In the past and in the present, sexual violence has been used as a tool of oppression and maintaining hierarchies of power, specifically in the context of violence against Black women, Native women, LGBQ, trans, and gender-nonconforming people, immigrants, and people with disabilities in what is currently the United States.
People who choose to commit sexual violence may target people who have less power in the world, which can make it difficult for a survivor to report sexual assault or to get help. Survivors’ experiences are impacted by intersections or overlapping identities, whether it is immigration status, economic insecurity, limited English proficiency, or racism.
Violence does not occur in isolation, so we must respond with services and advocacy that reflect holistic and intersectional approaches in order to address diverse and complex circumstances.
This page contains resources to help service providers develop a deeper understanding of the links between oppression and sexual violence.
Foundational Resources
PEER SUPPORT CALLS FOR BIPOC IN NYS VICTIM SERVICES
NYS-based advocates and other victim services staff/volunteers who identify as Black, Indigenous, or as People of Color (BIPOC), are invited to participate in NYSCASA’s upcoming peer support calls for BIPOC at victim services programs. These informal conversations will be facilitated by NYSCASA staff.
WE CAN’T END SEXUAL VIOLENCE WITHOUT ENDING RACISM
Racism, specifically anti-Black racism, is a root cause of sexual violence. Harmful beliefs that view other groups as lesser — like sexism, heterosexism, transphobia, ableism, and racism — feed into the inequity and abuse that underscore all forms of sexual violence. In order to prevent sexual violence, we must acknowledge and take steps to undo the systemic ways anti-Black racism shows up in our communities and our work.
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) and Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) have developed a substantial collection of anti-racism resources for individuals and organizations working to end sexual violence. Click here to access the collection.
Truth, Healing, and Transformation: Addressing Structural Racism and Building Multicultural Solidarity to Prevent Sexual and Domestic Violence
How does telling the truth about and taking action on structural racism and generational oppression connect to sexual and domestic violence prevention? How can communities build multiracial solidarity to transform a culture of violence to a culture of safety and healing? In this web conference hosted by PreventConnect, we’ll hear from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) leaders who are facilitating truth-telling, healing, and transformation at the intersection of racial and gender justice. They will discuss the importance of addressing the historic and present-day legacies of colonization, genocide, slavery, and other forms of structural racism for a safety and equity now and into the future. Click here to access the webinar recording.
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLS
Racial Equity Tools is designed to support individuals and groups working to achieve racial equity. It offers tools, research, tips, curricula, and ideas for people who want to increase their understanding and to help those working for racial justice at every level – in systems, organizations, communities, and the culture at large.
Recommended resources from Racial Equity Tools:
TOOLKIT FOR INTERRUPTING OPPRESSION
The Toolkit for Interrupting Oppression was developed by the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence in response to to questions that arose in their organization as to how we can do more strategic interruptions of oppression and power dynamics, how we intervene with an awareness of power (ours and others), and how we can avoid harming or re-victimizing ourselves and others in the process of doing anti-oppression work.
The toolkit outlines considerations and guiding principles; provides activities for building skills; encourages readers toward cross-cultural communication and humility practices; and promotes practicing interruptions as often as possible. Click here to access this resource.
ADDRESSING RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES: A PEER RESOURCE GUIDE
The Coalition for Juvenile Justice created a peer resource guide for Racial and Ethnic Disparities (R/ED) Coordinators that may be useful for staff at victim assistance programs. Part one addresses the history of racism and white supremacy culture in the U.S. and the impact these have on our systems. Part two explains the roles and responsibilities of people who are working to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the systems in which we work. Part three explores the process of reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the justice system. Click here to access the guide.
RESOURCES FROM THE ANTI-OPPRESSION RESOURCE AND TRAINING ALLIANCE (AORTA)
AORTA is a worker-owned cooperative devoted to strengthening movements for social justice and a solidarity economy. AORTA works as consultants and facilitators to expand the capacity of cooperative, collective, and community based projects through education, training, and planning. Their work is based on an intersectional approach to liberation, recognizing that true change requires uprooting all systems of oppression. Visit AORTA’s website to learn more about how you can bring them to your organization for trainings and consultation.
