Your work with parents is invaluable to the healing of child and teen survivors, families, and communities. Many programs have contacted WCSAP to inquire about resources and curricula for facilitating psychoeducational support groups for nonoffending parents and caregivers of children who have been sexually abused.
This Guide is a supplement to the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs' (WCSAP) general guide to psychoeducational support groups, Circle of Hope. Circle of Hope provides information about the nature of psychoeducational groups and how they differ from self-help and therapy groups. In addition, there is general…
This documentary is an adaptation of Jessica Valenti's 2009 bestselling book "The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women." The documentary, which Valenti co-wrote the documentary with director Jeremy Earp, brings to life her argument by allowing the audience to see the pop-culture examples of the American media's problematical portrayal of women's sexuality.
The book and documentary both build upon Valenti's concept of the "purity myth," which she…
Including siblings in treatment permits families to realize the maximum benefits of therapy for the victim as well as each family member.
—Baker, Tanis, & Rice, 2001
Nonabused children whose siblings have been abused may have to deal with:
The annual performance review can be an excellent opportunity to work individually with staff members to enhance their skills and abilities as well as their job satisfaction. Some managers (and some employees) dread performance reviews, seeing them as the venue for telling unwelcome truths. Done properly, however, these meetings can enhance your relationships with staff and volunteers.
Twitter is a social networking tool that allows people to share short messages instantly. Messages are called Tweets and must be equal to or less than 140 characters. You can easily share information and see what others share.
Read Twitter 101 to get started!
It's up to each…
This issue of the Digest focuses on research about children and teens that have come into contact with the criminal justice system because they are victims of crime. We know that one in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before the age of 18. When these crimes are reported, those individuals typically become involved with the criminal justice system.
As advocates, we recognize that the justice system can be complex, confusing, and often unpredictable. These concerns…
This presentation is designed for sexual assault advocates who work with caregivers of children with a history of sexual abuse and who may be exhibiting sexual behavior problems. The presentation will include information regarding typical sexual development, as well as how to distinguish typical sexual behavior from problematic sexual behavior for children ages 12 and younger. Common misconceptions about children with sexual behavior problems will be dispelled. This presentation will…
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.…
Inside parents can find out about healthy sexual development for children, why it is important to talk to children about sexuality, and tips for having these conversations. It's a great way to get the conversation started!
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