Focus Areas

Confidentiality is the cornerstone of advocacy. While the basic principles of maintaining respect and privacy apply to survivors of all ages, consent and confidentiality issues become especially important and a bit more complex when the survivor is under the age of 18. By providing some clarity around these complexities, our hope is to ultimately increase minors' access to and utilization of advocacy services. Some of the issues that must be considered when working with minors are:

Confidentiality: a Core Value

Children and teens experience power disparity as they navigate a world created by adults, and this socialization is compounded in the powerlessness caused by sexual violence. As advocates practice confidentiality with child and teen survivors of sexual violence, we challenge the inherent power adults have over children and youth. Advocates can constantly check personal bias about children and teens, and avoid assumptions that we know what is best for…

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is a form of child sexual abuse. It is sexual activity involving a minor in exchange for something of value, or promise thereof, to the child or another person or persons. The young person is treated as a commercial and sexual object.

Often when schools and communities request a CSEC program this is connected to increased media attention of CSEC or in response to a recent incident. Programming that defines the violence and focuses on…

A systematic response to intimate partner sexual violence is one that involves all levels of advocacy, legal, and political realms. The articles within this issue illustrate the complexities of IPSV, while painting a picture of that systematic response.

By capturing the voices of survivors, advocates and legal leaders in this movement to end violence against women, this "Connections" will inspire you to look beyond traditional paths of service delivery, dig deeper into the root…

It is a parent’s job to worry about their children — to ensure all of their needs are taken care of. But there is one need that we don’t always think of — in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and trying to make sure everyone is fed and clothed — and that is the importance of encouraging frequent and thorough communication with and from the children themselves. A key component of discovering, and putting an end to, child sexual abuse is disclosure. Disclosure is when child sexual abuse…

Service providers from all disciplines — medical and mental health, law enforcement, the courts, education, child welfare, and advocacy — can offer trauma-informed services to those they serve. Trauma-informed services approach people from the standpoint of the question "What has happened to you?" rather than "What is wrong with you?" It is important to note that providing trauma-informed services does not mean service providers must determine exactly what has happened to an individual.…

This webinar will provide an overview of crisis intervention in cases of child sexual abuse. It is intended to build upon and enhance the content presented in the related section of the From Hurt to Hope Child Advocacy Guide. The guide and each complementary webinar aim to support sexual assault advocates in their work with children and families.

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…

We know that sexual violence flourishes in an atmosphere of oppression. When people are not seen as individuals, when their voices go unheard, when their concerns are dismissed, and when their perceptions are swept aside, they are more likely to be victimized and less likely to experience justice. Advocates know that disability does not equal a lack of credibility, that barriers can often be overcome through patience and creativity, and that everyone benefits from an environment of respect…

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