Escape

03 Oct NYSCASA Monthly Digest – October 2019

Posted at 17:55h in news by

Do you have news for NYSCASA to share in our next digest? Email submissions with “Newsletter” in the subject line to Chelsea Miller, Communications Director, at cmiller@nyscasa.org.

 

Coalition News

 

Beyond the Breakthrough: 2019 National Sexual Assault Conference

In August, two NYSCASA staff members attended the 2019 National Sexual Assault Conference (NSAC): PREA Outreach Coordinator E Bjorkman and Communications Director Chelsea Miller.

This year’s theme was “Beyond the Breakthrough,” which focused on ways to best support survivors who have long been overlooked by mainstream sexual assault services and critically examined the role of oppression in fostering sexual violence and determining who can access sexual assault services and what services are provided.

Hear about the conference from E and Chelsea here.

Op-ed: Sex education advances health, well-being of youth

As the 2020 legislative session approaches, we must reflect on what has been accomplished to protect and empower the youth of New York state: Do they have the tools they need to lead healthy and productive lives? NYSCASA, Prevent Child Abuse New York, and Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts urge lawmakers to pass legislation (A6512/S4484) that would advance the health and well-being of our youth through comprehensive sex education and encouraging educational and community support systems. Read our full statement here.

Engaging Men and Boys at Vera House, Inc.

The Worker Institute at Cornell University recently conducted a survey of participants in the Engaging Men & Boys Program at Vera House, Inc. The survey findings were published in a recent article: https://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/reports/68

The Engaging Men & Boys Program provides opportunities for boys and men to engage in leadership conversations, challenge assumptions, and change cultural norms that allow violence to occur. Learn more about the program.

 

Coalition Events

 

Webinar: Shifting the Dialogue on Engaging Men and Healthy Relationships (October 8)

On October 8, join NYSCASA for a powerful webinar with Don McPherson, author of You Throw Like a Girl: The Blind Spot of Masculinity. This session will provide an overview of the state of the field of addressing sexual violence in higher education with a focus on engaging boys and men. The discussion will offer new perspectives on bystander behavior programs and education around “consent.” The goal of this session is provide strategies to build sustainable programming to engage men; taking this beyond prevention and toward healthy relationships and aspirational masculinity. Register here.

Northeast Region: Addressing Alcohol’s Role in Campus Sexual Assault: A Toolkit Skill-Building Workshop (October 10)

Northeast Region Enough Is Enough providers are invited to attend this skill-building workshop that serves as a follow-up to the webinar on Addressing Alcohol’s Role in Campus Sexual Assault: A Toolkit for and by Prevention Specialists (Part 1). The workshop will focus on practicing some of the activities outlined in the toolkit, specifically on:

  • Developing partnerships/collaborations.
  • Exploring cultural aspects of developing messaging.
  • Reviewing current local programming already in place and identifying gaps.
  • Next steps for developing campus messaging.

Enough Is Enough providers in the Northeast Region can register for this training here. The training will also be offered to EIE providers in other regions throughout the state; locations and dates to be announced.

Cultural Safety Training in Akwesasne (October 23–24)

Join our sibling coalition, Seven Dancers Coalition, on October 23–24 for a training on cultural safety and skills and awareness for working with people from marginalized populations. Cultural safety moves beyond the concept of cultural sensitivity to analyze power imbalances, institutional discrimination, and colonization. Registration is required. Learn more and register here.

Webinar: The Role of Advocates Within the Forensic Exam Process (October 23)

In order to best serve survivors of sexual assault in an emergency department setting, it is imperative for advocates to be well acquainted with the forensic exam process. During this webinar, presenters will thoroughly explain the forensic exam from start to finish, including medical history, assault history, physical exam, and evidence collection.

Presenters will also discuss the role that advocates have working as a team with forensic examiners to best support survivors. Presenters are Nancy Harris and Lindsey Crusan-Muse. Register here.

Elder Abuse Prevention Event in Syracuse (November 7)

Join Vera House, Inc., for an event, “How Can We Prevent Elder Abuse Before It Happens?” with Alan Berkowitz, independent consultant and national expert in the field of violence prevention. Topics covered include an overview of primary prevention, best practices in primary prevention, skill building and personal awareness exercises, and community goal setting. Read more and register here.

Trauma Stewardship Event in Syracuse (November 14)

Join Vera House, Inc., for a two-part event, “Navigating Amidst Overwhelming Times: Whether because of trauma, crises, or really, really hard days,” with trauma expert Laura van Dernoot Lipsky. Laura van Dernoot Lipsky is founder and director of The Trauma Stewardship Institute and author of Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others and The Age of Overwhelm: Strategies for the Long Haul. Read more and register here.

2020 Sexual Assault Prevention and Intervention Conference: Ending Violence Without Violence (Syracuse, NY)

NYSCASA is thrilled to announce that we are co-creating a conference to be held in 2020 with Seven Dancers Coalition, the Indigenous anti-violence coalition in New York State and Haudenosaunee Country, and Interrupting Criminalization: Research in Action, a new project led by Mariame Kaba and Andrea Ritchie at the Barnard Center for Research on Women. The 2020 Sexual Assault Prevention and Intervention Conference will be held in Syracuse, NY, on June 4–6, 2020, with a pre-conference institute on June 3.

This conference will provide a space for survivors, advocates, counselors, victim assistance programs, allied organizations, and community members across New York State and Haudenosaunee Country to develop the knowledge, skills, and courage to implement community-centered practices to prevent and respond to harm and sexual violence.

Speakers and registration information to be announced. Pre-conference programming will be announced in the coming months.

Sign up to receive updates about the 2020 conference here: bit.ly/NYSCASA2020

 

For information about additional upcoming events, be sure to check NYSCASA’s calendar!

 

Sexual Violence in the News

 

 

Sexual Violence in Media

 

 

Job Opportunities

 

Jobs at NYSCASA and Rape Crisis Member Programs

Jobs at Allied Organizations