This edition of the "Research and Advocacy Digest" focuses on the issue of prison rape and sexual coercion behind bars. While hard data on sexual assaults in prison is sparse, most of us in society and within the anti-rape movement know that the rape, torture, brutality and sexual assault of inmates by other inmates and staff are part of the fabric of everyday prison life.
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The publication is organized into five sections in addition to the appendix:
Each section consists of a brief overview of the supporting community development concept and a first person narrative from the facilitator of the community development process. It is our hope that information in this…
The purpose of this guide is to help a survivor or guardian of a child survivor understand the advantages and disadvantages of suing the perpetrator or other responsible parties in civil court. It is not legal advice and should not be substituted for the advice of an attorney. Consulting with an attorney can help a survivor determine what laws apply to their situation and what claims they may have against the perpetrator or other parties.
This guide was last updated in 2004, so…
"Is feminism still valid?" is the question that became the basis of this issue of Connections. As we began to contemplate that question it came became clear that the question has always been, "Is feminism valid?" First wave feminism, the women's suffrage movement 1860-1920, was viewed as a radical doctrine, focused on dividing the genders. It was thought to be a construct of white, middle class, heterosexual, educated women. Second wave feminism, the women's liberation movement 1960 - 1982,…
Prevalence statistics consistently show a high incidence of sexual victimization among people with disabilities. In spite of this fact, people with disabilities are not significantly represented as clientele of traditional sexual assault delivery systems.
This issue of the "Research and Advocacy Digest" provides specific information about sexual violence within various communities of people with disabilities. Furthermore, this digest highlights resources that explore socio-political…
Sexual violence can be viewed many ways. Some of the more common perspectives are mental health, criminal justice, medical, social and political. In the 1970’s the anti-rape movement clearly operated from a socio-political analysis of the issue. As service delivery structures were created our analysis expanded to accommodate the collaborations taking place in the criminal justice, mental health and medical systems.
Over the past decade there has been a push to incorporate the public…
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex issue. The diagnosis was first acknowledged as a disorder of individuals experiencing the extreme stress of combat situations.
PTSD has now become a term familiar to the general public as well as a common diagnosis. This issue attempts to provide an overview of recent research on PTSD, particularly those aspects most directly related to victims of sexual assault.
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Community development and social change strategies - something new? As the old song lyric says, "Everything old is new again."
When the state Sexual Assault Prevention Advisory Committee was convened by the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy in 1997 to explore and discuss sexual assault prevention approaches, it was a committee representative of the entire sexual assault prevention community. There were key representatives from the Department of Health, from the Office of the…
At WCSAP, we receive a lot of questions from advocates about the "ins and outs" of mandated reporting. Although Washington's law about mandated reporting is pretty straightforward, it can feel much more complex in practice. Here are some quick answers (that do not constitute legal advice) to some of the recent questions we have received on this topic:
The King County Public Health Department created this comprehensive sexuality education and violence prevention curriculum. Students are exposed to developmentally appropriate and medically accurate information.
Addresses:
Toolkit developed in South Africa focused on ending different forms of violence in their communities, including domestic and sexual violence and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
This campaign engages men as
Step UP! is a prosocial behavior and bystander intervention program that educates students to be proactive in helping others.
The criminal justice system is not the only way for survivors of sexual assault to get their legal needs met. Because most victims never report to the police, most sexual assault victims are never involved in the criminal justice system. However, survivors may still have many legal needs that arise from being sexually assaulted.
Some issues that survivors may be concerned about, but do not necessarily think of as legal issues, are things such as:
There is a great deal of information related to the responsibility of colleges and universities to protect students and address sexual violence on campus. This information can be overwhelming to advocates and survivors alike. As advocates, our role is to focus on empowerment and choice with survivors and to know where to find information and resources related to campus systems, rather than memorizing the depth of federal law and policy.
Like…
This program, created by Jewish Women International, explores issues
of:
within a Jewish context.
Limited Release of Information Forms - These forms were created by Julie Field, founder of The Confidentiality Institute and the Safety Net Project, National Network of Domestic Violence. (2008, last revised 2010). They can be downloaded and modified to include your agency information.
The Unitarian Universalist Association created this secular curriculum to help participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas:
Each volume contains different…
Jewish Women International created a 6-session, 12-hour program to promote a healthy sense of dating, friendship, and self-esteem for young women within a Jewish context.
Participants are encouraged to explore these concepts through group discussions and individual writing exercises.
The intent of these presentations is to provide a starting place or a template for your program when responding to requests, typically from schools, for basic information or awareness raising presentations. We have included the key points and best practice approaches to discussing the topic and expect you may customize some aspects of the slides to meet your community’…
Sexual violence is an endemic social problem in the U.S. The victim blaming attitudes of the civilian world often spill into military service, and those attitudes carry over into tours of duty. While the military has been in the spotlight for failing to support victims and respond to and prevent sexual assault, civilian criminal justice systems regularly and systematically fail victims too, and leaders in all forms of institutions fall short of adequately understanding and addressing the…
This book prepares adults for working with young people by providing a theoretical framework for violence prevention work along with exercises in being effective allies to youth. Workshop guidelines and outlines are included for facilitating discussion and sharing around sensitive topics of oppression, the "isms" — racism, sexism, adultism — as well as gender issues, immigration, religion, ability and access.
Washington State law includes sex offenses and other related crimes, as well as benefits and protections for victims. The following list is adapted from the Sexual Violence Law Center:
This is the religious education companion series to the curricula Our Whole Lives (OWL). The Sexuality and Our Faith series introduces explicitly UU and UCC material to the sexuality education programs in their congregations. Includes a companion book for each age-appropriate volume of OWL.
The curriculum focuses on both tribal community members and those working with the community as educators, social workers, judges, etc. Appropriate for both native and non-native audiences. Intended to encourage healthy relationships and the identification of sexual and intimate partner violence.
The intent of these presentations is to provide a starting place or a template for your program when responding to requests, typically from schools, for basic information or awareness raising presentations. We have included the key points and best practice approaches to discussing the topic and expect you may customize some aspects of the slides to meet your community’s needs, experiences, and resources. The slides contain detailed notes and considerations for the trainer.
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