FOCUS ON NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH

Join the conversation: Connect. Respect. Prevent Sexual Violence.

The 2012 Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) campaign promotes positive expressions of sexuality and healthy behaviors. Using new tools and resources, advocates and preventionists can address some of the root causes of sexual violence. The focus is on building a healthy future, not just ending sexual violence. We strive for relationships that are consensual, respectful and informed. By starting the conversation, this dialogue can incorporate new partners and strategies to prevent sexual violence. This April, it’s time to talk about healthy sexuality. This year’s day of action is Tuesday, April 3. Join us in taking a stand by starting the conversation on Twitter (#Tweetaboutit).

To learn more about SAAM, new resources, and the current campaign visit: www.nsvrc.org/saam/.

April is also National Child Abuse Prevention Month. In time to promote the goals of both SAAM and NCAPM, The National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Exploitation has just released their updated The National Plan to Prevent the Sexual Exploitation of Children (March 2012). The purpose of this plan is to help assure all children have childhoods free from sexual abuse and exploitation in both physical and digital environments and have opportunities to develop into healthy adults capable of having healthy relationships.

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FOCUS ON TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (TDVAM), a national effort to raise awareness about abuse in teen and 20-something relationships and promote programs that prevent dating violence. For more information about TDVAM, visit TeenDVMonth.org, coordinated by Break the Cycle.

According to data from the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), half of women experiencing intimate partner abuse for the first time are between the ages of 18 to 24, and 22% are between the ages of 11 and 17 (CDC, 2011).

This February, VAWnet is pleased to announce newly updated resources on preventing and responding to teen dating violence:

• Special Collection: Preventing and Responding to Teen Dating Violence (Updated December 2011) includes information related to young people, parents and caretakers, men and boys, teachers and school-based professionals, health care professionals, and domestic and sexual violence service providers.
• Online Toolkit: Runaway & Homeless Youth and Relationship Violence Tookit (Updated August 2011) was developed by and for advocates, from the runaway and homeless youth and domestic violence and sexual assault fields, to help programs better address relationship violence among youth who have run away from home, are living on the streets, or are homeless.

Featured campaigns emphasizing healthy relationships:

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FOCUS ON GENDER-BASED HARASSMENT AND BULLYING

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and is illegal under federal law Title IX, which was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1972. However, sexual harassment is often downplayed by the general public. This form of sexual violence can include inappropriate statements, lewd gestures, leering behavior, and sexually explicit jokes, emails, or texts. People commit these acts everyday in many different public places. Sexual harassment happens in the workplace, in schools, and on the street. We know that these actions are harmful, contributing the continuum of sexual violence. These behaviors reflect a culture of disrespect and promote gender inequality.

The key link between sexual harassment and bullying seems to be homophobic language and harassment (Stein & Mennemeier, 2011).

Bullying is aggressive behavior that involves a pattern of repeated unwanted, negative actions, involving an imbalance of power or strength between the aggressor and the victim/target. According to the CDC (2011), nearly 30% of American adolescents reported at least moderate bullying experiences as the bully, the victim, or both. Research suggests that family violence is associated with bullying (CDC, 2011), and may be a risk factor for bullying perpetration or victimization. Recent findings indicate that bullying peers in school as a child is associated with increased risk for men’s perpetration of domestic violence (Falb, et. al., 2011).

A new Critical Issue Brief, jointly produced by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, provides an in-depth discussion of gender-based harassment and bullying and presents recommendations for collaboration between domestic and sexual violence advocates and school personnel:

Addressing the Gendered Dimensions of Harassment and Bullying: What domestic and sexual violence advocates need to know by Nan D. Stein & Kelly A. Mennemeier (October 2011)

For more information on these topics, see these highlighted resources available in the VAWnet library:

• Talking Points: Sexual Harassment by the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape & the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (2011)
• Crossing the Line: Sexual Harassment at School by Catherine Hill and Holly Kearl for the American Association of University Women (November 2011)
• End Street Harassment by INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence
• Hollaback! Legal Analysis by Hollaback! (2011)
• Understanding Bullying by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (2011)
• School Bullying & Homophobic Harassment by TrueChild (2011)
• Bullying Among Middle School and High School Student – Massachusetts, 2009 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (April 2011)
• School Bullying Perpetration and Other Childhood Risk Factors as Predictors of Adult Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration by Kathryn L. Falb, Heather L. McCauley, Michele R. Decker, Jhumka Gupta, Anita Raj, & Jay G. Silverman for the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine (June 2011)
• Children Who Bully by StopBullying.gov
• Measuring Bullying Victimization, Perpetration, and Bystander Experiences: A Compendium of Assessment Tools by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (2011)

Check out Hollaback!, Stop Street Harassment, StopBullying.gov, and Workplaces Respond to Domestic and Sexual Violence for tips, tools, and resources on addressing and preventing sexual harassment and bullying in your community.
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OCTOBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

In this eNewsletter, we draw attention to new resources and events to support your prevention and awareness efforts during DVAM and throughout the year! The 2011 Campaign in a Box (Just add heart and spirit!) includes a collection of sample materials that can be customized for individual use, educational webinars, and other useful tools to enhance your prevention and awareness efforts.

Resources

Utilizing Social Media – How to Post, Tweet, and Share: Includes 3 webinar recordings – Writing for the Web, Utilizing Social Media to Engage the Community, and Case Study – The Red Pump Project.

Engaging the Press – What to Say and How: Features the webinar recording, Media Advocacy: Getting Our Issues in the News.

Sheltering Animals and Families Together: This webinar recording features the Sheltering Animals and Families Together Program (SAF-T Program).

Events
Register now for these free events sponsored by the NRCDV!

National Call of Unity: Tuesday, October 4 at 3pm Eastern/12 Pacific

BlogTalkRadio: Exploring Youth-Driven Prevention Campaigns: Tuesday, October 11 at 3pm Eastern/12 Pacific – Sharing stories and lessons from the development and implementation of campaigns emphasizing peace and respect for youth in Alaska and Florida.

Twitter Town Hall: How can we make “healthy relationships” cool for youth?: Wednesday, October 19 at 3pm Eastern/12 Pacific – Sharing strategies and lessons on the use of language and generational accessibility.

BlogTalkRadio: Successful Collaborations to Help Runaway/Homeless Youth: Thursday, October 20 at 3:30pm Eastern/12:30 Pacific – Forging successful and sustainable collaborations amongst the RHY and anti-violence fields.

BlogTalkRadio: Engage Print Online Media to Your Advantage: Friday, October 21 at 3pm Eastern/12 Pacific – Using traditional and new social media outlets to engage constituents, donors, survivors, and allies to get your message of anti-violence out to the community.

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BACK TO SCHOOL & CONTINUING EDUCATION

As fall approaches, many of us begin to turn our energy to educational pursuits – whether we are going back to school after summer break, supporting children who are returning to school, or considering ways to broaden our professional knowledge through continuing education.

While college campuses certainly provide opportunities for those seeking academic success, we must also recognize the potential risks that students in this environment may face. College students experience sexual and dating violence at staggering rates and face unique obstacles in accessing services to escape an abusive relationship.

Break the Cycle’s The Safe Space offers a wealth of resources and information on College Dating Violence and SAFER (Students Active for Ending Rape) provides information for engaged students interested in effecting social change in schools and on campuses. The organization provides an online library of resources, program mentoring, and keeps a policy database: the Campus Accountability Project. With regard to legal remedies, the NSVRC provides guidance on Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Break the Cycle outlines the responsiveness of state laws to the unique needs of teens and young adults.

One exemplary campus-based prevention approach is The Red Flag Campaign, a great tool developed by the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance. In the UK, End Violence Against Women has initiated A Different World is Possible, which calls for long-term and targeted action to prevent violence against women and girls in educational institutions.

In this eNewsletter, we draw attention to new and existing resources on VAWnet that address dating and sexual violence on campus. We highlight promising initiatives and campaigns that are working to help prevent campus violence. And we provide access to several opportunities for continuing education on violence against women to promote the professional development of those working in the field.

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VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN DISASTERS

In disaster situations, like the recent storms that raged from the southern United States through the midwest and into the north, violence against women increases dramatically. Disproportionate rates of poverty, confining gender roles, and the burden of care-taking responsibilities lead to greater vulnerability and susceptibility to exploitation and violence during this challenging time (Klein, 2008). Implementing procedures, practices, and strategies for emergency preparedness and disaster relief can go a long way in preventing violence before it occurs and securing a safe and appropriate response to people in need. The VAWnet Special Collection, Disaster and Emergency Preparedness and Response (Updated May 2011), provides resources for individuals, organizations, and businesses to explore ways to reduce violence in the wake of disaster. Additional resources and ways to get involved through both donations and advocacy are included below.

The national Disaster Relief Fund, created as a result of Hurricane Katrina, focuses on disaster areas in the U.S. and is designed to:
• Support survivors and staff at local sexual assault centers
• Assist with direct service needs
• Protect evacuees from sexual violence
• Supplement relocation efforts for damaged sexual assault centers

Donate to the Relief Fund or help by distributing the Relief Fund Flyer.

To donate to victims of the Japanese Tsunami, consider using the Women’s Fund for Safety, which provides funding to organizations providing direct services and relief to women and children in Japan.

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