
Want to know what Hope House is doing this April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month? We're planning things like Denim Day (see below), Supporting Survivors Panel, SAAM-themed adult coloring pages at the River Arts Center, community displays and booths, proclamations and resolutions, poster distribution, radio PSAs, newspaper articles, school announcements, and more. Learn more here and on our Facebook page including ways you can get involved! Please visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center's SAAM page to learn more about this year's theme, "Embrace Your Voice."

Join Hope House and a multitude of other agencies, schools, businesses, churches, and elected officials by participating in Denim Day on April 25. This international campaign started when a rapist was let free in his appeal case because the judges ruled that the woman’s jeans were so tight that she must’ve helped him get them off and thus, in the judges’ eyes, was giving consent. We ask that people wear jeans to show your support of survivors, to help end victim-blaming, and to raise awareness of what consent really looks like. In exchange for wearing jeans, employees could make a small donation to Hope House. If you’d like to participate in Denim Day, please let us know at 608-356-9123. We’d greatly appreciate it if you sent us a photo or tagged us on Facebook of your employees wearing jeans on April 25 so we can promote it on our Facebook page and e-bulletin. Thank you!
Monetary donations are most needed. Individuals have the option of donating online. Please note that a portion of your online donation will go towards PayPal fees. Donations can be mailed to Hope House, P.O. Box 557, Baraboo, WI 53913. We also appreciate gas cards, gift cards (Walmart, Kwik Trip, Walgreens, Kohl’s), taxi vouchers from Baraboo Taxi, and used cell phones, iPods and iPads. Please note that we are not accepting used stuffed animals/plush toys, used toys, clothes (except for new sweatshirts and sweatpants), shoes, used books, furniture, TVs, bar soap, hats, scarves or travel-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash. Current needs include the following:
- Shelter Supplies: pillows, hand sanitizer, tissues
- Food: milk, produce, bottled water
- Baby Items: size 6 diapers
- Cleaning Supplies: floor cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, dishwasher detergent, disinfecting sprays/wipes
- Kitchen: tall garbage bags
- Program Supplies: whiteboard markers, highlighters, 2-pocket plastic folders
- New Clothing for Adults and Children: new women's underwear (size 5-8), yoga pants (size medium and large)
Sexual Assault
|
![]()
|
- Rihanna Protests Ad on Snapchat That Mocks Domestic Violence: “Snapchat users noticed an ad that asked whether they would rather ‘slap Rihanna’ or ‘punch Chris Brown.’ On Thursday, the pop star took to Instagram, a direct competitor for Snapchat, to criticize the ad for making light of domestic violence. Stock prices for Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, sank by 4 percent”…Read more
- There’s Nothing Romantic About Love Bombing: “‘Things like saying, ‘I think I might be falling in love with you,’ or ‘I want to take you to Paris this weekend’ or ‘Here’s a $200 bottle of perfume’ on the first date,’ Virginia Gilbert, a marriage and family therapist who specializes in high-conflict divorce, told HuffPost. ‘The gestures imply a level of commitment that’s out of proportion to the length of time two people have known each other’…‘Love bombing, unlike real love, is a self-centered, anxious pursuit, with the singular goal of acquiring someone because it boosts the bomber’s ego,’ Craig Malkin, clinical psychologist and author of Rethinking Narcissism, told HuffPost. ‘It’s not about care or compassion or tenderness. For the love bomber, you’re no different than a shiny new toy that captures their attention for the moment’”…Read more
- Teen Dating Violence Is an Indicator of Gun Violence: “This behavior on the part of Cruz and Rollins is part of a much larger and systemic issue that's not getting as much attention: teen dating violence. And more importantly, would the U.S. be able to partially prevent violent incidents like mass shooting if signs of teen dating violence, especially violence against women, was taken more seriously?”…Read more
- How to Raise a Boy: “‘Many fathers emphasize competition and achievement with their boys,’ he said. ‘How much emphasis is put on compassion?’ ‘One thing we still manufacture in the United States is media,’ Susan McPherson, a communications consultant, said. ‘Can we show men in a more compassionate way?’ ‘PAW Patrol’ doesn’t really explore emotional development,’ Simon Isaacs, Fatherly’s chief content officer, said. Esther Perel, a Belgian couples counsellor and ted Talks star, saw a bigger problem: ‘the fragility of male identity.’ She said, ‘When we make a girl play with a truck, we don’t think it’s going to make her less of a girl. But, when we think of a boy playing with a doll, we think it’s going to weaken his essence as a man.’ The room murmured in agreement. ‘There’s this photo book for girls, ‘Strong Is the New Pretty,’ but there’s no ‘Soft Is the New Handsome,’”…Read more
|
![]()
|

#ChurchToo: Let's Talk About Change: “Join us [April 11 at 6:30pm] for a live online conversation about the impact of the #ChurchToo movement on faith communities. The stories from #ChurchToo are challenging many people's understanding of sexual harassment and abuse. Let's talk about how we address victim blaming, denial, cultural silencing, and religious roadblocks. How can we use this movement to create safer, more transparent spiritual communities?”…Learn more
April 17: Trauma Stewardship Book Discussion: “As essential book for anyone in the 'helping professions.' Trauma Stewardship addresses the impact that secondary (vicarious) trauma has on those whose work or calling involves caring for those who are suffering…Join us online on April 17 to discuss Trauma Stewardship! Registration information to come. Participants include Dr. Sally MacNichol of CONNECT and Emily Cohen, MDiv., of FaithTrust Institute”…Learn more about this and other book club books here
- Workplaces Respond to Domestic & Sexual Violence: “The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements demonstrate the overdue need for employers to shift toward prevention and culture change to make safer, more respectful, and more equitable workplace environments in which all employees can thrive. In solidarity with these movements, Workplaces Respond is pleased to enhance its prevention-oriented resources to help employers, survivors, coworkers, and advocates change workplace culture to better prevent and respond to sexual harassment and violence. The new National Resource Hub interactive tools include: Referrals to supportive services and legal resources; Fact sheets and research on the prevalence and impacts of workplace sexual harassment and violence; Access to ‘Top Ten’ lists to help victims, employers, unions, and men address sexual harassment in the workplace; ‘Decision Trees’ to help guide victims and coworkers through important initial considerations when confronting sexual harassment in the workplace; Model Workplace Training modules that adopt cutting-edge adult learning approaches to shift the training paradigm away from liability prevention and toward workplace equity and accountability; and A ‘How-To’ guide to help employers develop workplace climate surveys in order to assess their workplace and employee’s experiences and needs”…Check it out here
- 60 Minutes Episode: Treating Childhood Trauma: “Oprah Winfrey reports on how trauma plays a role in childhood development and what new methods are being used to help kids who have experienced it”…Watch it here
- Free On-Demand Webinar: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study: Identify, Intervene and Interrupt: “The ACE study is the largest study investigating the health and social effects of negative childhood experiences. Now that we have the research, what can we do about it? The cycle of violence, generational poverty and abuse, homelessness, substance abuse, incarceration, perpetration and victimization of violence are all related to ACE’s. Strategies such as identification and assessment, reducing risk and exposure and nurturing resiliency and skill building are effective interventions. Changing the negative course that many children are on is our best way to prevent abuse in future generations. This presentation will increase your knowledge of trauma and provide ways to work with children, families and communities to reduce the impact of trauma”…Watch it here
- National Human Trafficking Hotline 2017 Statistics: The Polaris Project has published 2017 statistics from their National Human Trafficking Hotline. There’s a great fact sheet and Infographic that you can view here.