Even though we work in the anti-violence field, we sometimes overlook the need for workplace violence prevention and intervention plans for our own programs. While agencies may be well aware of the risk of violence from an abuser who is connected to a client, we may not consider the possibility of employee-to-employee violence, risk from someone who is stalking or abusing a staff member, or threats from a worker whose employment is being terminated.
Managers could use the following…
This training is geared towards individuals and organizations that see the need to take a bold move to improve the way our Movement provides services to survivors of color while also supporting advocates of color. Sexual violence is greatly impacted and made more complex by all other forms of oppression, but issues of racism have long been swept under the rug within our Movement. Many organizations promote anti-oppression work but aren't able to describe or demonstrate how they are…
WCSAP prioritized gathering information about sexual assault legal advocacy practices because we have heard from advocates that sexual assault survivors face many challenges within the legal system. This means that legal advocacy is also challenging and that advocates need support for their work in this system.
A particularly successful method of working with survivors of sexual assault and trauma is by bringing survivors together in groups. Groups are an effective tool in providing support, validation, connection, healing, empathy, and giving hope. At the core of all sexual assault is disempowerment and disconnection. To assist in recovery, empowerment and connection is key.
It is amazing to witness the transformation that many survivors make because of these groups — because they realize…
Community sexual assault programs may receive inquiries from parents, caregivers, and professionals about how to understand and respond to children's sexual behaviors. It may be helpful to think about children's sexual behaviors as existing on a continuum — some sexual behaviors are healthy and normal, some are problematic, and others may become abusive. The resources below can help parents and professionals identify which behaviors are developmentally appropriate, which behaviors may be…
Keane, Guest, & Padbury (2013) explored issues of sibling sexual abuse in their recent article. According to the authors, there must be a balance of concern for victims of sibling sexual abuse, as well as those who offend. They rejected the feminist framework that prioritizes victim rights (specifically in the instance of youth offending) in order to look at it from a developmental framework.
Adult theories of offending are located in research that suggests the…
In this webinar, participants will learn how to boost and sustain their prevention work by connecting and integrating with existing sexual health education efforts. Violence preventionists can make the most of current national research, the Washington Healthy Youth Act, and Washington Department of Health Guidelines. We will discuss best practices related to STD and teen pregnancy prevention and sexual violence prevention. Preventionists will leave this webinar being able to make the case…
These flags give youth and adults the opportunity to start conversations about consent!
This interactive tool allows people to think about the spectrum of verbal and non-verbal ways consent and non-consent is communicated. Additionally, this activity goes beyond just defining consent and asks participants to apply the concept of complex consent. This process makes them put consent in their own words and terms which in turn makes it more likely to be realistic and therefore applied in…
How do you craft a psychoeducational support group for teen survivors of sexual abuse and assault that addresses their unique needs and acknowledges the effects of sexual violence in their lives? What practical steps do you need to take in forming and facilitating these support groups to keep them securely anchored in the values of our field? This webinar focuses on facilitator-tested steps to use empowerment-based advocacy principles, an anti-oppression framework, and trauma-informed…
