppression. To be able to make sure that we learn to live by a different model.”

Download resources from this presentation:

• Understanding Your Leadership Style
  
• Being an Effective, Knowledgeable Supervisor
  

Harkmore Lee talks to students at the A.S.C.E.N.D. Academy about developing a program budget.

Today at the A.S.C.E.N.D. Academy, we’re talking financial! Harkmore Lee, CALCASA’s Conference Manager, is presenting about developing a program budget. He prefaced his presentation by making it clear that his presentation is only one way to develop a program budget.

Trainees were placed in small groups, and they worked on developing a hypothetical program at a sexual assault agency to which they could apply a budget timeline. For example, one group thought to develop a program that would provide services to Punjabi and Hindi populations. They outlined objectives, outcomes and strategies to develop the program.

Initially, the groups did not apply dollar figures to their program vision, as the point of the exercise was to think about the ideal program without being clouded by financial politics. Then they were asked to think about how dollar discussions could change their programs.

“How is that money influencing the decisions that you’re making and who are you impacting?” Harkmore said. “Yesterday’s discussion dealt a lot with anti-oppression work. The places in the movement where we see oppression occurs in the dollar. The reality is that people don’t get some of this anti-oppression stuff. That’s why yesterday’s discussion was important because, in the end, people get excluded because the money factor kicks in.”

The trainees walked through eight steps to create a program budget. Again, the following steps are one way of doing so:

1. Determine timeline to complete the program budget.
2. Identify program’s key objectives or target goals.
3. Determine the program’s outcomes and the strategies/tasks needed to achieve the outcomes.
4. Identify the budget format your agency utilizes for its fiscal year.
5. Identify the expenses associated with these tasks and estimate the values over the course of the fiscal year.
6. Identify potential funds to cover these program costs and estimate the amounts available.
7. Seek preliminary approval by Executive Director and await final decision by Board of Directors.
8. YEA! Board approves. Be ready to execute and monitor program budget.

Download resources from this presentation:

• PowerPoint presentation about preparing a program budget.
• PowerPoint presentation about managing a grant.
• Sample Grant Track Sheet
• Sample Budget Worksheet
• Sample Budget Worksheet (Blank)
• Sample Budget Worksheet II (Blank)

Yolanda Gotier, Executive Director of Alternatives to Family Violence, talks to A.S.C.E.N.D. trainees about managing an agency from an anti-oppression framework.

Today is the second day of the A.S.C.E.N.D. Academy, and the focus of the morning is managing from an anti-oppression framework. The facilitator is Yolanda Gotier, executive director Alternatives to Family Violence in Colorado.

This morning, the trainees are working in small groups to talk about anti- “isms.” Each group was assigned a different “ism:” anti-racism, anti-ablism, anti-ageism, anti-sexism, anti-heterosexism and class oppression. Then, each team was tasked with defining its particular “ism” and  creating a work plan to address the “ism” within the workplace.

Yolanda talked about the importance of anti-oppression work for meeting the needs of clients within rape crisis centers. She said that if agencies aren’t meeting client needs, those clients will go somewhere else to find what they need. And she added that this anti- “ism” work can’t be done in silos, but it has to be holistic work.

“I can’t to anti-oppression work only at work and make it real,” she said. “I have to call it when I see it — when I’m in an environment that makes me very uncomfortable. As a leader, I need people around me who will lovingly tell me, ‘I don’t think so. Have you thought about? Did you do _____?”

At the end of the morning session, Yolanda asked this question to the group: If I had to come to my agency to receive services, would I stay or would I go?

I think this is a great question for all agencies who are doing the work to end sexual violence. Even if your workplace doesn’t provide direct services, would you feel welcomed at your agency? Feedback please!

Download resources from this presentation:

• Developing an Effective Program That Serves Your Entire Community
• One Size Does Not Fit All: Managing from an Anti-Oppression Framework

Executive Director Sandra Henriquez and Associate Director Ellen Yin-Wycoff kick off the first day of the A.S.C.E.N.D. Acedemy in Pacifica, Calif.

People who work in anti-sexual violence agencies understand that each staff person is a part of a movement. Given that this is a movement to end sexual violence, this means that change is vital to successfully achieve its philosophies and missions.

Right now, I am sitting in Pacifica, Calif., in a room filled with 25 changemakers — future leaders in the movement to end sexual violence. The attendees come from sexual assault agencies across the state of California, and they are in Pacifica for the 5-day A.S.C.E.N.D. Academy (Advocates Strengthened and Cultivated into Empowered New Directors).  Trainees shared who they admire as a leader and answers included current executive directors, mothers and historical figures.

CALCASA’s Executive Director Sandra Henriquez and Associate Director Ellen Yin-Wycoff started the training by talking about their experience in this movement. Each of them have been in the movement since 1985, and one of the big questions that continues to come up is: “How do I go about planning for the next leader? How do I train the next leader to come and take over our positions?” The A.S.C.E.N.D. Academy is fostering the skills for such leaders.

Some of the learning objectives that will be covered during the next week are:

1. Understand the importance of developing skilled, new, effective leaders in the field today.
2. Develop a solid understanding of anti-oppression work and how it is utilized in managing programs and staff within the sexual assault field.
3. Create and manage a new program.
4. Develop and manage a basic program budget.
5. Understand the importance of managing program grants and meeting grant objectives and reporting deadlines.
6. Gain a clearer understanding of one’s leadership style and develop key strategies on how to successfully manage and supervise people.

Currently, trainees are in small groups, and they are discussing the barriers and challenges for leaders in underserved communities. As potential future leaders in this field, this mindfulness can build each trainee’s cultural awareness, equipping her/him with the cognizance to create opportunities for other leaders in underserved communities.

In June 2008 CALCASA had a clinical training for therapists.  Forty (40) therapists from California rape crisis centers that held MSW, LCSW or MFCC degrees received training on multiple aspects of working with sexual assault survivors.  At that time not all rape crisis centers used therapists to provide services; some agencies solely used the peer counseling model to provide crisis intervention services and others used both therapy and peer counseling.

In 2010 there are an increased number of crisis centers that have discontinued therapeutic services at their agency due to the economic cost of having staff therapists, maintaining their licenses and or providing on-going qualified supervision.

What centers have done and are doing is using the peer counseling model to provide crisis services to survivors.  Peer Counseling is nothing new and is a basic requirement of California Emergency Management Agency (they provide funding to all California rape crisis centers); if you are providing therapy or not.  Depending on the rape crisis center, management, and board philosophy; agencies have reasons why they use therapists to provide services, why they only use peer counselors or a combination of both.

Does your organization utilize peer counseling, therapy, or both to provide services?  What do you think are the benefits or limitations to how your organization provides services?  Please use the comment box below to answer these questions.

Next week I will review the various ways to provide therapeutic services at your agency without it being as costly as you might think. (See next week’s blog “Therapeutic Ways”)

Check out this news story about CALCASA member agency Coalition to End Family Violence‘s recent fundraising event: the Ink for a Cause Tattoo Convention held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

Lupe Gonzalez, rape prevention and education supervisor of the Coalition to End Family Violence, which had a booth amid the many tattoo and piercing artists, said the event is a great way to get the group’s message out into the community. “It makes us more a part of the community instead of just being a place to go when there are problems,” Gonzales said.

Oakland, CA – On Friday, November 5th, the 13th Artists Against Rape, organized by the San Francisco Women Against Rape (SFWAR) and the California Coalition for Women Prisoners, filled the First Congregational Church in Oakland with art, food and artists from across the country to speak out against sexual assault.

“We survive and more than that we thrive, ” noted Ericka Huggins, a poet, organizer, and professor of Women’s Studies at California State University, East Bay, who served as the event’s emcee.  As a space for healing and transformation, the night began with an invocation and ancestral remembrance by Lisa Thomas-Adyemo and Niralli D’Costa where the audience named survivors and victims of sexual violence.  ”In remembering, we rise” rings true when identifying individuals and communities whose stories have been silenced/ignored/disregarded.  The evening called to transform the silence into a powerful, collective voice comprised of unique histories that not only survive but thrive.

Through visual art, poetry, music, and dance, the evening showcased the experiences of various communities including women of color as well as queer-identified individuals in prison thanks to an amazing collective known as Black and Pink.  The raw performances were at times unsettling for their vivid descriptions of the horrific violence endured. And yet, the poignant performances were filled with resounding hope.

The night ended with representatives of SFWAR and the California Coalition For Women Prisoners sharing with the audience the great work they do year round and how people can participate, which ultimately echoed Ericka’s suggestion to, “listen with your heart and focus on what you can do” to end violence.  Because aren’t compassion and action at the very core of social change?

National Coalition of Anti-Violence Program

On October 26, 2010, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs released the Report on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence in the United States in 2009.

Key findings include:

• “Total reported cases are up in light of decrease in staff/organizational services available to provide services and report on the data;
• Reported incidents of LGBTQ domestic/intimate partner violence are increasingly deadly;
• Young adults make up 1/3 of reported cases
• Barriers to reporting and accessing services may have increased for undocumented immigrants;
• Reports to police are up, but so are reports of police misconduct and missarrest” (NCAVP 2010)

The report also provides recommendations to policy makers as well as to community organizations and service providers to make LGBTQ inclusive policies and organizational programming an integral part of the systems approach to combat violence.

Media Release for the Report on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence in the United States in 2009

Full Report on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence in the United States in 2009

CALCASA has just added to its library the DVD THE LINE. This film asks the question: Where is the line defining consent? Told through a “sex-positive” lens, it is a 24-minute documentary about a young woman who is raped, but her story isn’t cut and dry. She’s not a “perfect victim” and decides to confront her attacker, recording the conversation with a hidden camera. The documentary includes discussions about justice, accountability and “rape culture” from sex workers, survivors and activists.

The filmmaker, Nancy Schwartzman, screened this film at the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference.

If you work for a California rape crisis center that is a member of CALCASA, and are interested in checking out this film from our library, please email info@calcasa.org.

Today — Oct. 1 — marks the first day of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Although CALCASA’s primary membership is the 85 rape crisis centers and rape prevention programs in the state, the issue of domestic violence is not mutually exclusive to ending sexual assault. CALCASA’s membership includes dual agencies, which provide crisis intervention services to members of the community that have experienced domestic violence or have been sexually assaulted.

To raise awareness about domestic violence, the Sacramento community will join together on Monday, Oct. 25 at 3:04 p.m. to take a break in an effort to Break the Silence on Domestic Violence. At the appointed hour, the city sidewalks of Sacramento will fill with a sea of purple as community members leave their offices to walk around the block in remembrance of survivors of domestic violence. Oct. 25 represents the 25 percent of women who will experience interpersonal violence in her lifetime.

Community members are also invited to unite in support. Here’s how:

1. Visit WEAVE’s website and sign a pledge to commit your participation to this momentous event.
2. On Monday, Oct. 25, wear purple — the color of domestic violence awareness.
3. At 3:04 p.m. that day, take a short break and walk around the block in solidarity with others to remember those who have survived domestic violence.

“This is an easy way for people to get involved,” says Beth Hassett, WEAVE Executive Director. “Grab your office mates and take a short break. When you step outside your office door, we hope you’ll see other people wearing purple and walking in solidarity from work places and homes near yours. It’s a simple act, but we’re hoping the impact will demonstrate just how many people are affected by domestic violence in our community.”

For details about the event and to make your pledge, visit www.weaveinc.org.

@ www.glogster.com

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) has released the their latest resource focusing on working with survivors of sexual violence in later life.  The publication, “Sexual Violence in Later Life: A Technical Assistance Guide for Advocates”, contains information and resources that could be of assistance to advocates in the field.

People in later life, as with other under-served communities, are at higher risks of sexual violence because or their vulnerability and dependence on others.  Considered a form of Elder Abuse, people in later life are likely to fall victims to those who are charged with caring for them, family members, resident care givers, institutional care givers and intimate partners. People in later life are also vulnerable because many may suffer with issues of dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other cognitive and physical ailments, which can make it difficult for them to report the abuse or for health care providers to identify the signs of sexual abuse.

To read more about sexual violence in later life and resources available for advocates, you can download the publication here. You can also visit the NSVRC website here for more information.

Are you one of those employees that wear several hats within the agency ?  On a daily basis you display your multiplicity of skills by doing many things and doing them well.  You perform your job without hesitation or complaining and are motivated to help clients and support the agency’s mission. 

Yes I am talking to you, the one that skips lunch to sit with a client in anticipation of their court hearing at 1:30 p.m.  Yes you, the one that handles all of the bilingual crisis calls, translates handouts and brochures into Spanish, does the Spanish radio and television interviews, in addition to handling your English speaking client caseload.  Yes you, the one that comes to the office on the weekend in preparation to provide training to all the juniors and senior government classes at the local high school.  Yes you, the one that stays up until 2:00 a.m. to write and submit that foundation or government grant that will hopefully offset the agency budget cuts from the state.  And I am definitely talking to you, the one that responds to the hospital at 3:00 a.m. for the rape survivor, stays until the exam is over and the survivor is released, then returns home to get ready to be at work by 8:00 a.m. 

Yes all of you, the dedicated staff of California rape crisis centers.  You have gone beyond the call of duty on so many occasions that it has become the norm instead of the exception to the rule. 

This behavior that you display while admirable on many levels can have a negative effect on you physically and emotionally.  In order to be an effective resource for survivors of sexual assault you need to give some critical attention to your self care.  CALCASA has continually stressed the importance of trauma stewardship for crisis center staff.  In February 2010, CALCASA held a Trauma Stewardship one day training in Pacifica, California.  We also distributed a book to every California rape crisis center written by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky titled “An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others”.  In addition, CALCASA designed an entire Wellness Track at the National Sexual Assault Conference in September 2010 that was sponsored by the Joyful Heart Foundation.  Some of the workshops from the Wellness Track were:

• Self-Care Tools for Everyone! – Breathing, Yoga and Writing
• Creative Expression for releasing, transforming and healing
• Techniques for Self Massage
• Core Fusion
• The Joy Diet (Self-Care for Advocates)

 The internal calling of a heart for service to help survivors can be strong.  The alarm of self preservation to have a healthy work life balance should be just as strong.  I talked about the importance of work life balance in an post I wrote last year titled “Life is a Balancing Act”.   Having a balance between work and life can restore some harmony to your life and reduce stress.  Take a “time out” to enjoy the blessing in your life.  I coach my son’s under 6 soccer team and my daughter’s under 10 soccer team; that is one of my releases and pleasures in life.  Please share in the comment box below what you do to take care of yourself and establish or try to find that healthy work life balance.  Remember, it is okay to  hang up some of those hats that you wear from time to time.

At this years National Sexual Assault Conference in Hollywood, CA, CALCASA hosted a variety of workshops dedicated to Intervention/Advocacy for advocates working with survivors of sexual violence. One of those workshops was Healing Child Sexual Abuse Through Qigong.

Presenter: Gayook Wong

Qigong is a 4,000 year-old Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) alternative modality. Taught as a meditative exercise, it simultaneously balances and heals core issues in the mind, body and spirit. Qigong not only alleviates and many times eliminates PTSD from child sexual abuse, but it is effective with all kinds of trauma. You can find more information about Gayook Wong’s work here.

You can download the handout for this workshop here. You can also access a bibliography of helpful resources related to Qigong here.

To view a complete list of workshops, speakers and information related to the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference, click here.

During the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference which took place in Hollywood, California on September 1 -3, 2010, there were more than 80 workshops.  The Leadership Development Track featured Leadership Roundtable Discussions. 

The purpose of the Leadership Roundtable Discussions were to provide an opportunity for each participant affinity group to have an open, honest, and most of all safe space to discuss the issues of leadership from a personal community and organizational framework.  Each group was co-facilitated by a local sexual assault provider and / or a national technical assistance provider.

Leadership Roundtable: African American Communities

Co-facilitators: Luz Marquez – Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault (SCESA) and Val Ferguson – Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault (SCESA)

At this years National Sexual Assault Conference in Hollywood, CA, CALCASA hosted a variety of workshops dedicated to Intervention/Advocacy for advocates working with survivors of sexual violence. Among these workshops was a session entitled: Engaging Community and Systems to Build a Rural Sexual Assault Program.

This workshop provided attendees with a background on the key steps necessary to establish a sexual assault program in a rural community. Attendees learned about the unique challenges in a rural community, as well as innovative models created to establish services in two rural communities. Attendees took a walk in the shoes of a survivor from a rural community to better understand the unique challenges, as well as understand the impact of the community and systems response.

Presenters:

• Alison Jones-Lockwood-Director of Advocacy & Outreach Services, Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA)

You can access the power point for this workshop here.

To view a complete list of workshops, speakers and information related to the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference, click here.

At this years National Sexual Assault Conference in Hollywood, CA, CALCASA hosted a variety of workshops dedicated to Intervention/Advocacy for advocates working with survivors of sexual violence. Among those workshops was Building an Accessible and Safe World: Safety Planning for People with Disabilities.

Does your program offer accessible advocacy services for persons with disabilities? Using the Advocate Guide to Safety Planning for Persons with Disabilities, participants:

1. Learned unique barriers facing survivors with disabilities and in the Deaf community
2. Acquired techniques for safety planning
3. Practiced using the guide Beginning in 2006 through today.

The Safety First Initiative is funded by the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. Development of the OVW approved Advocate Guide stems from the belief that all Safety First activities and products should promote sustainable systems change with focus on changing organizational culture and fostering change in both survivor services and disability services.

Presenters:

• Angie Blumel – Director of Community Relations, MOCSA
• Lisa Fleming, MSW – Chief Operating Officer, Rose Brooks Center

You can download the handouts for this workshop below:

• Safety Planning for Persons with Disabilities
• Advocate Guide

To view a complete list of workshops, speakers and information related to the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference, click here.

Just Detention International - Portraits of Courage (Photographs by James Stenson)

At this years National Sexual Assault Conference in Hollywood, CA, CALCASA hosted a variety of workshops dedicated to Intervention/Advocacy for advocates working with survivors of sexual violence. Among these workshops was a track dedicated to eliminating prison rape, sponsored by Just Detention International. This track consisted of 3 workshops, one of which was titled: Conversations with Survivors of Sexual Abuse Behind Bars: A Multimedia Presentation

This interactive workshop focused on the real-life experiences of survivors of sexual abuse behind bars to increase awareness of the complex issues surrounding this widespread, but often hidden, violence and identified best practices for working with this population of survivors. Attendees had the opportunity to listen to survivors’ first-hand accounts and participated in a panel discussion with rape crisis counselors experienced in working with survivors of sexual abuse behind bars

Presenters:

• Christine Kregg: Survivor Outreach Associate, Just Detention International
• Sergeant Charles Contreras: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
• Lieutenant Maurice Dunlap: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
• Norma Riedman: California Department of Corrections
• Troy Erik Isaac: Survivor; Executive Director, Hands On Advocacy Group
• Frank Mendoza: Survivor
• Debora Monroe-Heaps: Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center (Riverside, CA)

You can download the power point slides for this workshop here.

To view a complete list of workshops, speakers and information related to the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference, click here.

During the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference which took place in Hollywood, California on September 1 -3, 2010, there were more than 80 workshops.  The Leadership Development Track featured Leadership Roundtable Discussions. 

The purpose of the Leadership Roundtable Discussions were to provide an opportunity for each participant affinity group to have an open, honest, and most of all safe space to discuss the issues of leadership from a personal community and organizational framework.  Each group was co-facilitated by a local sexual assault provider and / or a national technical assistance provider.

Leadership Roundtable: Persons with Disabilities

Co-facilitators:  Charity Hope – Vera Institute, Jessie Towne Cardensas – Center for Communities Solution, and Cema Mastroleo – SafePlace

At this years National Sexual Assault Conference in Hollywood, CA, CALCASA hosted a variety of workshops dedicated to Intervention/Advocacy for advocates working with survivors of  sexual violence. Among these workshops was a two-part session entitled: Building Sexual Assault Advocacy: Key Competencies (Part 1 and 2)

Strong advocacy practice starts with knowing yourself and understanding the key competencies of advocacy. In this workshop, assessments showed the strengths you bring to helping survivors. It provides the base for a personal plan to grow as an advocate. We discussed challenges of advocacy and collaborated on strategies to strengthen sexual assault services, with a focus on dual/multi-service agencies. Advocates left with strategies for effective advocacy and a personal action plan.

Presenters:

• Kris Bein: Rural TA Specialist, Resource Sharing Project (RSP)
• Sally Laskey: Associate Director, National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)

You can download the power point slides for this workshop here, as well as the Personal Advocacy Action Plan and the Personal Assessment for Advocates.

To view a complete list of workshops, speakers and information related to the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference, click here.

Just Detention International

At this years National Sexual Assault Conference in Hollywood, CA, CALCASA hosted a variety of workshops dedicated to Intervention/Advocacy for advocates working with survivors of sexual violence. Among these workshops was a track dedicated to eliminating prison rape, sponsored by Just Detention International.   This track consisted of 3 workshops, one of which was titled: Working with Department of Corrections to Eliminate Prison Rape: Establishing Institutional SARTs.

Sexual violence in the prison setting is one of the more destructive forms of sexual violence due to many different dynamics. This workshop focused on these dynamics and lessons learned from the work in PA, focusing on the following. 1. Working with the DOC and lessons learned from this collaboration. 2. What an institutional based SART looks like and how it functions. 3. How high level case review of sexual assault cases has improved responses. 4. How to incorporate local sexual assault advocates into the corrections system to meet the needs of incarcerated victims. 5. How sexual assault of inmates and the prison culture is vastly different between male and female inmates. Specifically there are three areas that meaningfully impact life and culture within women’s prisons that were focused on: 1. Social and cultural backgrounds of incarcerated women 2. Pseudo families that develop in prison 3. Prison sexuality, including consensual and non-consensual behaviors.

Presenters:

• Jennifer Feicht: Independent Consultant
• Hallie Martyniuk: Independent Consultant

You can download the power point slides for this workshop here.

To view a complete list of workshops, speakers and information related to the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference, click here.

DOWG Members: Lita, Jacquie, Tiombe, Alena

When someone says “You really should have been there” or “You missed a wonderful event”.  This is truly accurate when referring to the 2010 CALCASA Statewide Pre-Conference.  On the first day, CALCASA was deliberate in having a plenary discussion that addressed inclusive leadership for the next generation.  This plenary was facilitated by the CALCASA Dismantling Oppression Work Group (DOWG).  DOWG’s intention at this statewide plenary was to seed conversation in preparing California rape crisis centers to develop inclusive leadership for the next generation of advocates and to provide tools to support participants in becoming strong allies committed to organizations, programs, and services. Participants in this plenary where actively involved in trying to achieve the following objectives:

• Learn and practice a common, social-justice language of equity and alliance.
• To deepen practical understanding of how inequity impacts leadership opportunities.
• To critically analyze current succession planning efforts.
• To use a transition framework to harness creative, inclusive leadership development.

The DOWG was established in 2005 by a small group of activist from the CALCASA Council and membership organizations who perceived a critical need to address issues of oppression and equity within the movement to end sexual violence.  The DOWG consist of a five person panel: Lita Mercado, Jacquie Marroquin, Alena Marie, Tiombe Preston, and Allan Creighton.  The DOWG participated as or were primary trainers at the following events:

• CALCASA Social Justice and Inclusion
• CALCASA Executive Director Meeting
• 2010 CALCASA Statewide Pre-Conference
• 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference

To find out more information about DOWG and or CALCASA trainings, please contact Kavin Black at CALCASA – kavin@calcasa.org or (916)446-2520 ext 305.  Please provide comments in the box below regarding this article

At this years National Sexual Assault Conference in Hollywood, CA, CALCASA hosted a variety of workshops dedicated to Intervention/Advocacy for advocates working with survivors of sexual violence. Among these workshops was a session entitled: Developing & Implementing A Personal Safety Curriculum for Children With Developmental Disabilities

Children with autism spectrum disorder are considered by some as unreachable regarding their ability to recognize sexual abuse. Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) is empowering children with autism spectrum disorder. NOVA developed a personal safety curriculum specifically designed for children with autism spectrum disorder, ages 7 to 12. This advanced training included: research, first steps, collaboration, funding, curriculum replication, community awareness, successes, lessons learned, and implementation.

Presenters:

• Mary Worthington: Prevention Educator, NOVA
• Mary Richter: Prevention Educator, NOVA

The materials for this workshop are below:

Personal Safety Planning for Children with Developmental Disabilities – Power point

NSAC Handout

To view a complete list of workshops, speakers and information related to the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference, click here.

Just Detention International

At this years National Sexual Assault Conference in Hollywood, CA, CALCASA hosted a variety of workshops dedicated to Intervention/Advocacy for advocates working with survivors of sexual violence. Among these workshops was a track dedicated to eliminating prison rape, sponsored by Just Detention International (JDI). This track consisted of 3 workshops, one of which was titled: Addressing Sexual Violence in Detention: the Paths to Recovery Model

Drawing upon the innovative Paths to Recovery program, which provides confidential rape crisis counseling to survivors of sexual assault at two large California state prisons, this workshop offered a model for how community rape crisis centers can implement similar programs in correctional facilities nationwide. Participants learned best practices and practical skills for providing services to this population of survivors and how to form effective partnerships with corrections officials.

Presenters:

• Linda McFarlane: Deputy Executive Director, Just Detention International (JDI)
• Karin Stone: Project Director, Women’s Center-High Desert, Inc. (Ridgecrest, CA)
• Sergeant Charles Contreras: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
• Lieutenant Maurice Dunlap: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
• Debora Monroe-Heaps: Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center (Riverside, CA)

Below are materials from this workshop:

The Paths to Recovery Model – Power Point

Hope for Healing: Information for Survivors of Sexual Assault in Detention

Fact Sheet: The Basics about Sexual Abuse in U.S. Detention

Fact Sheet: Mental Health Consequences of Sexual Violence in Detention

Fact Sheet: LGBTQ Detainees Chief Targets of Sexual Abuse in Detention

To view a complete list of workshops, speakers and information related to the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference, click here.

At this years National Sexual Assault Conference in Hollywood, CA, CALCASA hosted a variety of workshops dedicated to Intervention/Advocacy for advocates working with survivors of sexual violence. Among these workshops was a session entitled:  Circle of Hope: Facilitating Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Support Groups.

Support groups are effective and powerful interventions for reducing isolation and increasing self-efficacy among survivors of Intimate Partner Sexual Violence (IPSV). This practical workshop introduced a curriculum specific to IPSV support groups, with activities that may be incorporated into more general sexual assault groups.

Presenters:

• Jennifer Levy-Peck, PhD – Program Management Specialist, Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (WCSAP)
  
• Trisha Smith – Advocacy Specialist, Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (WCSAP)
  

Below are some materials from this workshop:

Workshop Overview

Leadership for a Successful Support Group

Intimate Partner Sexual Assault Support Group Guide

To view a complete list of workshops, speakers and information related to the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference, click here.

Uploading photographs or videos from your smart phone or digital camera to the internet has become as common place as taking a breathe.  Photographs are shared with family, friends and strangers displaying moments in your life.  You share photos and videos of your pets, your children, that weekend in Tijuana, or that wonderful dessert you baked that has all the flavor and absolutely no calories.

When you upload those photos or videos to the internet, you may be sharing more than special moments.  You may be unwillingly giving a complete stranger a way to find where you work, live, and play through geotagging.

Many smart phones and digital cameras have built in Global Positioning Systems (GPS) chips.  When a photo or video is taken from these devices, it is embedded with data that stores the longitude, latitude, and sometimes altitude, bearing and distance of where the picture was taken.  This data is not seen in the photo but is stored in the metadata and can be read by devices or websites with software that has the capability to process the information.  In other words, geotagging can tell the user the location of the content of a given picture or video.

Geotagging has become a topic of debate for people that have concerns about their safety and privacy as well as for people that see the benefits of  the application.

Smart phones and digital cameras that have GPS have a means by which the geotagging feature can be disabled.  The procedure for turning off geotagging is not the same on every device and can usually be found within layers and layers of the menu.  Beware that disabling this function on your device may cause other features to become inoperable.

To read more about geotagging go to;

The New York Times – Web Photos that Reveal Secrets

MSN – Geotagging Goes Mainstream

What is geotagging

Lesbian relationships, like those that do not appear to adhere to the white heterosexual middle-class norms, have been misrepresented by the mainstream in the United States for decades.  Similarly, sexual violence has also been grossly misrepresented by the media.  Violence within lesbian communities more so.

The U.S. mainstream media features stories about lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer (LGBTQ) communities through such mediums as:

(1) characters on scripted and reality shows;

(2) marriage for same-sex couples has become a rallying cry for mainstream LGBTQ organizations (which is not indicative nor reflective of the diversity of behaviors and opinions around state regulation of queer relationships) and;

(3) legislative efforts suggest the United States provides legal protections for individuals that self-identify as or are perceived to be LGBTQ when targeted in acts of violence

An article in The Washington Post describing an abusive relationship in the political circle of Washington, D.C. reminds us of the tremendous work we have in dismantling stereotypes and re/constructing narratives.  Judge Russell F. Canan sentenced Taylar Nuevelle, 41, to the maximum sentence under the court’s guidelines of 5 1/2 years for domestic violence of a her former partner, Judge Janet Albert.  In February 2010, a jury found Nuevelle guilty of stalking Judge Albert.

Merely having media representation of queer individuals and/or relationships mirrors what Sarah Schulman in Ties That Bind: Familial Homophobia and Its Consequences refers to as “falsely cod[ing] that work as progressive.  But, if the actual meaning and content of the specific representation is examined, many of these representations are retrograde” (2009).

What does the media articulate as suitable for public consumption?  The article lacks context surrounding domestic violence and stalking in lesbian relationships.  Such a gap further reinforces the second-class treatment the media deploys by portraying queer* relationships and/or individuals as pathological or lesser than heterosexual rather than using the opportunity to draw attention to unhealthy and unsafe relationships.  Mentioning the emotional trauma experienced by Judge Albert as a result of the abusive relationship does not make up for the lack of context, especially when choosing to end the article by quoting Nuevelle’s attorney, “The lesson of this is don’t have a bad breakup with a lesbian judge. It means you go to jail for 5 1/2 years.”

In other words, abusive relationships go unnoticed unless one person in the relationship holds a position in court?  Abusive relationships are the norm and should continue to go unnoticed, unreported, and therefore unchanged, otherwise people are punished?  Latif Doman, Nuevelle’s attorney, seems to discourage readers/public from challenging relationship norms.  For those of us in the field of ending gender-based/sexual violence, Mr. Doman reminds us of the importance in developing partnerships with allies including attorneys, judges, law enforcement and journalists so as to counter the victim-blaming narrative so often portrayed in the media and legal system.  Reframing the narrative of relationship violence is critical work when prosecuting perpetrators/abusers and protecting survivors as a means of intervention.

*In this post, I used queer as an umbrella term to refer to individuals and/or relationships that are not defined or self-identified as heterosexual.

It’s almost here, CALCASA’s 2010 Statewide Pre-Conference and the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference (NSAC) in Hollywood, beginning Aug. 30 through Sep. 3. As we work on the final details of both conferences, we are excited to report that CALCASA was able to support CA Rape Crisis Center Staff in attending both conferences by providing about 120 scholarships!

Scholarship were made available to current 2010 CALCASA Member Rape Crisis Centers, and CalEMA grant recipients, to help support their participation at both conferences this year. Scholarships will cover participant’s travel costs as well as limited, discounted registration fees. All scholarships are on a reimbursement basis and about 55 CA Rape Crisis Centers accessed scholarships for staff to attend.

We are excited to have CA Rape Crisis Center Staff attend both conferences and hope that these events will provide opportunities to learn, network and simply have a great time meeting new people. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Since the National Sexual Assault Conference (NSAC) is going to be in the Movie Capital of the World — Hollywood, Calif. — it’s only fitting to include a Film Festival as a component of the conference.

The full lineup is yet to be released, but I can say who will be opening and closing the festival. On Wednesday, Steve Rosen and Terri DeBono will be showing their film Boyhood Shadows. They will show a film that follows the journey of a man named Glenn Kulik, revealing a story that began as a young boy under the power of a sexual predator. The story chronicles Glenn’s struggle as he tries to make sense of his life as a youngster, keeping his secret and shame inside, promising to tell no one.

Glenn, along with other crew from the film, will be at the festival to discuss the making of the film, its message and why it’s so important for survivors to speak out.

The last film to screen at NSAC is Nancy Schwartzman‘s THE LINE. This film asks the question: Where is the line defining consent? Told through a “sex-positive” lens, it is a 24 minute documentary about a young woman who is raped, but her story isn’t cut and dry. She’s not a “perfect victim” and decides to confront her attacker, recording the conversation with a hidden camera. The documentary includes discussions about justice, accountability and “rape culture” from sex workers, survivors and activists.

The NSAC film festival will be sure to incite emotional conversations, artistic discussions and bring to light difficult realities that conference attendees are working to change.

Earlier this week, a colleague forwarded me “Surprise! Immigration is a Woman’s Issue” written by Gloria Steinem and Pramila Jayapal with the Women’s Media Center.  Steinam and Pramila argue that immigration is a woman’s issue because women and children are severely impacted by workplace discrimination, gender-based/sexual violence, a backlogged immigration system, and ineligibility for various services including health insurance.  The authors challenge the country’s inaccurate portrayal of immigrants benefiting from the resources in the United States by shedding light about how recent immigrants are impacted by systematic factors.

Some key points from the article include:

• “Many female immigrants are fleeing domestic violence, female genital mutilation, and other human rights abuses against females in their own countries.  Female immigrants are much more likely to have been the victims of violence than to be its perpetrators — just as are females in general.
• Female immigrants suffer even more workplace wage discrimination than do their male counterparts. The threat of deportation makes them fearful of reporting sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence and other punishments that are overwhelmingly female.
• Women and children make up more than 90% of the thousands of unwilling immigrants brought here every year by sex traffickers, yet such victims are far more likely to end up in prison than are the traffickers.
• The average immigrant woman is better educated than her male counterpart, even when both are in low-paying jobs. Women are also more likely to be students in English language classes – many classrooms are as much as 70% female – because they want to instruct or to keep up with their children.
• Though immigrants who are permanent legal residents pay the same taxes as do citizens, they are not allowed to receive Medicaid for five years. This punishes women disproportionately because they are child bearers and caregivers It also endangers the public in general by reducing the level of health in schools and workplaces. Nonetheless, this prohibition was enshrined in the recent healthcare reform bill.”

How do we integrate this knowledge into our prevention and intervention efforts to end sexual violence on campus?  The relevance isn’t only for institutions with large immigrant student populations, but for all campuses given that a cornerstone of higher education is to further prepare students in our increasingly diverse community.  Institutions need to, if they haven’t already, assessed their outreach, service delivery, campus security, response protocol, and disciplinary policies for accessibility to underserved communities.

Sexual violence is hugely under-reported throughout the United States.  To combat sexual violence, it is critical to work with partners and allies in order to create a more inclusive campus environment.  That community-level work, however, starts first on an individual basis, whereby one self-reflects and assesses one’s own awareness and biases around immigration, privilege, and history.

Resources

• Immigrant Women and Sexual Violence
• National Network to End Sexual Violence Against Immigrant Women
• Multicultural Efforts to End Sexual Violence at Purdue University
• Disposable Domestics: Immigrant Women Workers in the Global Factory by Grace Chang

If you have resources relating to immigrant women and sexual violence, please post them or contact us so we can share the information on our website by emailing livia@calcasa.org.

Have you ever wished you could give more than just kind words of appreciation to that special individual who is doing an outstanding job at your local California rape crisis center?  Here is your opportunity to do so.  CALCASA is accepting nominations for its 2010 Member Recognition Awards.

  You can nominate individuals for the following categories:

• Outstanding Board Member
• Outstanding Executive Director or Sexual Assault Program Director
• Outstanding Intervention Staff or Volunteer
• Outstanding Prevention Staff or Volunteer

This is the 6th year that award winners will be honored at the CALCASA Annual Meeting that will take place at the Renaissance Hotel and Spa in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM.  What makes this event so wonderful is that recipients will be honored by their peers.  In addition, winners in each category will receive:

• Free travel to the CALCASA Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, CA.
• Free lodging.
• Complimentary Statewide Pre-Conference and National Sexual Assault Conference registration.
• A personal award.

To see specific rules and criteria for nominating someone, please download the 2010 CALCASA Nomination Packet.  Submission of nominations must be made no later than Wednesday, August 11, 2010to be considered for the award.  For questions regarding the CALCASA 2010 Member Recognition Awards, please contact Kavin Black at 916-446-2520 x 305 or kavin@calcasa.org.

2010 CALCASA Nomination Packet (word)

2010 CALCASA Nomination Packet (PDF)

I’ve been pondering my Utopian world. Most of my requests are petty: more Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt stores, a private jet, a 24-hour yoga studio and an on-call masseuse. I don’t think that this was what CALCASA had in mind when it picked the theme “building the world we want to live in” for its National Sexual Assault Conference (NSAC).

Let me try again. (I’m not that shallow, but I’d humbly take those luxuries if offered.) I want to live in a world where the following iPhone applications don’t exist: I’m Being Assaulted, xOffender and, my favorite, Are You Safe? According to the “Safe-o-Meter” on the Are you Safe application, I’m not safe right now. I’m at risk of motor vehicle theft, robbery, property crime, sexual offense, theft, burglary, assault and murder. I understand that this application has major flaws, but my point is that I want to live in a world where it’s not even necessary to create this application.

How I do I build that world? Dr. Dorothy Edwards addresses some of these building steps with her Green Dot model. She’ll be at NSAC talking about a comprehensive approach to violence prevention. Green Dot is a violence prevention initiative that promotes “any behavior, choice, word or attitude that counters or displaces a red-dot of violence — by promoting safety for everyone and communicating utter intolerance for sexual violence, interpersonal violence, stalking and child abuse.”

Dr. Edwards says that the building steps start with these tasks:

1. Identifying the obstacles that keep people from engaging in prevention and intervention; and
2. Minimizing, eliminating or overcoming these obstacles.

After watching some of Dr. Edwards Green Dot Training in Las Vegas, one truth that struck me was that even honest, upstanding, “good” people sometimes don’t intervene when observing a potentially harmful situation. She offers viable solutions and new directions in violence prevention efforts — and with an amazing level of passion and conviction. Her presentations are more than educational. She’s one of the only speakers I’ve ever listened to for more than an hour and still felt completely engaged and entertained.

I’ll be sure to attend Dr. Edwards workshop at NSAC — learning more about how to build the world I want to live in.

Recently, the International Association of Forensic Nurses‘ (IAFN) newsletter, On the Edge, featured an article about CALCASA and the work we do in their Education and Training section. IAFN is an international membership organization comprised of forensic nurses working around the world and other professionals who support and compliment the work of forensic nursing. The mission of the IAFN is to provide leadership in forensic nursing practice by developing, promoting, and disseminating information internationally about forensic nursing science. To access the article, click here.

The author and editor of the article, Diana Faugno, is a founding member of IAFN and serves as a staff nurse at the Eisenhower Medical Center SART team. Diane shares why she decided to highlight CALCASA in this issue of On the Edge:

CALCASA is an organization that I will frequently call upon if I am looking for a specific article or publication. They have a large lending library. I thought you might be interested to read about them.

CALCASA is pleased to be recognized by IAFN.  Thank you!

Recently, the Ms. Foundation for Women released a report, “Efforts to Address Gender-Based Violence: A Look at Foundation Funding”, addressing how funding currently looks for programs addressing gender based violence. The report is a compilation of information regarding how many U.S. Foundations provide funding for agencies addressing gender-based violence as well as how foundation funding has increased significantly throughout the years.

Yesterday, the National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women released a special collection titled Reproductive Justice & Violence Against Women: Understanding the Intersections. It includes resources about reproductive justice, focusing on the links between the elimination of reproductive oppression and domestic and sexual violence.

Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice defines reproductive justice as, “the economic, social and political power and resources to make healthy decisions about our bodies, sexuality and reproduction for ourselves, our families and our communities in all areas of our lives.”

For those interested in learning more about reproductive justice and its importance in the movement to end violence against women, the collection includes the following information:

• defining reproductive justice
• reproductive justice frameworks
• building upon reproductive health and reproductive rights
• paradigm of intersectionality — a holistic framework to ensure complete well-being
• collaboration — a key building block of the reproductive justice movement
• reproductive justice to end sexual & domestic violence
• movement building tools
• related organizations, projects and initiatives

Click here to read the collection.

Hugo Rios, Education Coordinator at Resource Center for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Family Violence in Fresno, Calif.

Hugo Rios, Education Coordinator at Resource Center for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Family Violence (RCS) in Fresno, CA, attended the Women of Color Network‘s (WOCN) Call to Action Conference and Institute. Hugo facilitates MyStrength Clubs for young men to stand up and speak out against sexual assault.

Listen to Hugo by clicking on the recording at the bottom of this blog post. Here is a summary of Hugo’s experience at WOCN in his own words:

On May 10, 2010 my morning began at 5:30 a.m.  It was the start of a new journey for me.  I was nervous uncertain of what to expect and what the WOCN conference experience would be like.  It was my first time traveling by airplane and let me tell you, it was an experience I will never forget.  After a four-hour flight I arrived in New Orleans I knew was there for a reason but was uncertain of what exactly that reason was.  My experience checking into the hotel and trying to figure out the elevator is another long story, but another time.  You would have had to be there to know what I mean.  I rushed up to my room, rushed back to the elevator and prepared to walk into a room where I had no clue of what to expect; my new journey was about to begin.

Being in a room with over 40 men with the same needs, pain, anger and who cared about the importance of being a man, husband, father, friend and role model was powerful. I found being in a roomful of men who voiced our opinions on ending violence against all women was validated and encouraged. These men shared what violence on women has meant to us and how we as men have been affected by violence to women.

We as men praise other men for teaching young men how to hit a baseball, throw a football, punch someone, pin someone to the ground. However, when a man talks to a young man about violence against women they are viewed as different and treated as an outcast. The latter must be considered a priority for our young men in order to prevent violence against all women so our mothers and future mothers can be treated with respect and love.

Throughout the room during the two day Men’s Institute, men shared their experiences of trying to be accountable as they take on their roles in the field of domestic violence, family violence and sexual assault.  I shared experiences with what I heard from the other men about how we are seen by other men, women and among ourselves. Many of us reflected on our concerns about other men thinking something is wrong with us because we choose to be with our family instead of being out with the guys.  We explored the importance of being a good husband everyday versus being a husband when you want to or only on special occasions such as Valentines, birthdays or when you did something wrong. We talked about what it means to be a daddy versus a father.  We appreciated the importance of being a friend/role model without having to be someone else; that it is okay to be sensitive, equal, caring, emotional to a male friend without anyone thinking different about you.

All these shared and common feelings where bottled up within me. My experience at the WOCN Conference and the Men’s Institute Training allowed me to release these feelings, thoughts and values; it was accepted and it was liberating.

As I previously mentioned, arriving at the WOCN Conference I did not know what to expect; however, leaving the conference I realized that there are many men, like me, fighting the same fight.  The experience and the power of the voices of the women who are survivors of domestic and family violence made me proud and honored to have the opportunity to listen to them and meet them.  I am proud of the work I do and I am determined to work harder to lessen the number of stories of violence and increase the stories of change through the voices of women and men.  I would like to thank WOCN and A CALL TO MEN for their hard work, commitment and efforts of ending violence against ALL WOMEN.

Listen to an interview with Hugo Rios:

[podcast]http://calcasa.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/20100611HugoRios.mp3[/podcast]

AMC 2010 Closing Ceremony

Detroit, MI – After wrapping up the Summer 2010 Campus Training & Technical Assistance Institute in Las Vegas, I caught a red-eye flight to attend the annual Allied Media Conference (AMC).  Held at the campus of Wayne State University near Detroit’s downtown, the AMC drew “people involved with do-it-yourself media, alternative media makers, [and those] interested in using participatory media as a strategy for social justice organizing.”  Certainly a cultural and geographic shift trading in the western desert for the midwestern city that has struggled for years to rebuild itself.  For the next three days, I learned how local communities in Detroit are working tirelessly to improve living conditions for themselves, their families, and neighbors.

The AMC offered participants a variety of tracks designed to generate and actively engage in discussions surrounding particular areas of interest ranging from disability justice, indigenous media, creating safe communities, Medios Caminantes (the Spanish language media track), Trans & Queer Youth, and Media Policy to name a few.  The AMC’s notion of media (multiple forms of communication including print and web-based journalism, radio, writing, art, and music) has come to expand over the years which is incredibly refreshing given the ever-increasing power and range that technology has in transforming individuals and communities.

Each workshop I attended either provided participants in opportunity to learn hands-on the technology at hand (such as community mapping) and/or encouraged folks to identify needs, resources and network in order to build capacity, knowledge and access. Each workshop, keynote speaker, artist, facilitator, conference participant I heard or met, reinvigorated my commitment to building communities by evoking a language rooted in idealism, realism, and practicality.

Transformative art work at AMC 2010

Collaborative mapping, a visual representation of needs and/or assets in a given community, caught my interest given its relationship to the work I do at CALCASA.  Some examples of community mapping include: Philadelphia Place (storytelling collaboration of peoples and events in Philadelphia), Toronto Trees (uses trees as landmarks in tours of Toronto), and Green Map (identifies areas with green resources). Throughout the community mapping workshop, I frequently thought of Dorothy Edwards’ intervention to end sexual violence.  To simplify: sexual violence = red dots.  Bystander intervention = green dots.  Red and green dots spread across the United States, ideally the green dots surpassing the number of red dots and ultimately covering the country.

How can Green Dot, or any other intervention for that matter, translate itself from an initially theoretical conceptualization and practical approach to potentially technological soundboard/card conceived as a community map to further illustrate the urgency to combat sexual violence as communities?  How can survivors, bystanders, educators, and others engage with the data?  This is a question I’m struggling with and would like to hear your take on community mapping of sexual violence on college campuses.

Save the date: June 23 – 26, 2011 in Detroit for the next AMC.

from www.inpea.net

Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2010 and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center is presenting new resources related to sexual violence in later life.

The Sexual Violence in Later Life Information Packet was developed by Holly Ramsey-Klawsnik, Phd, in conjunction with the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. The packet includes a fact sheet, technical assistance bulletin, technical assistance guide, resource list, annotated bibliography and research brief.

Participants at the Men's Institute at the Women of Color Network's A Call to Action Conference and Institute

I had the opportunity to attend the Women of Color Network’s Call to Action Institute and Conference May 10-14, 2010 in New Orleans, LA where I co-led the Men’s Institute and a session on prevention.  As that city was awaiting the oil from the BP leak to spoil their shores, fish and other wildlife, I was reminded of how communities are impacted by disaster; I was reminded how racism played out in the neglect that contributed before, during and after Katrina. I took this conference as an opportunity to consider how I participate in efforts to end oppressions in my work to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault.

There were many important pieces of the WOCN’s powerful gathering of over 400. Here are some highlights:

• Recognize links between immigration policy and support women of color in violence prevention:  The Latina caucus identified the recent immigration law in Arizona as a significant barrier for women to seek support and as a target. In order to address and prevent sexual violence and domestic violence, we must take action about these policies.
• Men Taking Action at the Men’s Institute: 40 men met for 2 days to explore how we can be aspiring allies to women of color.  I learned from these men as we looked at our own privilege and how to support men in taking action to prevent men’s violence.
• Honoring Cultural Specific Work:  I learned from so many different women and men about prevention efforts that use the resources from their culture to build prevention that reflects the needs of specific communities.  There were so many examples: working with the Hmong in Wisconsin, Latina immigrants in New Mexico, African American communities in cities, Muslim communities throughout the United States, Vietnamese in Boston, etc.
• Mainstream women and men exploring how to support communities of color: I co-facilitated a discussion of white women and men about how to transform the work of ending domestic violence and sexual violence to support communities of color.

While we had only a little time, this conference demonstrated how people of all races, religions and communities can examine themselves, their families, their communities, and their society to make changes.  Isn’t that what the social ecological model is supposed to be about?

@artgodess.ning.com

In May 2010, the Women of Color Network (WOCN) hosted the first Women of Color Network Call to Action Institute and Conference in New Orleans, LA. (You can read more about this in a recent post here.) CALCASA had the opportunity to participate and provide support at the conference and I had the privilege to participate as a co-facilitator during the week long events at the Conference. The WOCN Call to Action Institute and Conference offered a variety of great workshops as well as opportunities to network and meet people many of us have only spoken to via teleconferences. I was also fortunate to co-facilitate three separate workshops as well as help co-facilitate a “Critical Conversations” session with a number of other great people at the conference.

There was opportunity for dialogues related to issues of racism within the movement as well as men’s involvement in the movement and the current, racist anti-immigrant/Latino law in AZ (SB 1070).  Being in New Orleans post-Katrina, and currently dealing with the ramifications of the BP oil spill on their shores, it seemed like an appropriate setting for these types of conversations and dialogues.  On a personal level, some of the highlights of the Institute and Conference included:

• Loretta Ross from SisterSong.   Loretta was the featured plenary speaker during the Women of Color Institute and, as always, she provided a powerful and entertaining presentation. Loretta talked about the importance of the work we are doing as well as how we can continue to support each other and our communities.
• Co-facilitating the “Intergenerational Mentoring” workshop with Angela Sutton from the WOCN. It was a great opportunity to co-present with Angela Sutton during a workshop focused on the importance of mentoring women of color advocates to ensure their retention within the movement.  We discussed the importance of developing mentee and mentor relationships organically and the roles and responsibilities of both in order to maintain a healthy mentoring relationship.
• Co-facilitating “Critical Conversations” with women and men of color. A few of us were  asked to co-facilitate an hour and a half dialogue with women and men of color focused on defining what violence, safety planning and prevention work means to communities of color.  Simultaneously, during the conversations with people of color; mainstream allies had a facilitated discussion on what their roles as allies to people of color are and what that looked like.   After the separate dialogues, both groups rejoined as one  and shared the information discussed during their individual conversations.
• Co-facilitating “Building an Inclusive Work Environment” workshop with CALCASA staff (Ellen, Villena, Althea) and Caucus Reps (Yesenia and Christina) We presented a interactive workshop on methods in which agencies can move into becoming more inclusive environments for existing staff and future staff.  We discussed what an inclusive work environment meant and what it would look and feel like in an agency. The workshop generated great discussions and idea/resource sharing!
• Co-facilitated the workshop “SA and Underserved Communities” with Yesenia Curiel and Christina Vasquez (WOC South and North Caucus Representatives) Discussed SA through the lens of communities of color and the unique barriers to reporting.   This conversation highlighted the issues around the fact that sexual assault is not discussed and is considered a taboo issue as well as the hypersexualization of women of color.   Participants were broken up into groups and discussed how centers are currently serving communities of color, what they would like those services to look like and what steps they may be able to take to get there. Great resource sharing among participants!

Belinda Rolicheck-Executive Director, Haven Women's Center of Stanislaus

Below is a guest post from Belinda Rolicheck, Executive Director at Haven Women’s Center of Stanislaus in Modesto, CA. Haven Women’s Center is a non-profit, bilingual (Spanish/English) organization consisting of a group of dedicated staff and volunteers who share their time by helping victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Haven’s services are designed to empower and support women in their personal decisions. Women are given the opportunity to safety plan and regain control of their lives.

My local newspaper periodically selects community members to write opinion columns on topics of their choice and publishes the columns one Sunday per month. One of these current ”Visiting Editors” happens to be a friend of mine and is the director of a local non-profit agency addressing the issue of literacy. Her most recent column encouraged government agencies to contract with non-profits because they can provide services at a far lower cost than government itself can. Unfortunately, while I can’t argue the premise; non-profits can and do provide services at a notoriously low cost, I can’t quite get behind the reasons why.

My friend’s piece makes two significant assertions: that non-profit salary and benefit packages are usually at or below market level and that employees of nonprofits will sacrifice pay and benefits for the opportunity to work for a cause they believe in. I would argue that while non-profit employees often do sacrifice pay and benefits, it certainly isn’t because they want to. The bigger question is why does working for the common good and performing a job that has value to you and the people you serve often mean not being able to make ends meet? Why should someone who is working for social justice and social good find it necessary to hold down a second job to pay the mortgage? More importantly, why does society assert that because people hold a passion for their work, a livable wage or health insurance are somehow unnecessary?

Just as is true in the for-profit world, part of it depends on where you’re working. State and national-level organizations have more attractive pay and benefit packages than local charities. Large foundations can afford to pay more because of their ability to raise funds from individuals and groups around the country where local agencies largely rely on the immediate community. Geography makes a difference as well; urban agencies will likely pay a little better than a small one in a rural community, again because they have more resources from which to draw. Another reality is the type of non-profit work you do and the cause you further. As I quickly learned, people are much more open to hearing about and supporting breast cancer research than women who have been assaulted by their partner. But aside from these differences that occur between non-profits, I think a significant factor is that the majority of employees of non-profit agencies are women. Whether you agree with feminist philosophy or not, the reality is that women are still paid less than men, are not as prone to try to negotiate a higher salary when they interview for a job and are more likely to consider their income as the ”second”. Historically, occupations in which the majority of employees are women have been grossly underpaid and under appreciated. It is only in recent history one will notice progress in fields such as teaching and nursing. Even that progress is limited because while the pay and benefits for a teacher in Modesto are fairly generous, the same cannot be said for a teacher in rural Florida.

I find it fascinating to look at what people are paid for the work they perform. The disparity between and within professions is mysterious to me. Why do plastic surgeons rank near the top of the pay scale among physicians? I realize they perform reconstructive surgery on patients who have been badly injured and disfigured and I applaud them for doing so. I would be curious, however, to know the ratio of these types of procedures to the cosmetic surgeries performed to enhance one’s ego. Is this service more important than that of the urban emergency room physician who treats gunshot wounds, rape victims and victims of car accidents on a regular basis? Does the computer software developer deserve to bring home a bigger paycheck than the police officer who puts her or his life on the line every time they put on the uniform? And would someone please explain to me in what universe is it rational that the President of the United States, the leader of the free world, only makes a little more than $200,000 a year? I understand the big white house comes with the job too, but seriously, folks.

I am here to debunk the myth that people who work in the non-profit world don’t care about money. While it is probably true we don’t need to become rich, a comfortable living wage is not the same. Perhaps the perception arose from the idea that if you choose to work with the needy, you won’t mind if you become needy. These are frequently people with post high-school education and degrees who work 40-plus hours a week, at jobs that can be very physically and emotionally draining. They are people with families and bills and illnesses and dreams. The work we do is important and if we have learned nothing from our recent collective economic spiral, it is that virtually any of us can stumble and find ourselves in a position of needing help. It is a shame that our society places so little value on our work that many non-profit agencies can’t even provide a retirement plan for their employees.

Finances remain a taboo topic of discussion in our society. Attempting to talk to people about their salaries, benefits, retirement and personal wealth makes them extremely uncomfortable. This is a critical conversation, however, to those currently working in the non-profit field and those considering such a career path. It is certainly worth the time of non-profit leaders, directors and board members, to advocate for change and pay equity for the employees who give so much of themselves to help others.

Belinda Rolicheck
Executive Director
Haven Women’s Center of Stanislaus

Whatever your impression is of sports and athletes; there’s no denying the indelible affect on the society at large.  From the women and men that play sports at its most competitive levels, to the mother that takes her son to his soccer games and practices, or the father that is teaching his daughter to shoot a perimeter jump shot; sports are a part of many people’s lives.  Over the last decade, there has been a huge trend of getting youth involved in organized sports through sports clubs or nonprofit athletic organizations.  With the possibility of college scholarships or a chance at Olympic gold; some parents are investing money and resources in their child, in addition to the child spending an inordinate amount of time with the coach in perfecting their craft.

In April 2010 the ABC News program 20/20 highlighted the sexual misconduct of over 36 swimming coaches who have been banned for life by USA Swimming because of sexual misconduct with youth female swimmers. 

Two Seattle Times staff reports wrote an article titled Coaches Who Prey, in which 159 coaches in the state of Washington have been fired or reprimanded for sexual misconduct ranging from harassment to rape.  At least 98 of those coaches continued to coach or teach somewhere else.

Before I started coaching youth soccer, I assumed that coaches and those working with children would have had rigorous background checks completed by the organizations.  In some cases, my assumptions were incorrect.  One youth program I worked with ask for my driver’s license, proof of CPR and first aid completion, soccer training certification and required finger printing for a criminal background check.  Another organization’s screening and background check involved the Director of Operations saying “Since you show up to all your daughter’s practices, you can coach the team for the entire season – the previous coach quit.”

A 2008 survey by the National Council of Youth Sports of its member organizations indicated that 44,031,890 boys and girls participated in their sports programs.   They also had 7,343,556 adults volunteering in various capacities; this number included 2,409,020 coaches.

With the astronomical number of boys and girls participating in youth sports and the number of volunteers it takes to operate sports programs; there needs to be more consistent and thorough screening of coaches.  Also it would help if a protocol or best practices was created for the sports programs to use as a guide regarding but not limited to the following areas: hiring, investigating allegations, notifying parents and law enforcement, dismissing coaches, etc.

I have included several examples of youth sports organizations that have screening processes and protocols for coaches and volunteers.

• National Council of Youth Sports
• National Alliance for Youth Sports
• USA Track & Field
• Youth Football Coaches Association

How many local youth programs are in your community?  Do you know what their process is for screening coaches and volunteers?  This is an excellent opportunity for your rape crisis center (RCC) to connect with these youth sports clubs and organizations to discuss the educational opportunities around sexual abuse prevention to parents, staff, volunteers and athletes. 

In addition to the educational opportunity on prevention, some youth organizations may need assistance in developing a screening process for coaches and volunteers and or help with creating a protocol around the issues.

Your involvement with community youth sports programs can increase people’s awareness around sexual abuse prevention, increase the level of safety of children who participate in the programs and of course enlighten the parents and organization on what a wonderful resource the local RCC is.

When RCC’s work with youth sports programs in the community; we will hear fewer stories of coaches sexually abusing youth and more stories of good sportsmanship.  Such as the two softball players who choose to help an injured player on the opposing team; and in doing so, lost their chance of advancing to the playoffs. 

For responses to this post or questions about working with youth sports programs in your community, please use the comment box below.

On June 22-23, 2010 CALCASA will have its annual Executive Directors’ Meeting in Sacramento, CA.  This year’s meeting is titled “No Matter the Season, Good Leadership and Management are Always in Style.”

Rape Crisis Center Executive Directors from across California will come together for two days to network and develop strategies on issues that have an impact on their agencies and communities in which they work.  Participants will leave re-energized with increased skill sets in innovative leadership and responsible management practices to affect change at their agencies and in their communities.

Training topics:

• Diversity and Inclusion
• Human Resource Management
• Agency Sustainability
• CALCASA Legislative Updates
• Rape Crisis Center 2010 Salary Survey results
• CAL-EMA will be available (2nd day in the A.M.) to speak with you

The training will be facilitated by consultants, CALCASA staff and Executive Directors (your peers).  This event is free of charge and open to Executive Directors or Executive Management at California Rape Crisis Centers.

CALCASA will make travel scholarships available for this event (one per agency, unless you have multiple Executive Directors).  Registration will begin on May 7, 2010. 

For those Executive Directors who have been in the position for less than 2 1/2 years; we have a pre-session specifically for you – the New Executive Director’s Roundtable Meeting.  You will be able to register for both events starting Friday, May 7, 2010.  For further information on either event, please contact Kavin Black at (916)446-2520 ext. 305 or kavin@calcasa.org.  Click here to register for this event.

CALCASA is having its first ever New Executive Directors’ Roundtable Meeting on Monday, June 21, 2010 from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m at the CALCASA Offices located in Sacramento, California. This roundtable discussion is intended for California Rape Crisis Center Executive Directors or Executive Management who have been in the position for less than 2 1/2 years.  This is an excellent opportunity to network with your peers; share challenges and successes, problem solve and learn about resources available through CALCASA.

This event will precede the Executive Directors’ Meeting – No Matter the Season, Good Leadership and Management are Always in Style”

CALCASA will make travel scholarships available for this event (one per agency, unless you have multiple Executive Directors).  Registration will open on Friday, May 7, 2010.

If you are a new Executive Director or Executive Management, please do not miss out on an opportunity to Meet, Greet, Eat and Share with your peers from across California.  For further information on either event, please contact Kavin Black at (916)446-2520 ext. 305 or kavin@calcasa.org.  Click here to register for this event.

As Sexual Assault Awareness Month comes to an end, here is a video of my talk to the California National Guard for their SAAM event on April 12, 2010. I talked about the importance of preventing sexual violence, the That’s Not Cool Campaign, and Denim Day.

As agencies and communities throughout the nation observed Denim Day 2010 today, Community Violence Solutions in San Pablo, CA was pleased to have received support from their local police department.  Below is a message from the Richmond Police Department to Community Violence Solutions:

The Richmond Police Department’s Investigative Services Bureau wants you to know we are in total support of “Denim Day” in protest of the 1999 Italian court ruling. As a show of support, we all broke out our jeans and dressed against Department policy.

We want to thank you all for the hard work and support you provide to our Victim’s.

Richmond Police Department showing their support for Denim Day 2010

Thank you to the Richmond Police Department and all the other law enforcement agencies, organizations and individuals who support the movement to end sexual violence, not just on Denim Day, but throughout the year!

While growing up in the Bay Area of Northern California, I lived in a community that had synagogues, kingdom halls, churches, temples and mosques – all in a two mile radius.  A person’s spiritual beliefs are very personal and intimate and can be rooted in culture, family tradition, and experiences.  As a volunteer or staff person working for a rape crisis center (RCC), your purpose and reasoning for being there is personal and rooted in a passion to help, to educate, and to create a better community.

A 2009 report by Pew Research Center and the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life indicates that 72 percent of Americans attend some type of religious service.

If your crisis center has not connected with the faith or spiritual organizations in your community, you may be missing out on an incredible opportunity for outreach.

Sexual violence shows no discrimination based on what or whom you believe in or worship.  Whatever the dynamics or diversity of spiritual and faith organizations in your community; you can make a strategic and concerted effort to do outreach, seek possible collaborations and show your agency as an excellent resource.

Several years ago when I worked in the CALCASA Campus Program, I visited colleges and universities in approximately 42 states.  During every visit, I had various meetings with faculty, administrators and students; one of which often included the local religious organizations on campus or those in the community that served the campus.  Some common themes that were exposed in the meetings with the faith and spiritual organizations were:

• Individuals would disclose issues related to sexual assault or adults molested as children to the faith or spiritual leaders.
• Some leaders felt they had inadequate or no training to help the person deal with the issues of abuse that had been disclosed.
• Some leaders did not know what resources were available for survivors in their community or if a local crisis center even existed.

As a result of those meetings, in 2007 CALCASA collaborated with the Black Church on Domestic Violence to produce a document titled From Campus to Congregation: Secular and Sacred Collaboration to End Campus Violence Against Women.   This document has information that is relevant to working with faith organizations in your local communities regarding sexual assault issues.

An ABC News Investigation published report on April 9, 2010 talked about a swim coach who sexually abused more that 12 teen female swimmers for three decades.  In November 2009, the coach was sentenced to 40 years in prison after a 14 year old girl disclosed the abuse to her youth pastor.

At the 2009 CALCASA Statewide Leadership Conference “Ending Sexual Violence 2.0 – Future is Connected” I worked with Kibbie Ruth, founder and senior consultant of Kyros Ministries to provide content for one of the institutes.  The eight hour training was titled “Tapping Spiritual Resources: Your Own, The Survivor’s and the Community.”  Many RCC staff learned techniques to help them do outreach with faith-based communities in their local areas.

While many rape crisis centers already have a connection with faith groups in their communities, there are still other centers that have not taken advantage of the opportunity to provide outreach, establish collaborations, and make themselves known as excellent resource.  Urban, rural or suburban America; wherever your center is located, think about reaching out to your local faith or spiritual organization to foster collaborations and let them know that you are a valuable resource. 

If you are a rape crisis center that has already done the groundwork for outreach and built partnerships with faith organizations, please use the comment box below to share what you did and how you did it.

Additional Resources

Religion and Violence Against Women Prevention

Faith Trust Institute

The Association of Religion Data Archives

Violence Against Women and the Role of Religion

I had a recent opportunity to join a web conference, hosted by the Family Justice Center Alliance,  related to California’s Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP). The web conference was facilitated by JoAnn Goodwin, the Assistant Deputy Executive Officer, and Christy Munson, Manager County Liaison and Support Section of CalVCP.

The Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP) provides financial assistance to victims of crime who have been injured, or threatend with injury, as well as the family members of a victim who has died as a result of a crime.  The CalVCP can pay up to $70,000 per claim for un-reimbursed expenses resulting from a crime such as, but not limited to, domestic violence, sexual assault, homicide, molestation, drunk driving, robbery, and child abuse.  The CalVCP can help victims with expenses such as:

• Relocation expenses: Including first and last month’s rent and deposit,
• Income and support loss: Time lost at a job as a result of the crime,
• Home or vehicle modifications: In cases where a person is disabled as a result of a crime,
• Burial expenses: Help families cover funeral costs for a family member who has died as a result of a crime,
• Medical expenses: Including Mental Health services, ambulance services, chiropractor, glasses, hearing aides, physical therapy, dentist, etc.

To be eligible for the Victim Compensation program, you must be:

• Resident of California (including a Member of the Military in CA),
• Victim of a Crime in California (includes someone who is not from CA, but experienced a crime in CA),
• Experienced physical injury, or threat of physical injury (some emotional injury cases, such as domestic violence, may also apply)

Also, as of January 1, 2009, a minor who witnesses a crime can qualify for up to $5,000 for counseling services.

To learn more about the program, you can access the resources below.  You can also contact CalVCP at 1-800-777-9229 or you can visit the California Victim Compensation Program website, or the National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards, for more information and materials.

Who is eligible for compensation?

What types of expenses are covered?

CalVCP Quick Reference Guide

**Guest post from Leslie Sena from the Women’s Center of San Joaquin County**

As part of  our Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) activities, on Saturday, April 17, 2010 the Women’s Center of San Joaquin County will host its 3rd Annual Walk A Mile in Her Shoes® International Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault & Gender Violence at Banner Island Ballpark, home of the Stockton Ports. Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® challenges men to walk one mile in a pair of women’s shoes to raise awareness and funds to support the Women’s Center’s services for sexual assault victims. The purpose of the marches is to create community awareness and involve men in ending rape, sexual assault and gender violence. Proceeds from this event will help to support the Women’s Center’s sexual assault services.

Last year, more than 160 courageous men participated in the local march, helping to raise funds and awareness, and encouraging more men to speak out against rape and sexual assault. The Women’s Center anticipates even more walkers at this year’s event.

This event has two very important objectives:

1) Create a fun opportunity to raise community awareness on a very serious issue: sexual assault.
2) Raise funds to support the Women’s Center’s sexual assault services.

The Women’s Center is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a wide range of supportive, educational, and crisis intervention services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, enabling them to regain control of their lives. For 34 years, the Women’s Center has been the lifeline to help and hope for thousands of women, children and men in San Joaquin County, and now reaches over 28,000 individuals each year. Proceeds from Walk a Mile in Her Shoes will help the Women’s Center continue its critical programs and services.

Registration begins at 2:00 p.m. and the walk begins at 3:00 p.m. To learn more about this event, visit our website here.

The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) and National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) hosted a teleconference and web conference on April 7, 2010 and April 8, 2010 focusing on the effects of the new health care reform on women. Both organizations did a really great job outlining both the positive and not-so-positive provisions in the bill in regards to it’s effects on women.

Some of the positives include:

• Exchanges. People may be eligible for federal subsidies to help them purchase insurance in a “virtual marketplace,” called Exchanges. The idea is that as the number of people purchasing insurance from this “virtual marketplace” grows, the price for policies will decrease and become much more affordable for everyone.
• “Guaranteed Issue” which explicitly states that health care companies cannot deny coverage to women with pre-existing conditions. A survivor suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to issues of domestic violence and sexual assault cannot be denied coverage because of their “pre-existing” condition, as health care companies have been doing already.
• Health insurance premiums cannot vary based on gender or health status. Women can no longer be charged more than men based on the fact that they are women. Premiums can, however, be based upon age, smoking status, and geography.
• Community Health Centers will receive $11 billion in new funding. For women who visit community health centers often, this will expand the services they may receive from the centers.
• No co-pays for preventative services. Insurers will not be able to charge co-pays to women seeking preventative services such as pap smears and mammograms.
• Funding for Community Health Workers. Funds will be available to expand and continue the work of Community Health Workers (Promotoras) for medically underserved communities, as well as model those services in areas where they do not currently exist.

Some not-so-positive provisions include:

• Ban on abortion continues. States will still have the right to ban insurance policies that cover abortion services from participating in the Exchanges (Nelson Provision). It also upholds the Hyde Amendment, which states that federal funding that the Community Health Centers will receive cannot be used to provide abortion as an option for women.
• No coverage for undocumented persons, including survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Undocumented persons will not be eligible for federal subsidies to purchase policies.  Even if they are able to purchase insurance, they will not be able to access the Exchange options.
• The five-year ban for legal permanent residents continues.  Even if a survivor is a legal permanent resident, they will still be unable to access the programs until five years after obtaining their legal status.

Although the Health Care Reform bill has been signed, there are still many loose ends to the bill.  The implementation of many of these provisions still need to take place and will do so between 2010 and 2014.  You can access the resources below for more information about the Health Care Reform and how it affects you.  You can also visit the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health and National Women’s Law Center website for more information about their efforts to ensure that every woman has access to affordable and fair health care insurance.

NLIRH: What you can expect from Health Care Reform

NLIRH: Que puede esperar del la Reforma del Sistema de Salud

NLIRH: Timeline for Health Care Reform Implemenation

NLIRH: Cuando sera implementada la reforma de salud?

NWLC: Women and Health Care reform At-A-Glance

NWLC: What does Health Care Reform means for Women

As the newly signed Health Care Reform begins to settle into people’s minds, many are asking, “How will this affect me?”  For many survivors of sexual assault, many women have experienced barriers to accessing health care because, for many health care agencies, suffering from PTSD after an assault has been considered a “pre-existing condition” (see post entitled “Rape: A Pre-Existing Condition“).

To help understand how the Health Care Reform will impact women, the National Women’s Law Center will be hosting a webinar on April 8, 2010 entitled, “How Women Will Benefit from Health Care Reform.” For more information about this webinar and to register, you can visit their website here.

The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Heath will also be hosting a “virtual cafecito” (a discussion over coffee) for both bilingual and monolingual, Spanish speaking Latinas on April 7, 2010. There will be a call in English from 12:00pm to 1:00pm (EST) and another in Spanish from 1:00pm to 2:00pm (EST). These calls will provide participants with information on the Health Care Reform and how it impacts Latina women.  For more information about these calls or to register, click here.

© jurvetson's photostream

Yesterday marked the first day of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. President Obama signed a proclamation, which stated that the month of April is a time to “recommit ourselves not only to lifting the veil of secrecy and shame surrounding sexual violence, but also to raising awareness, expanding support for victims, and strengthening our response.”

One prescription for change provided in the proclamation is to confront the social norms that perpetuate such behaviors. The proclamation read:

As we continue to confront this crime, let us reaffirm this month our dedication to take action in our communities and stop abuse before it starts. Together, we can increase awareness about sexual violence, decrease its frequency, punish offenders, help victims, and heal lives.

To read the full proclamation, visit the Office of the Press Secretary.

© Henderson Images' photostream

The month of April is designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The goal is to raise public awareness about sexual violence (focusing on sexual assault and rape) and to educate communities and individuals how to prevent sexual violence. By working together, we can highlight sexual violence as an important public health issue and reinforce the need for prevention efforts.

What can you do to participate?

• Contact CALCASA if you wish to participate SAAM events taking place throughout California. CALCASA can connect you with any of the state’s 85 rape crisis centers.
• Informing friends and family via social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.
• Inviting people in your community to join you at crisis center events.
• Participate in Denim Day – April 21
  

Facts and figures
A study by the Centers for Disease Control in 2008 found that:

• 11 percent of women and 2 percent of men reported experiencing forced sex at some point in their lives.
• 1 in 4 women reported experiencing an attempted or completed rape while they were in college.
• 60 percent of female and 70 percent of male victims were first raped before the age of 18.
• Sexual assaults represented 10 percent of all assault-related injury visits to emergency departments by females in 2006.

For more information about what you can do to participate, visit CALCASA’s SAAM 2010 page.

“Why It Matters: Rethinking Victim Assistance for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Victims of Hate Violence & Intimate Partner Violence” is a new report that is based on a 2009 survey of victim assistance providers and LGBTQ anti-violence programs throughout the United States.  Why It Matters, done by the National Center for Victims of Crime and the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, describes widespread gaps in victim services for LGBTQ victims of crime and recommends steps to improve the services and their accessibility.  For service providers working in the field of sexual violence, this report provides vital data and recommendations for improving service delivery.

To read the full report, click here.

Beginning in 2007, the Women of Color Network (WOCN) began a National grassroots movement to provide the support, sisterhood and resources women of color in the violence against women field needed.  As mentioned in a  previous post, the WOCN hosted various “Call to Action” calls to facilitate dialogue between women of color activists and advocates throughout the nation.   After two years of addressing the unique needs of women of color victims of violence and encouraging allies to support women of color advocates,  participants on these calls expressed their need and desire to have an opportunity to convene a conference for women of color and advocates.  WOCN staff  began to work on making this a reality and, thanks to their hard work and passion, the 1st Women of Color Network Institute and Conference, co-sponsored by the Office for Victims of Crime,  will be taking place on May 10 – 14, 2010 in New Orleans, LA.

The WOCN Institute and Conference will offer 3 separate Institutes on May 11 and 12, 2010.  There will be a Women of Color Institute, Mainstream Women’s Institute and a Men’s Institute occurring concurrently during these two days.  The Institutes will offer an opportunity for participants to meet in-person and address issues women of color face as well as what allies could do to support women of color.  During the remaining two days, May 13 and 14, there will be a conference for everyone to attend. The two-day conference will offer an array of workshop tracks including:  Leadership Building, Culturally Specific Programs, and Economic Empowerment.

To learn more about the WOCN Institute and Conference, you can visit the Women of Color Network’s website here.

You can also donate to the  WOCN  to help support the attendance of women of color to the Institute and Conference by visiting the “Women of Color Network Cause” Facebook page.

The Alston Bannerman Fellowship Program, as part of the Center for Social Inclusion, is supporting long-time activists of color by giving them the resources to take time out for reflection and renewal.  For more information, click here:

“The program honors those who have devoted their lives to helping their communities organize for racial, social, economic and environmental justice. The program provides resources for organizers to take time out for reflection and renewal. Fellows receive a $25,000 award to take sabbaticals of three months or more.”

Deadline: April 13, 2010

Ending sexual violence takes more than being against rape.  We have must be for something.  The Washington Coalition Against Sexual Assault Programs has a wonderful Sexual Assault Awareness Month project asking people to share what they stand for.

To join this campaign print out a flag saying “I am anti sexual violence and pro _______” and then send a picture to a great Flickr photostream.  Examples of what people are pro include consent, slippers, s’mores and Joey Ramone.

Check it out here.

Gender based violence is a term used throughout the world. That is, used everywhere except the United States.  Here we use a wide range of terms: domestic violence, intimate partner violence and dating violence (usually used to describe young people’s relationships).

In a commentary in the recent issue of Violence Against Women, Elizabeth Reed and colleagues express concern about “losing the ‘gender’ in gender-based violence.” They go further to describe this problem as “the missteps of research on dating and intimate partner violence” which “ignores the world beyond our databases.”

Reed and her colleagues review the literature and suggest that

it is clear why the WHO and other major health authorities describe IPV as gender based, with the vast burden in regards to health, development, and economic security borne by women and girls.

Yet, they found in a review of the literature on dating violence, an overwhelmingly large percentage of the research is framed as gender-neutral where violence is often seen as reciprocal. I have found this pattern to be true as I review the recent research studies.  When I wrote a blog about this research I often highlight what the instrument was used, as the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) which measures primarily a count of acts and does not account for the context. Scales like this typically lead to findings described as gender neutral. (Click here for a critique of this scale.)

I especially like how Reed and her colleagues describe the problem with this approach.

Use of this “reciprocal violence” framework for understanding adolescent and adult IPV ignores the world beyond our databases. We should not frame and interpret research in the absence of well-accepted historical and political realities. That is not to say that both males and females cannot or do not enact unhealthy relationship behaviors, including aggression or that such unhealthy relationship behaviors do not negatively impact both males and females. Such behaviors, however, likely have differing etiologies and are displayed differently based on the gender of the actors.

This commentary provides some useful concepts to consider when reviewing research on dating violence.

The full citation is below:

Losing the “gender” in gender-based violence: the missteps of research on dating and intimate partner violence.

Reed E, Raj A, Miller E, Silverman JG. Violence Against Women 2010; 16(3): 348-54.

Click here for a link to the abstract on the journal web site.

(Copyright © 2010, Sage Publications)

Community Violence Solutions (CVS)  in Richmond, CA will holding their 3rd Annual International Women’s Day Celebration on Saturday, March 13, 2010 from 10am to 3pm at Lovonya DeJean School.  The theme for this year’s event is: Women in Solidarity” Healing our Beloved Community ~ Mujeres en Solidaridad: Sanando Nuestra Querida Communidad and will feature Lakota Harden, Native American Artist.  There will also be performances and speakers from local artists, dancers, poets and musicians.  This is a free event and will include childcare and lunch.

To pre-register to attend and to learn more, you can view the flyer for this event here.

Recently, I came upon a story entitled, Women Workers Organizing Against Sexual Harassment, which featured a short video of female women who had organized against issues of sexual harassment at Guimarra Vineyards, where they are employed.  They were successful in gathering a petition of support signed by over 16,000 people and, as shown in the video, proudly submitted it to the Vineyards.

With SAAM 2010 quickly approaching, it’s important to keep in mind and highlight local movements such as these across the State.  One way that the Southern Poverty Law Center has been bringing attention to the issue of sexual harassment against farmworking women is through the Bandana Project. You can learn more about the Bandana Project here.

You can also read the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) press release regarding the Giumarra Vineyards case, here.

Are advocates born or are they created by the lessons of their life experiences?  Whichever is true; it is evident that employees of California rape crisis centers will eagerly and aggressively work on behalf of survivors of assault without giving it a second thought.   However, when it comes to advocating for oneself at work with regards to discriminatory behavior expressed by coworkers, supervisors, volunteers, or board members in relation to race, sexual orientation, religion, etc; the same tenacity and perseverance with which they used to help victims is not displayed to assist themselves.

Does your agency have mechanisms in place to address incidents of discriminatory behavior toward staff by others affiliated with the organization?  Is your staff aware of these policies and or procedures; and has your management staff been trained to respond appropriately and in a timely manner?

Last year CALCASA provided resources to address the issues of oppression within the work environment through the  ”Anti Oppression Institute – At the Crossroads of Race and Queer“  designed and facilitated by the CALCASA Dismantling Oppression Work Group (DOWG).

CALCASA also provides venues for issues to be addressed through dialogue and problem solving with the Queer Women Caucus,  Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities Caucus, Women of Color North Caucus and Women of Color South Caucus.

Having mechanisms in place to address the issues of discrimination is a good risk management practice for any agency.  Also some of your state and federal grants may have  Certification of Assurance of Compliance  regarding discrimination that your agency must agree to  in order to accept their money.

Not addressing discrimination in your agency can affect work morale and the quality of service being provided to clients and the community; not to mention your ethical and legal obligations.

To receive more information about the various caucuses that CALCASA has or to contribute to the discussion of dismantling oppression at your agency please comment in the box below.

Brad Perry is the Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator for the Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Action Alliance (VSDVAA).  In addition to being a well respected prevention leader and author of wonderful articles in Moving Upstream: Virginia’s newsletter for the primary prevention of sexual violence and intimate partner violence, Brad is also the drummer of the band Worn in Red. I caught up with Brad as his band was playing at the 924 Gilman Project in California.

Join hundreds of people committed to addressing sexual violence at the 2010 National Sexual Assault Conference in Los Angeles. Click here for more information. Abstracts are due March 12, 2010 – please submit your proposals today.

On February 3, 2010, about 30 advocates from various Ca Rape Crisis Centers convened in Pacifia, CA for a workshop addressing vicarious trauma facilitated by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, author of  “Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others.”

As mentioned in the previous posts, A Time for Healing and Trauma Stewardship Workshop, Laura van Dernoot Lipsky has worked with trauma survivors for over a decade and has now shifted her focus on the effects of this work on other advocates in trauma-related fields. Laura addressed the importance of self-care, daily meditation, and embracing your everyday blessings without guilt.

It was great to see how many advocates were able to attend this workshop and take advantage of the tools and resources Laura provided.  One participant shared:

Laura’s presentation style was amazing. I think when doing the work that we do, and discussing how it affects us, it is important to not feel overwhelmed or be too judgmental of ourselves . Her use of humor and her ability to engage the audience seemed to bring people together and facilitated the openness for discussion.

You can hear more about the workshop and what participants had to say about it below.

In September 2009 I provided information regarding the IRS new regulations for Form 990 and its possible effects on rape crisis centers in the blog post  The I the R and the S.   In the coming months many nonprofits will be preparing to file their 990′s; I thought it would be appropriate to provide a webinar on this relevant, timely and crucial topic. 

On Thursday, March 11, 2010 , 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm (pacific standard time) CALCASA will provide a webinar titled “Are you ready for the New 990?”   The description of the informative training is as follows:

Year after year organizations gather their financial information and file their Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service.  Recently, that form changed – and the impact felt beyond the walls of the accounting office.

• Do you have a written whistle blower policy?
• Does the organization have a written document retention and destruction policy?
• Are officers, directors or trustees and key employees required to disclose annually interests that could give rise to conflicts?

These are just some of the questions on the new Form 990 that significantly upgrades the level of governance reporting as well as how financial and mission information is presented to the general public.  This webinar will provide an update on changes and outline steps that organizations should take to prepare for filing the 990.

The webinar will be facilitated by Steven D. Zimmerman, Principal of Spectrum Nonprofit Services.  

Steven Zimmerman, Principal of Spectrum Nonprofit Services

 Steven  performs training and consulting in the areas of finance and strategy for community based organizations throughout the Midwest.  Steven has also written for the Nonprofit Quarterly, spoken nationally on these subjects and is currently co- authoring a book on nonprofit strategies for sustainability due in 2010.

This would be an appropriate training for Executive Directors, Board Members, Financial personnel or management that have fiscal responsibility and obligation to the agency.  To register, please click on “Are you ready for the New 990?”

For information on this training please contact Kavin Black, Organizational Services Coordinator at (916) 446-2520 ext 305 or kavin@calcasa.org .

As SAAM 2010 quickly approaches, CA rape crisis centers are gearing up and preparing their various SAAM awareness events for 2010. We were excited to hear from Stephanie Mesones, client services specialist at the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center, about  their plans for SAAM 2010:

For more information about SAAM 2010, including resources, events and other Highlights, please visit our SAAM 2010 page.

As agencies gear up for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, CALCASA  had the opportunity to speak with advocates from the YWCA-Greater Los Angeles about their preparations for SAAM 2010.  Alice Corona, Volunteer Coordinator; Vanessa Cardona, Site Manager; and Mikki Melton, Senior Site Manager, all share their agency’s plans for SAAM 2010:

For more information about SAAM 2010, including resources, events and other Highlights, please visit our SAAM 2010 page.

Oakland, CA – Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is an especially exciting yet challenging time for advocates by investing concerted and heightened efforts to raise the level of awareness and education surrounding sexual assault across on the individual, community, organizational and public policy levels.  How to draw additional attention to sexual assault, advocates often ponder?  Art has long served as a medium through which to share ideas/events and elicit a variety of reactions from inspiration to provocation in order to create social change.

Breaking Silence

Inspired by the stories he heard while interviewing people, Bay Area-based artist Joe Schneider developed “Breaking Silence” an exhibition using photography and interviews that revolves around survivors of sexual assault.  The exhibition toured college and university campuses across the country where attendees, given a portable cd player, would walk through the room to see portrait photographs of survivors mounted and displayed on easels while listening to interviews where the survivors share their experiences.  ”There is a real range of the healing process [that comes appears in the exhibition].  I think some of these people are very evolved and others are much more raw.  Talking about it is a good thing no matter what.”

The exhibition is meant to serve as a space where people can individually connect with stories thereby reiterating how sexual violence is an issue that impacts diverse communities.  ”There’s something intimate about listening to the stories on a headset,” Joe adds.

Two years ago, five years, this decade; when was the last time your agency updated its personnel policies manual?  Is your manual in line with current federal and state regulations?  Does your manual include the current practices of the agency?  If your answer is I think so, maybe or I do not know; then it is time to take  a critical look at your personnel policies manual.

If you do not know where to begin; may I suggest with your sister California Rape Crisis Centers (RCC).  Identify who has recently updated their policies; request a copy, assess why certain changes were made and if it is relevant for your agency to do the same. 

Obviously, not every RCC has identical personnel policies manuals.  I have seen some policies that have a maximum of 6 pages and others with intricate details that flow over 65 pages.  Some of the more common sections of a personnel policies manual are:

• Employee classifications
• Grievance policy
• Compensation
• Attendance
• Prohibited Conduct
• Leave of Absences
• Conflict of Interest
• Evaluations

Another option may be to contact organizations or individuals who specialize in risk management for nonprofit organizations.  They will have very specific information relevant to the field,  be aware of current changes and penalties when laws and regulations are not adhered to by the organization. 

You may also want to contact the insurance company that provides your nonprofit organization with its liability insurance; they may have some resources to be of assistance.  

Additional Resources:

Nonprofit Risk Management Center

California Association of Nonprofits

Resources for California Business Laws and Regulations

Alliance for Nonprofit Management

Creating an Effective Employee Handbook for Your Nonprofit

If you have recently updated your personnel policy and would like to provide insight to your sister organizations who are thinking about doing the same, please comment in the box below.

In a study in the Maternal and Child Health Journal, the authors show the differences between different data sources about sexual assault prevalence.  In particular, the paper contains detailed charts highlighting the differences between the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS).

Later in 2010 we will get the first estimates from a new survey, the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Surveillance System. Until then, this article is helpful to understand how surveys collect their data.

Here is the full abstract and the full citation:

An Assessment of State Level Sexual Assault Prevalence Estimates.

Potter SJ, Laflamme DJ. Maternal and Child Health Journal 2010; ePublished January 25, 2010

Click here for a link to the abstract on journal’s web site.

(Copyright © 2010, Springer Science+Business Media)

The purpose of our research is to compare sexual violence prevalence rates from three sources of state level data. Public health officials, legislators and other policymakers often require state-level sexual assault prevalence estimates to justify funding and rationalize both new and ongoing sexual violence prevention programs, as well as programs for victims. We compared survey design and resulting prevalence rates of the three surveys frequently used at the state level: the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) extrapolations, and replications of the NVAWS. Although the specificity of the questions used in the NVAWS provides a clearer picture of the prevalence of sexual assault than the BRFSS questions, the sexual violence module on the BRFSS survey has the advantage that it is used regularly by some states. Currently available female sexual assault prevalence estimates differ widely at the state level but can be used when interpreted with informed caution. The new National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Surveillance System holds promise for providing better estimates in the future.

CALCASA's Ellen Yin-Wycoff and RARCC's Larry McAdara in the lobby of RARCC's new offices

Earlier this week, David Lee, CALCASA’s Director of Prevention Services, and I had the opportunity to make a quick visit to the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center (RARCC) to check out their new offices.  We also had a chance to meet with their staff and their Executive Director, Larry McAdara. Larry took us on a quick tour of their new offices that features several counseling rooms, a larger conference room for volunteer trainings/meetings, great accessible office space for staff and ample parking for clients and volunteers.

In addition to their regular work, RARCC staff and their Board of Directors are in the midst of preparing for their upcoming annual signature fundraising event, RARCC’s 29th Annual Dinner and Auction Gala, on May 8, 2010 at the Victoria Club in Riverside. This event features over 300 amazing auction items and attracts more than 350 participants each year making it the “premier” event in Riverside.  To learn more about this event and the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center, check out their website.

As Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) April 2010 approaches, CALCASA wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of the events that California Rape Crisis Centers have hosted during the month of April to raise awareness about sexual violence.  Every week we will be featuring a new Rape Crisis Center’s SAAM events in order to highlight what events are taking place throughout the State during SAAM.  It is also an opportunity for Rape Crisis Centers to share ideas and suggestions for SAAM events as well as the resources used or needed to put the event together.

This week we are excited to highlight Community Solutions in Morgan Hill, CA. Community Solutions offers supportive services to survivors of sexual and domestic violence to residents of South County, which include South Santa Clara County and San Benito County.  Emma Lucas, Debbie Ruiz and Louisa Velazquez share some of the events that Community Solutions hosted during SAAM 2009 and will be hosting for SAAM 2010:

To learn more about the Bandana Project, you can read our blog post here.

For more information about SAAM 2010, including resources, events and other Highlights, please visit our SAAM 2010 page.

As we are half way through Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month and planning for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, I have been thinking about the role of awareness in prevention efforts. In a recent post, The Social Butterfly blog asks

So, why, fellow health marketing and do-gooders do we settle with “awareness-building?” To be frank, every time I’m in a meeting and I hear the word awareness, my skin crawls. Awareness is great–but there’s a time and place for it. I’m aware of Ritz crackers, but I buy Wheat Thins. I’m aware of Powerade, but I buy Gatorade. There are times I might know about your cause–but I won’t donate. Other times I might know you need help, but I won’t volunteer. I know exercise is healthy, yet I’m still sitting here typing this blog post. There is a reason to these behaviors and decisions. There are motivations, barriers, incentives, costs, and more.

For sexual violence and domestic violence prevention, I think we need to build our prevention efforts upon our successful awareness efforts.  30 years ago, people did not know about domestic violence and saw rape as only being committed by strangers. Today, our awareness efforts have made significant changes, but we still have work to do to prevent rape and domestic violence.

What do you think?

(Click here to see the entire Social Butterfly blog on “Questions to Prevent Awareness Fever.”)