April 2021
April Monthly News & Updates
April is Sexual Assault Awareness & National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month recognizes the importance of communities working together to help families thrive and prevent child maltreatment. During the month of April and throughout the year, communities are encouraged to increase awareness about child and family well-being, and work together to implement effective strategies that support families and prevent child abuse and neglect.

April 18 - 24, 2021 is National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW)! 

This year marks the 40th anniversary of NCVRW and the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)’s NCVRW theme is Support Victims. Build Trust. Engage Communities. 

NOVA is looking forward to embodying this theme with our community by offering free training and exciting events throughout the week! We will also highlight our 2021 theme: United We Advocate, Together We Thrive! 

Click the links above for more information, resources and event information.
In the News
How Experiencing Domestic Violence as a Child can Lead to Chronic Homelessness as and Adult
According to the article, 47% of homeless school-age children say they've witnessed domestic violence.
Upcoming PCEDV Meetings and Events
April Agency in the Spotlight
Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services, Inc. has been serving Florida since 1960. The Agency is non-religious and its mission is to protect the vulnerable and help people achieve fulfilling lives by empowering individuals and strengthening families. When the agency began in 1960, its core programming was to provide
counseling and family support services to the Jewish community in Pinellas County. The agency was incorporated as a 501(c)3 in 1974. At that time, Gulf Coast JFCS began to diversify its array of services though public funding and broadened its scope to serve people of all backgrounds.

Gulf Coast JFCS programs are as diverse as the individuals who benefit from them. Collectively, our services meet the complex needs of today’s families, senior citizens, vulnerable children, and persons needing assistance because of behavioral or mental health issues. We seek collaborative partner opportunities wherever feasible, understanding that the community benefits when costs are contained and services leveraged.

Today, Gulf Coast JFCS has more than 500 employees and annually supports more than 30,000 people in 40 Florida Counties. The agency interacts with virtually every area of social services to provide a wide range of family support.

Since 1998, Gulf Coast JFCS has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Founded in 1966, CARF is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services programs and agencies.
Upcoming Community Meetings and Events
The Gulf Coast JFCS Domestic Violence Technical Assistance Program is thrilled to partner with Hillsborough County CCR to Domestic Violence and The Spring of Tampa Bay to bring you:
 
An ONLINE Panel Series: 
Addressing Systemic Barriers for Domestic Violence Survivors. 
 
This series will focus on removing barriers to safety for Survivors of Color, Refugees & Immigrants, People with Disabilities and the LGBTQ+ Community.
Each moderated panel discussion will feature a unique group of experts exploring the challenges of under resourced survivors of domestic violence.
Through a Q+A format we will discuss inclusion and equity as a path toward safety and justice for all. 
 
You are welcome to join us for any or all the sessions below by registering here in advance: 
 
All sessions run from 10-11:30am
 
April 9, 2021 - Intersectionality and Domestic Violence (Setting the Stage)
April 16, 2021 - Navigating the System as a Black Survivor
April 23, 2021 – Access for Survivors with Disabilities: Seen and Unseen
April 30, 2021 – Serving Refugee & Immigrant Communities
May 7, 2021 – LGBTQ+ Barriers to Safety
 
All registered participants will receive a speaker roster with bios as we approach the panel dates. 
You may submit questions in advance via email: [email protected] or through the comments/questions section of registration.

Thursday, April 15th at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT
60-Minute Webinar

Presented by Jane Stevens, founder and publisher, PACEs Connection

Do you want to eradicate and prevent domestic violence? Integrate the science of positive and adverse childhood experiences (PACEs) in everything. This webinar will address how the science of PACEs is being integrated into the family court system, domestic violence shelters, batterer intervention courses and community PACEs initiatives.

Thursday, April 29th at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT
60-Minute Webinar

Presented by Lisa Aronson Fontes, PhD.

We can better address and eliminate intimate partner violence if we see the problem as an ongoing crime of control—more like a long-term hostage situation than a series of domestic violence assaults. With original drawings and compelling stories, this presentation explains the tactics of coercive control including isolation, intimidation, monitoring, gaslighting, stalking and physical violence. Some abusers use coercive control without physical violence—which can be especially confusing for victims and survivors.
 
Learning Objectives:
1) Learn the tactics of coercive control in intimate relationships.
2) Understand how coercive control shapes a victim's behavior.
3) Improve your ability to detect and intervene in situations of coercive control and intimate partner violence.