New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Working for a World Without Violence
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Monthly Digest
October 2020
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Do you have announcements that you would like NYSCASA to share in our Monthly Digest?
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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month (#DVAM) is a time when survivors come forward to share their stories, both directly and through the words of advocates. Our sibling coalition, the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV), educates advocates, policymakers, and the public-at-large about survivors' most pressing needs, both during abusive relationships and after they decide to leave.
Domestic violence was already an epidemic before COVID-19, but the health crisis has caused a tremendous spike in incidents of abuse. Even as lockdown restrictions are lifted, the abuse will not simply end. It remains a critical time for survivors, and greater awareness, education, and bystander intervention are desperately needed. This October, join us in activating bystanders and sharing information that can help those who are experiencing violence during this unprecedented time.
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NYSCASA Joins Coalitions Nationwide in Signing “Moment of Truth” Statement
In the wake of George Floyd’s murder and ongoing violence experienced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), nearly 50 sexual assault and domestic violence coalitions, including NYSCASA, signed on to the following statement.
As an organization dedicated to ending sexual violence, NYSCASA is committed to ending oppression in all of its forms, including racism, white supremacy, and state-sanctioned violence. NYSCASA stands in solidarity with calls for justice and accountability for the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others whose lives have been taken by anti-Black violence. Read statements released this summer here and here.
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All New Yorkers Encouraged to Support Survivors During COVID-19 Crisis
We are still experiencing a pandemic. During this time of crisis, sexual violence, domestic violence, and child abuse will continue to occur – most likely at increased rates than ever before. The New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Seven Dancers Coalition, and Prevent Child Abuse New York encourage New Yorkers to support their friends, family members, or colleagues whenever they seek help.
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Ending Violence Without Violence Virtual Training Series
NYSCASA is pleased to revisit our 2020 webinar series, Ending Violence Without Violence. The series will introduce participants to the core principles of Restorative Justice, Transformative Justice, Community Accountability, and other community-centered approaches to violence prevention and response.
Participants will develop a shared analysis of interpersonal violence—specifically sexual violence—and a shared understanding of the importance of community-based approaches to sexual violence prevention and intervention. The webinar series will underscore the importance of building communities that can prevent sexual violence, respond to harm, and heal trauma.
Upcoming Events:
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Elder Abuse Webinar with Tracey Siebert-Konopko
Join NYSCASA on October 8 at 11:00 AM ET for a webinar on elder abuse. Elder abuse affects at least 260,000 older New Yorkers annually, yet most cases remain undetected. This presentation will discuss the dynamics, including red flags, of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Ms. Siebert-Konopko will discuss current trends and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected service provision to older adults. Attendees will also be provided with some suggestions as to how to better reach and serve older adults in the community.
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Yoga Practices as Trauma-Informed Care Webinar with Chrys Ballerano
Join NYSCASA on October 22 at 2:00 PM ET for our second webinar exploring the potential for yoga practice to help us de-stress, become grounded, and become more present in the work we do in the world, including our personal relationships and care we offer loved ones, peers, and survivor clients.
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African American, African, Black, & Afro-Caribbean (ABC) Virtual TA Academy: Culturally Specific, Community-Based Conversations for Emergent Strategies in Black Communities
NYSCASA is pleased to share information about upcoming training opportunities from our friends at the Women of Color Network, Inc., and In Our Own Voices, who coordinate the OVW African American, African, Black, and Afro-Caribbean (ABC) Virtual Technical Assistance Academy. Closed captioning and interpretation will be provided. For more information, please contact Aleese Moore-Orbih at amoore-orbih@wocninc.org.
Upcoming Events:
- October 7: Historical Trauma: Its Present-Day Impact on ABC Survivors and Promising Practices (click here to register)
- October 14: Understanding How We View and Impact Difference (click here to register)
- October 19: The Three-Tier System for Identifying and Resourcing Marginalized Survivors in ABC Communities (click here to register)
- October 21: Moving from Incidental Learning to Intentional Learning for deaf/Deaf* and Hard-of-Hearing Communities (click here to register)
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Understanding Racism and Its Connection to Sexual and Domestic Violence
Understanding Transformative Justice and Its Connection to Gender-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Work
Conversations around safety, healing, and prevention need to address the inadequacies and harms inherent in incarceration and policing. Laura Chow Reeve, Youth Engagement Manager with the Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Action Alliance, recently published a primer on transformative justice, the connections between state violence and gender-based violence, and developing a framework for primary prevention on VAWnet. Click here to read more.
Beyond Diversity: How to Build a Truly Anti-Racist Organization
This webinar from Everyday Feminism will help you understand how your organization may be complicit in systemic racism and white supremacy culture. Participants will learn strategies to build an organizational culture based on racial equity. Click here to access the training.
Building Accountable Communities: A Video Series
Accountability is a familiar buzz-word in contemporary social movements, but what does it mean? How do we work toward it? In this series of four short videos, anti-violence activists Kiyomi Fujikawa and Shannon Perez-Darby ask and explore: What does it look like to be accountable to survivors without exiling or disposing those who do harm? Learn more and watch the series here.
Creative Interventions Toolkit
How do we turn back to our communities and strengthen community-based systems to resist violence in all of its forms? Creative Interventions created a toolkit to guide us: Click to access the toolkit.
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Your support helps NYSCASA improve response to sexual assault survivors and strengthen prevention efforts across New York State.
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