JUNE 2021
NEWS & UPDATES
Volume 19 | Issue 6
Celebrated annually during the month of June is LGBTQ Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. It is a time to celebrate LGBTQ pride, the achievements of the LGBTQ community, and to demonstrate for equal rights.

Throughout June, NYSCADV will be engaging in virtual activities to increase public awareness and education about LGBTQ and domestic violence. LGBTQ individuals may experience unique forms of intimate partner violence as well as distinctive barriers to seeking help due to fear of discrimination or bias. "Outing" or threatening to reveal one partner's sexual orientation/gender identity may be used as a tool of abuse in violent relationships and may also be a barrier which reduces the likelihood of help-seeking for the abuse. Prior experiences of physical or psychological trauma, such as bullying and hate crime, may also make LGBTQ victims of domestic violence less likely to see help.

To learn more about LGBTQ Pride Month and how you can get involved, check out these resources:
  • Library of Congress LGBTQ Pride Month: Learn more about the history of LGBTQ Pride Month.
  • The National LGBTQ Institute on IPV: Identifies and responds to the specific and emerging needs of diverse LGBTQ intimate partner violence survivors. The Institute informs research and policy agendas, coordinates with other Domestic Violence Resource Network members, and provides training and technical assistance to improve violence prevention and intervention efforts nationwide.
  • NYC Anti-Violence Project: Empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected communities and allies to end all forms of violence through organizing and education, and supports survivors through counseling and advocacy.
  • In Our Own Voices: The only culturally specific nonprofit organization in NYS dedicated to providing services to LGBTQ people of color.
  • QUEERY: A resource for art-based violence prevention educational programs that use creative art and media projects to raise awareness around LGBTQ issues and prevention.
  • The Rainbow Library: An initiative driven by GLSEN Connecticut that sends LGBTQ+ affirming text sets to schools and libraries for free.
PREVENTION CORNER
This Father’s Day, the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, invites Fathers and Father Figures to take our Father’s Day Pledge. 

The Father’s Day Pledge is part of NYSCADV’s Because We’re Dads Initiative and is just one way Father’s can become involved to promote healthy relationship behaviors that support gender equality. NYSCADV launched the Because We’re Dads initiative in June of 2020 and over the past year has developed and provided tools, resources, and educational opportunities for engaging and mobilizing Father’s and Father Figures in promoting equal rights, gender equality and healthy relationships. Fathers play a significant role in the lives of their children and have the opportunity to influence attitudes and behaviors that support healthy and equitable relationships premised on respect, consent and nonviolence. After all, peace begins at home but can then ripple out to our schools, our workplaces and our communities. Let’s make New York State a place where healthy, respectful relationships based on equality are the norm!

To learn more about everyday actions Father’s can take and to take the NYSCADV Father’s Day Pledge go to: https://www.nyscadv.org/what-we-do/prevention-toolkit/because-were-dads.html 
Seeking nominations for Youth Leadership Council!

Exciting news! The deadline for accepting nominations has been extended. After receiving so many nominations, so much interest from young people and several wonderful conversations with parents and prevention educators, NYSCADV has decided to convene two separate councils- one comprised of middle and highschoolers and one for ages 18 +. While there will certainly be times when both groups will come together for events, having two groups will help us to ensure that activities and discussion are developmentally and age appropriate while in our initial planning stages.

See below for original call for nominations and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

“Dear Prevention Educators, Teachers, Coaches, Faith Leaders, Parents and Caregivers:

Do you know a young person who is an activist or interested in becoming one? Do they possess leadership skills or have an interest in developing them? We bet you do and we have just the opportunity for them!

NYSCADV is launching our first ever Statewide Youth Leadership Council to inform our ongoing healthy relationship prevention strategies. This is a long standing dream at NYSCADV and we are excited and eager to get started.

At this time we envision convening a full group meeting twice a year (Late Spring and Early Fall,) with the possibility of monthly sub-committee meetings that would be topic-specific and time-limited. Trainings on leadership development, community organizing for social justice issues with lots of opportunities for skill building will be offered.

To nominate a young person simply send an email to Lorien Castelle at lcastelle@nyscadv.org, describing their interest in participating on the Council and why you are nominating them. Send their age/grade, contact information and that of their parents. Permission forms and a description of the Council will be sent to the Parent/Guardian you identify.”
POLICY CORNER
The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) Annual Advocacy Days Conference June 15-16th

NNEDV is hosting their annual Advocacy Days Conference on June 15th-16th. Each year, NYSCADV attends NNEDV's Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C. to advocate on behalf of NYS domestic violence survivors and programs for more funding and resources. NYSCADV will be talking to NYS Congressional Representatives to share information about the changing needs of domestic and sexual violence survivors in NYS. Although we will miss attending D.C. in person again this year, we are excited to participate virtually!
 
NNEDV and NYSCADV welcome and encourage the participation of domestic violence programs across New York State to attend virtually! Registration fees to participate are as follows:
  • Regular Registration (May 10-June 4): $100/person
  • Regular Registration for groups of 4+ (May 10-June 4): $75/person
  • Registration is free for those speaking from lived experience and for culturally specific service provider staff
 
Click here to register for NNEDV's Advocacy Days! Once you register, please email Jane Ni, Policy and Community Engagement Coordinator, at jni@nyscadv.org that you have signed up so NYSCADV can keep you apprised of our activities for the advocacy days!
Save the Date! NNEDV's DV Counts Day 2021

NNEDV's DV Counts Census Day will take place on Thursday, September 9th, 2021. More information is forthcoming and will be shared with all identified program contacts when available. If you have any questions or would like to update your program's contact information, please reach out to Jennifer Clark at jclark@nyscadv.org or Jane Ni at jni@nyscadv.org.
 
Thank you to all the DV Programs and their staff that participated in the 2020 DV Counts Census. We had a 100% participation rate and could again gain a clear picture of the needs of survivors in New York State. The full 2020 report for NNEDV's DV Counts was released last week. The summary can be viewed by clicking here.
NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY
This year, National Gun Violence Awareness Day is on June 4th. This national day is marked annually on the first Friday of June to honor the lives lost to gun violence and to raise awareness about gun violence. The effect of gun violence on our communities is pervasive, long lasting, and impacts everyone.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety:
  • Every day, more than 100 Americans are killed with guns;
  • In an average month, 57 women in America are shot to death by an intimate partner;
  • Access to a gun in a domestic violence situation makes it five times more likely that a woman will be killed
  • Firearms are the leading cause of death for American children and teens;
  • Black Americans are ten times more likely than white Americans to die by gun homicide; and
  • Access to a gun triples the risk of death by suicide.

Join NYSCADV in raising gun violence awareness by:
  • Wearing orange on June 4th National Gun Violence Awareness Day;
  • Participating in Wear Orange Weekend June 4-6th by clicking here; and
  • Learning more about gun violence by visiting Everytown for Gun Safety.
ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH
June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month. Elder abuse is a global social issue which affects the health and human rights of millions of older persons around the world. According to the World Health Organization, around 1 in 6 people 60 years or older experience some form of abuse. Elder abuse can lead to serious physical injuries and long-term psychological consequences. Wear purple on June 15th Elder Abuse Awareness Day to show your support and spread awareness!

To learn more about elder abuse and how you can help, visit these resources:
  • Lifespan of Greater Rochester: A regional nonprofit based in Rochester, NY, is a trusted source of unbiased information, guidance and more than 30 services and advocacy for older adults and caregivers. Lifespan also provides training and education for allied professionals and the community.
  • New York State Coalition on Elder Abuse: A multidisciplinary, statewide network of over 1,800 individuals, organizations and government agencies working together to protect older adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation by raising awareness and offering solutions for prevention and intervention through education, advocacy and research.
  • The National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL): Provides technical assistance and consultation, training, and resources.
NATIONAL POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AWARENESS MONTH
June is marked annually as National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Month to educate the public and raise awareness about PTSD, and June 27th is dedicated as National PTSD Awareness Day. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD, about 7 or 8 out of every 100 people will have PTSD at some point in their lives and about 10 of every 100 women develop PTSD sometime in their lives compared with about 4 of every 100 men.

People with PTSD relive the traumatic event, avoid situations that remind them of the past, and have negative thoughts about themselves or the world. Domestic violence survivors may still feel the effects of the abuse even after the abuse has ended, and can develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the trauma that they have experienced. This is why trauma-informed care is so important, it provides support to survivors to rebuild their lives and empowers them to make their own decisions.

Here are some things you can do to spread awareness:
  • Wear Teal on June 27th National PTSD Awareness Day;
  • Educate yourself and your community on PTSD; and
  • Engage in activities that spread awareness.

For more information on PTSD, you can visit:
WAYS TO SUPPORT NYSCADV
GJ Attitude - A clothing company focused on projecting courage, confidence and power to women. The company is generously donating 5% of all sales to NYSCADV. Visit the GJ Attitude website by clicking here to view t-shirt collections and place an order. Thank you, GJ Attitude, for supporting NYSCADV's work! 
 
Shop on Amazon Smile - Simply follow the link to Amazon Smile, login to your Amazon account, and select New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence as your charity of choice. Amazon gives to NYSCADV every time you shop!
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime: National Joint Training Conference for VOCA Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation Administrators (2022-2024).
The Office for Victims of Crime will make an award to an eligible organization to support the 2022, 2023, and 2024 VOCA National Training Conferences for State VOCA Victim Assistance and Compensation Administrators and their staff. The conferences will provide training and technical assistance and facilitate an opportunity for the presentation of state issues and practices through lectures, panels, workshops, and forums.
Deadline: June 17, 2021. Click here for more information.

Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime: Services to Support Victims of Hate Crime and Strengthen Communities. 
The Office for Victims of Crime will issue one award of up to $2,000,000, for up to a 3-year performance period, to a lead entity that will provide overall project management and oversight and, in turn, competitively select a minimum of 12 organizations throughout the country to implement field-generated projects to serve and support victims of hate crime in the communities that they serve, thereby promoting awareness, healing, reconciliation, service access and/or resource development. The recipient will also provide technical assistance and capacity building to the selected subrecipients (for example, crime victims’ rights, compensation for crime victims, federal award management, etc.). 
Deadline: June 18, 2021. Click here for more information.

Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime: Services for Minor Victims of Sex Trafficking.
The Office for Victims of Crime is seeking applications for funding to support direct services to minor victims of sex trafficking throughout the United States. This program furthers the Department’s mission by enhancing the field’s response to victims of human trafficking. Deadline Date: June 22, 2021. Click here for more information.
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