Resources

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WCSAP Webpage
March, 2012

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!

Using Twitter

It's up to each…

Topic
  • Media Literacy & Technology
Webinar
February, 2012

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…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
PDF
February, 2012

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…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Incarcerated Survivors
WCSAP Webpage
January, 2012

We know that our community members receive a lot of information about health, wellness, safety, and other public health issues. How do we make our message about the importance of sexual violence prevention really stick? How do we motivate them to choose the healthy, non-violent attitudes and behaviors? The way in which we convey our messages in person, through resource materials, and with media are all important.

Communication that leads to action

There are many approaches…

Topic
  • Program Design
WCSAP Webpage
January, 2012

Those in the non-profit field work hard to keep or expand funding sources in order to offer more to their community. Expanding primary prevention services can benefit the whole community though! Here are some highlights of funding sources out there and tips for writing those funding requests!

Finding Funding

Close to Home

  • A community free of sexual assault benefits everyone, so talk to community organizations about how they can support…
Topic
  • Grants & Finances
PDF
January, 2012

It's no wonder that many of us spend time working to prevent sexual violence with children and young people. Since the goal is to prevent first-time victimization and perpetration of sexual violence, we need to start giving tools and changing norms early on. Of course we also know that prevention work needs to span individuals, communities, and society and those social change efforts need to continue over the life span.

Young people are immersed in youth culture and can offer…

Topic
  • Strategies
WCSAP Webpage
January, 2012

Besides having fun, kids are trying to figure out how to make their way through the social environment and feel accepted. It is our role to help create a change in the social environment that makes it "uncool" to use violence and ultimately to be a bully.

Enhance bullying prevention programs in schools and community organizations:

  • Create environments free from violence and hostility in which kids feel safe and can trust adults.…
Topic
  • Strategies
WCSAP Webpage
January, 2012

Prevention work can be rewarding but also challenging. We want to help to facilitate positive social change within our communities but sometimes we run into obstacles or aren't sure we're making an impact. How can we stay motivated to do this work?

Feel enthused, refreshed, and appreciated!

Talk to other prevention folks!
Fight isolation by building relationships with others working to end sexual violence. Chat about…
Topic
  • Strategies
PDF & Printed Materials
January, 2012

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.…

Topic
  • Trauma
  • Program Provision
WCSAP Webpage
January, 2012

Ending sexual violence in our communities takes all of us. Involving boys and men in our prevention work can benefit the prevention field, men, and the community. Here are a few considerations and resources to use when engaging men in prevention.

Why engage men in prevention?

These are just a few reasons — challenge yourself to come up with more & then put them to action!

  • While the majority of sexual violence is committed by men…
Topic
  • Gender Specific
To Talk To Your Kids About Healthy Sexuality
PDF & Printed Materials
January, 2012

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!

PDF download:

Topic
  • Parents & Caregivers
  • CSA Prevention
PDF
December, 2011

A multidisciplinary response to sexual assault cases is beneficial to our work and our communities. It cultivates communication and collaboration among service providers and system professionals; increases the effectiveness of criminal justice, social service, medical, and community interventions; and ultimately, it improves the response to and experiences of survivors.

This approach is most often supported through the development of teams comprised of the primary stakeholders who…

Topic
  • Legal Advocacy
WCSAP Webpage
November, 2011

Providing advocacy services for children and teens who have been sexually abused often requires specialized knowledge and skills. Ensuring that your young clients and their parents are fully informed and supported means having specific information about things such as:

  • The rights of child victims
  • The procedures for a child medical exam
  • Confidentiality and consent considerations for minors
  • Mandatory reporting
  • The roles…
Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
PDF
June, 2011

In this issue of "Partners in Social Change" we examine what it looks like to engage men in sexual violence prevention. Much of the work we do focuses on how communities can prevent sexual violence; therefore this issue seeks to examine men as a community that has the potential to help create social change. The notion that men need to be involved in ending gender-based violence is not new by any means, but we want to take a look at how we can genuinely involve men as part of a movement that…

Topic
  • Male Survivors
  • LGBTQ
  • Gender Specific
Should Not Have Therapy Delayed Until After Trial
WCSAP Webpage
April, 2011

In cases of child sexual abuse, some prosecutors discourage parents or others from placing a child in therapy until after the trial. The fear is that therapy will create memory and suggestibility issues which may be used by defense counsel to attack the child's credibility. Therapists confronting this issue can make the following points.

  1. If a child wants or needs therapy, it is unethical to withhold this treatment. Numerous studies document that sexual abuse…
Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Legal Advocacy
WCSAP Webpage
April, 2011

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is a therapeutic technique that helps clients to deal with trauma and disturbing memories. Developed by Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., in the 1980s, EMDR has been extensively researched and found to be an effective method of treating posttraumatic stress. The theory behind EMDR is that trauma memories must be disrupted not only cognitively but also neurologically, allowing the brain to handle past trauma in a different manner. EMDR is…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Therapy
WCSAP Webpage
April, 2011

Sexual assault program managers are drawn to the coaching model of supervision because it is in line with the values we have in our field. The coaching approach is attractive because:

  • it is strengths-based
  • it is based on respect for staff members
  • it encourages professional growth and development

When we coach, we listen more than we talk, we facilitate rather than control, and we work with staff members to come up with…

Topic
  • Supervision
With Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth
WCSAP Webpage
April, 2011

Relationship-building with youth who have been commercially sexually exploited is no small task. In many cases, abuse, abandonment and betrayal have characterized their relationships with adults and created mistrust. Additionally, they may not see themselves as victims of exploitation or know how they want to move forward.

As advocates, you already have many of the skills you need to support youth who have been commercially sexually exploited. Building rapport with this population is…

Topic
  • Trafficking & CSEC
Child Sexual Abuse
WCSAP Webpage
April, 2011

Children who have been sexually abused have often experienced an entire series of traumatic events, from multiple victimizations to seriously disrupted relationships with their parents. These children's experiences can't be described with the traditional posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) label; their fundamental ways of interacting with the world and sometimes even their biological functions are changed because of the chronic, pervasive stress to which they have been exposed at this…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Trauma
  • Therapy
For an "Energized, Incredible" Board
WCSAP Webpage
April, 2011

Each member of your Board of Directors has accepted crucial responsibilities for the welfare of your agency, and needs training of the highest possible quality to carry out those responsibilities. The Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA) Accreditation Standards state:

Each member of the governing board or advisory committee for a sexual assault program must have orientation and training specific to their role.

The suggestions below are relevant…

Topic
  • Nonprofit Governance
PDF
March, 2011

Some highlights of this issue:

  • An interview with disaster sociologist Dr. Elaine Enarson
  • Interviews and articles from managers of sexual assault programs across Washington State - snapshots of what is really happening in the field
  • A disaster recovery guide
  • An article on disability considerations
  • An emergency planning fact sheet
  • A checklist of strategies you can use to create your emergency plans and recovery…
Topic
  • Planning
Be a Leader
WCSAP Webpage
March, 2011

No matter what your formal position, you can be a leader in advocating for services to address Intimate Partner Sexual Violence (IPSV). Often, it takes just one dedicated individual to initiate these much-needed services.

Do your homework

Even if you are a very experienced advocate, it is crucial to educate yourself thoroughly on Intimate Partner Sexual Violence. Two great starting places: the book…

Topic
  • IPSV
  • Support Groups
Webinar
March, 2011

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.

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
2010 Survey Results and Recommendations
PDF
January, 2011

The information gathered from this survey highlighted those areas that require further attention and additional resources. It also identified that programs have been adaptive and innovative in responding to this problem despite existing resource and knowledge gaps. Some of the practices that are already being implemented, such as system coordination, have proven to be quite valuable in this context but we must also continue to expand our thinking and relationship-building efforts beyond…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Trafficking & CSEC
PDF
December, 2010

To this day, having a sexual orientation or gender identity, real or perceived, that differs from the mainstream puts one at a higher risk for sexual violence.

Homophobia, transphobia, and misogyny continue to pervade society and support the rape culture we live in. This has a tremendous impact on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) communities.

Topic
  • LGBTQ