Category: PSA

November 2015 Community Education E-bulletin

11/3/2015

Welcome to the November 2015 edition of Hope House's Community Education E-bulletin!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. Hope House Receives New Grant
2. October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month
3. Donation Needs
4. Domestic Violence
5. Sexual Assault
6. Children and Youth

7. Miscellaneous News
8. Local News
9. Parents' and Youth Service Providers' Section
10. Faith Communities' Section
11. Training Opportunities
12. Resources

Hope House Receives Grant and Invites You to Join the Advisory Committee
Hope House is excited to announce that we were one of two organizations in the state awarded the Rape Prevention Education sub-grant through the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault. With this funding, we created a new position, the Prevention Project Coordinator and hired Robin Bariel this October. She will work closely with Baraboo High School to help plan and implement classroom and extracurricular education that gives students the skills to build healthy relationships. She will coordinate school staff training, facilitate parent and community education, foster a coalition, and influence policy and organizational practices.

To ensure success of the project, the grant requires input from school staff, parents, students, and other community members. Hope House would like to invite you to actively participate on an advisory committee to provide feedback and guidance on how we can best work towards eliminating risk factors for sexual violence at Baraboo High School. The first meeting will be Monday, November 9 from 6 - 7:30 pm at East Elementary School in Baraboo. If interested in attending or wanting to learn more, please contact Robin at 608-356-9123 or email her here.

October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM)
Wow, what a month! Staff, volunteers, and community members were quite busy raising awareness of domestic violence in our service area. We released our I Am a Survivor video, held a luncheon on the impact of domestic violence on children, raised awareness at three local high school football games, put up community displays, staffed awareness booths at Juneau County Women's Night Out and the Sharing Suppers in Portage, Endeavor and Mauston, participated in Ho-Chunk's DVAM walk at the House of Wellness, and more. Local businesses, such as Fantastic Sams in Baraboo and Health Source Chiropractic in Baraboo, held promotions benefiting Hope House, and Culver's in Lake Delton had a donation jar with awareness cards. WRPQ in Baraboo ran DVAM PSAs and local law enforcement had NO MORE magnets on their squad cars. Thank you to everyone who helped raise awareness this October!

Here are some resources you may be interested in that came out this year for DVAM:

Private Violence Presents: Why We Stayed: “The question 'why doesn’t she just leave' dominates and derails the way we talk about and approach domestic violence. Writer and survivor Beverly Gooden confronted this question head on and ignited a movement with her #WhyIStayed hashtag. Find out more about her story and hear from other survivors in our new short #WhyWeStayed”…Watch the 7-minute clip here

7 Ways to End Domestic Violence for #DVAM2015: “We’re nearing the end of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to get involved! Domestic violence is an issue that affects communities everywhere all year round. There are always opportunities to raise awareness and support survivors. In honor of all survivors, here are 7 ways YOU can #SeeDV and #TakeAStand against domestic violence”…Read more

Director Hannelore Williams Discusses LoveStruck Documentary Webseries: “This week, we sat down with filmmaker Hannelore Williams, director of the forthcoming three part documentary webseries, LoveStruck. In LoveStruck, Williams interviews both survivors and perpetrators of domestic violence, honestly exploring the personal toll of the nationwide epidemic”…Read more

31 of the Most Power Domestic Violence Moments in the Last Year: “This October, for National Domestic Violence Awareness Month let’s look back at the many newsworthy and heart-wrenching domestic violence moments from this past year that informed, enraged, and inspired us all to bring greater awareness to this issue”…Read more

Hope House Donation Needs
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 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

Bathrooms: Toilet bowl cleaner, Toilet paper, Deodorant, Disposable razors, Small garbage cans with bags, Nail clippers, Cleaning supplies such as Lysol disinfecting spray and floor cleaner, Clorox wipes, Hairspray, Bleach, Bathroom rugs and bath mats
Kitchen: Paper towels, Ziploc bags, Tupperware, Small mason jars, Dishwasher soap, 13-Gallon garbage bags, Silverware, Brush for cleaning bottles, Sip cups, Saran wrap, Aluminum foil
Food and Beverages: Meat, Fresh fruit and vegetables, Yogurt, Cheese, Canned soup, Snack items (crackers, granola bars, etc.), Fruit juice, Milk
Laundry: Powder laundry detergent, Dryer sheets, Fabric softener sheets
Clothing for Women and Kids: Winter boots, Socks, Women’s underwear, Medium-Large size pajamas, New sweatshirts and sweatpants
Misc: Pack 'n Play, Vacuum, New white full/twin bed sheets, Double stroller, Baby wipes, Band-Aids, Diapers and pull-ups, Pocket-sized calendars, Strollers, Baby bottles, Umbrellas, Hangers, Weather radio, Journals, Exercise balls, Yoga/exercise DVDs, Relaxation CDs, Baby thermometer, CD players, Regular light bulbs

Special Note about Travel-Size Items: We encourage those looking to donate travel-size items to donate them to the Backpack Project. The Backpack Project strives to provide Baraboo School District students who are financially challenged to enter the school doors on the first day ‘just like everyone else’ and to show these children the community supports and encourages them to learn and do their best. If interested in donating towards this project, please contact Becky Hovde at 608-963-8230 or hivebiz@centurytel.net.

News & Research
Domestic Violence

Fire Company Uses Purple Truck to Focus on Domestic Violence: “A central Pennsylvania volunteer fire company is using a purple fire truck to raise awareness of domestic violence. The Newburg Fire Company in Logan Township uses the truck in parades and other public events, but it's no longer used to fight fires”…Read more
Purple Goes With Your Pink Ribbon: Domestic Violence Is a Women's Health Issue: “The negative effects of abuse reach far beyond visible injuries. Verbal and emotional abuse affect the psychological and physical health of victims; economic abuse forces dependence on the abuser, limiting access to money and outside support. Reproductive coercion restricts women’s reproductive health choices. Rape and sexual abuse deprive victims of their right to sexual agency. These forms of abuse, which leave no mark and are easily disguised by the abusers, can nonetheless be as difficult to escape as physical violence and, moreover, have a statistically significant effect on women’s health”…Read more
NFL’s Problem Isn’t Too Many Abusers; It’s Too Few Terry Bradshaws Speaking Out: “Bradshaw gets what so many around the league don’t: that the NFL doesn’t have a woman problem, it has a man problem, and it’s going to take famous men shunning other men to change it…That’s why what Bradshaw did on ‘Fox NFL Sunday’ was so important: In a searing rant, the Hall of Famer tore into Hardy for his apparent lack of remorse for assaulting a woman, and also laid into owner Jones as an ‘enabler’”…Read more
Florida Judge Jails Domestic Abuse Victim for Not Testifying: “The judge asked the woman to explain herself during a contempt of court hearing on July 30 for failing to appear to testify against Brennan the week before. The woman apologized, saying she had been ‘dealing with depression’ and anxiety since the abuse incident. But the judge responds, ‘You think you have anxiety now? You haven't seen anxiety.’ The woman said she took a domestic abuse class and had asked that the charges be dropped. ‘I'm trying to move on with my life,’ she said. ‘I'm homeless now. I'm living with my parents. I'm just not in a good place right now.’ After a bit of back and forth, Collins found the woman in contempt of court and sentenced her to three days in county jail. ‘I have a 1-year-old son and I'm trying to care of him by myself,’ the victim said, sobbing. ‘I'm begging you, please, please don't’”…Read more
CHVRCHES Lead Singer Lauren Mayberry Opens Up about Abusive Relationships, and How She Got Out: “I would have been the first person to tell a friend she needed to end that relationship if the roles had been reversed, but I always made excuses and didn't view what was happening to me as 'abuse' because he had never physically hurt me — only those few times where it seemed like he was hinting at it but then took it back”…Read more

NNEDV Appalled by NFL Decision to Fine Player for Raising Awareness about Domestic Violence: “‘While we understand the need for standard player uniforms, a nearly $6,000 fine seems excessive,’ said Kim Gandy, NNEDV President & CEO. ‘This amount could help a local program put up nearly 30 victims in a hotel if their shelter was full. It could serve as the down payment on a new, safe apartment for a dozen survivors. It is unconscionable that the NFL would choose to further line its pockets when all William Gay did was wear purple shoes to honor his mother, who was tragically killed by Gay’s stepfather’”…Read more
After Ray Rice, The NFL Pledged Millions To Fight Domestic Violence. Here’s How The Money Was Spent: “One year later, ThinkProgress checked up on these initiatives, and confirmed that the NFL has indeed devoted millions of dollars and a significant amount of time to trying to figure out how to address domestic violence, both within the league and among the public. But while that money and time is being put to good use on a national scale, the local domestic violence and sexual assault centers that provide direct service work — the ones that the national groups rely on for the on-the-ground assistance — are still struggling to stay afloat. And while the NFL is trying to address its internal issues through training and regulations, changing the culture of the league is far easier said than done, particularly with the same leadership intact”…Read more
Woman Says She Was Fired For Getting Beat Up By Her Boyfriend. She’s Not Alone: “While the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives any employee at a company with 50 or more employees the right to take unpaid leave for a medical issue, which victims can use to recover from injuries, they often need to take leave for a much wider number of issues: going to court appearances, meeting with lawyers or the police, getting counseling, switching locks or even moving locations to stay safe. None of that is covered by the FMLA, and only 15 states require leave for victims to take care of those needs”…Read more
Rihanna Wants You to Stop Reminding Her about Chris Brown’s Domestic Abuse Against Her: “Speaking to Vanity Fair magazine, Rihanna explained that she felt that victims of abuse are being continually punished every time the subject is brought up. ‘I just never understood that, like how the victim gets punished over and over,’ Ri said. ‘It’s in the past, and I don’t want to say ‘Get over it,’ because it’s a very serious thing that is still relevant; it’s still real. A lot of women, a lot of young girls, are still going through it. A lot of young boys too”…Read more
Hope Solo Again Will Face Charges after Reversal of Earlier Court Decision: “Hope Solo, the star goalie who led the U.S. soccer team to the Women's World Cup title in July, will again face domestic violence charges after a Washington state appeals court on Friday reversed a lower court's decision to dismiss a case in which she was alleged to have beaten up her nephew and half-sister”…Read more

Sexual Assault

Wisconsin Department of Justice Awarded Grant Funding to Eliminate Untested Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Kits: “‘This money will go a long way to bring justice to survivors of sexual assault,’ said Schimel. ‘We owe it to those who had the courage to report a sexual assault and underwent a sexual assault forensic exam, to now test their kits, investigate their cases, and hold their perpetrators accountable. With these grants we will save others from becoming victims and we will make our communities safer’”…Read the news release here
Fans Unite Through #RaiseTheBanner, #NotMyNHL to Raise Awareness of Sexual Assault: “The Blackhawks raised the championship banner, as they are allowed to do, but the occasion felt hollow to many in the wake of the Patrick Kane rape allegations. The feeling of hollowness transitioned to one of rage and disgust as Kane proceeded to participate in the hooking the banner to the scaffolding to raise it to the rafters…Fans exercised their right to protest the ceremony by using the hashtag created by the Blackhawks, #RaiseTheBanner, and adding an hashtag #NotMyNHL, to discuss the topic of sexual assault”…Read more
Inside the White House's New Movement to Prevent Sexual Assault on College Campuses: “In order to aid parents and incoming freshman when it comes to gathering that information, ‘It’s on Us’ suggests asking every school being considered the following questions”…Read more
More Than 150 People Arrested in Nationwide Sex Trafficking Sting: “The youngest victim was 12 years old. The effort, which is now in its ninth year, was spearheaded by the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, along with local law enforcement”…Read more
Sheriff to Staff: Stop Arresting Children on Prostitution Charges, Stop Saying 'Child Prostitute': “‘They are child victims and survivors of rape,’ McDonnell wrote in a letter to his employees. ‘We must remember that children cannot consent to sex under any circumstance’…Wednesday’s news conference came a day after the L.A. County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion declaring ‘that there is no such thing as a 'child prostitute.' McDonnell said that he has instructed his employees to stop using the terms ‘child prostitute’ and ‘underage prostitution.’ Using those terms, McDonnell said, strips responsibility from the traffickers and the people who pay to have sex with children. ‘Buyers,’ he said, ‘should be viewed as child molesters and predators’”…Read more
Film Shines A 'Spotlight' On Boston's Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal: “In 2001, a team of reporters at the Boston Globe began investigating reports of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests. The 'Spotlight' team, as it was known, eventually revealed that the abuse had been happening for decades — and that church leaders in Boston had been aware of it and had been involved in covering it up…Now, the new film, Spotlight, chronicles the investigation that brought the scandal to light”…Read more
Owen Labrie Sentenced to One Year in Jail for Luring, Sexual Assault of a Minor: “Owen Labrie, 20, has been sentenced to one year in jail for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old classmate at the elite St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire. In a statement delivered by video in court Thursday, the victim said she still suffers from flashbacks and said the St. Paul’s community showed her a stunning lack of compassion after the assault: ‘No one understood’”…Read more
Surge in Sexual Assaults on Airplanes: “FBI Supervisory Special Agent Drew Ptasienski, who investigated the case, said victims of similar assaults have also pretended to sleep through the attacks. Ptasienski said, ‘Victims are so shocked they’re being assaulted, it takes them awhile to process it’…He said there’s a pattern to the crimes, in many cases happening on red-eye, overnight flights”…Read more

Community Raises $33K for Victim of Brutal Unsolved Bike Path Assault: “A community in need of healing has readily opened its heart and its wallet to the 33-year-old woman viciously attacked in September on a Near East Side bike path — a crime that remains unsolved with no identified suspects. In little more than a month, more than $33,000 has been raised for the Isthmus resident and UW-Madison graduate student, who is now out of the hospital but has a long, uncertain road to recovery ahead of her”…Read more
Should All Rapists Go to Prison?: “In the spring of 2014, in the State of Indiana v. David Wise, Wise was convicted of rape and five felony counts of criminal deviate conduct. Each charge carried a sentence of 20 years, and the prosecutor in the trial went after a 49-year sentence. However, the outcome of the trial was such that Wise didn't even up spending a minute in prison: Judge Kurt Eisgruber sentenced Boardman's rapist to eight years house arrest and told the Indiana mother of two to ‘figure out a way to forgive him’”…Read more
Bill Cosby Faces Criminal Charges for Alleged Sexual Assault in L.A.: “The LAPD has turned over the results of its investigation into a 2008 sexual assault allegation against Bill Cosby to the Los Angeles County District Attorney for possible criminal charges and the case is under review, a D.A. spokesperson confirmed Thursday…Goins is only one of many to speak out against Cosby and accuse the comedian of sexual assault — however, her accusations are of the most recent, with many other allegations of sexual assault occurring in the ’70s and ’80s, which are unlikely to face prosecution because of legal restrictions”…Read more…Read related article: Bill Cosby Faces New Sexual Assault Accusations As Three More Women Step Forward
Hundreds of Officers Lose Licenses Over Sex Misconduct: AP Investigation: “In a yearlong investigation of sexual misconduct by U.S. law enforcement, The Associated Press uncovered about 1,000 officers who lost their badges in a six-year period for rape, sodomy and other sexual assault; sex crimes that included possession of child pornography; or sexual misconduct such as propositioning citizens or having consensual but prohibited on-duty intercourse. The number is unquestionably an undercount because it represents only those officers whose licenses to work in law enforcement were revoked, and not all states take such action. California and New York — with several of the nation's largest law enforcement agencies — offered no records because they have no statewide system to decertify officers for misconduct. And even among states that provided records, some reported no officers removed for sexual misdeeds even though cases were identified via news stories or court records”…Read more

Children and Youth

Nebraska Eighth-Graders Turn School's Sidewalks into Display of Positive, Anti-Bullying Messages: “October is National Bullying Prevention Month. This week, eighth grade students at Scott Middle School in Lincoln wrote positive messages on the school's sidewalks to express their feelings as part of a national campaign”…Read more
Anti-bullying Laws Appear to be Working: “Looking at data from more than 60,000 high school students in public and private schools in 25 states, the study found that states that did have anti-bullying laws with at least one Department of Education recommendation saw fewer instances of bullying”…Read more

Miscellaneous

Mass Killings in the US: Masculinity, Masculinity, Masculinity: “Too many boys are learning that violence and entitlements to domination and control, including, centrally, over girls and women, define become ‘a real man.’ That's about gender, and the outcomes are grossly misogynistic, whether they use money, knives, fire, laws, or guns and whether or not their stated intent is religiously or racially motivated”…Read more
Friends Don’t Ask Their Friends for “Rush Boobs”: “I genuinely believe that virtually all fraternity men don’t want their mothers, girlfriends, sisters, and women friends to be raped. That just isn’t enough anymore. Many of these young men would proudly pin on a white ribbon pledging they are against rape or host a 5K to benefit a local rape crisis center. That just isn’t enough anymore. We have raised enough awareness, and we need real action...Moving toward culture change will require these young men to question tradition and advocate for structural change. It will require them to listen to women. It will require them to do something revolutionary for men to do: follow”…Read more
Women Share Their Experiences of Rejecting Men's Sexual Advances - and How They Reacted: “Women have been sharing stories about the abuse they have faced after rejecting sexual advances from men. The accounts have been compiled on the When Women Refuse blog. The site was launched after 22-year-old Elliot Rodger killed six people in a drive-by shooting in Santa Barbara in May 2014. In a previous YouTube video, he had complained about being rejected by women and had threatened to take revenge”…Read more
Mysterious New Emoji Keeps an Eye Out for Bullies: “Apple added the emoji to its virtual keyboards as part of the anti-bullying ‘I Am a Witness’ campaign from the Ad Council, a nonprofit that produces public service messages. The aim is for users to include ‘the Witness Emoji’ in messages when they see online or text messages that contain hurtful, bullying comments. Other major tech companies, including Google, Facebook, Snapchat and Adobe, are also getting behind the campaign, which was started in honor of National Bullying Prevention Month”…Read more

Local News

Harley Tarkenton, 28, and Robert Reick, 28, both of Portage, charged with repeated sexual assault of a woman…Read more
Gregory Heep, 28, of Wisconsin Dells, sentenced to four years in prison for possession of child pornography…Read more
Alexander Kluball, 25, of Reedsburg, transported a minor across state lines for sex trafficking…Read more
Roger Shaw Jr., 36, of Montello has been charged with first degree sexual assault of a child under 12, first degree child sexual assault, child enticement…Read more
Davian Salgado, 25, of Chicago, has been charged with sexual assault of a child under 16 years of age in Juneau County…Read more

Parents' and Youth Service Providers' Section

Kindness Matters: Transforming Your Classroom and Creating a Bully-Free School: “There's plenty of evidence that science backs up the positive effects of kindness, so let's take a look at five joyful ways that you can transform your classroom”…Read more
NetSmartz’s New Video: Split Decisions is NetSmartz’s “newest video that shows positive ways for teens to resolve online conflicts...and what happens when they don't. Watch as two girls, Lily and Gabriela, make different decisions that lead them down very different paths. One leads to common ground. The other leads to digital drama. This video is accompanied by a discussion guide and activity cards for middle and high school students.”
What Should Parents Know about Instagram?: Check out this article and video from Common Sense Media. They also have similar articles on Snapchat, Tumblr, and Vine.
PACER’s Anti-Bullying PSA: “Have you ever felt like the whispers, giggles, note passing, and looks were directed at you or someone you care about? Imagine if all that attention was channeled into positive action. Disney is supporting Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center in hopes of inspiring social change among young people everywhere”…View the 2-minute PSA

Faith Communities' Section

From Sticks to Flowers Webinar and Discussion: On November 11 from 2-4:30 pm, the Faith Leaders for Healthy Relationships committee, in conjunction with Hope House, is organizing a viewing of the webinar From Sticks to Flowers with discussion to follow at the Sauk County West Square Building in Baraboo. Many parents insist on hitting their children because they believe God requires it. This webinar explores the basis for this belief and offers concrete suggestions for assisting parents in realizing that abandoning violent forms of discipline does not require them to violate basis tenets of their faith. Group discussion facilitated by Hope House Advocate to follow. Registration is $15 and includes refreshments. Click here to see the registration brochure. Please RSVP by calling Hope House Advocate Natalie at 608-356-9123 or emailing her here. All are welcome to attend!
Five Ways Your Faith Community Can Raise Awareness for Domestic Violence: View the list from We Will Speak Out here

Giving Grace to People in Crisis – the Sequel to Stupid Phrases for People in Crisis: "When I wrote the piece 'Stupid Phrases for People in Crisis,' I had no idea the nerve that I would touch. Sadly, I think it resonated deeply with people because they have heard all the stupid things I mentioned. I was honored to read through the comments; I was saddened by what I read. It makes me believe that we need mandatory workshops in crisis care. But the question remains, what are some good things to say to people in crisis? Here are a few things that I’ve found tremendously helpful"...Read more

Training Opportunities

Free Youth Mental Health First Aid Training: On Friday, November 6 from 8 am - 5 pm will be a free Youth Mental Health First Aid training at the Adams-Friendship Area School District Building. For more information and to register, please see the flyer.
Domestic Violence in Later Life Conference: This 2nd annual conference will be held November 13 from 9 am - 3:45 pm at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. To learn more and to register, click here.

Resources

International Day of the Girl: October 11 was International Day of the Girl. Check out this powerful video where “thirteen girls from 8 countries perform this dynamic rendition of ‘Yet’ – a poem by British writer and performer Keisha Thompson – to rally girls around the struggle to overcome discrimination, claim their rights and celebrate their futures”…View the video and check out additional resources

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February 2015 Community Education E-bulletin

2/2/2015

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Welcome to the February 2015 edition of Hope House's Community Education E-bulletin!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
2. UW-Baraboo V-Day Event
3. Survey to Help Hope House Review Its Mission
4. Heart Health Workshop
5. Adverse Childhood Experiences Workshop in Portage
6. Hope House Donation Needs

7. Domestic Violence
8. Sexual Assault
9. Campus Sexual Assault
10. Children & Youth
11. Miscellaneous News
12. Local News
13. Parents' & Youth Service Providers' Section
14. Faith Communities' Section
15. Resources

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month

Hope House has collected a list of excellent resources and awareness activity ideas for teens, parents, educators, and youth-serving providers for Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. Click here to view the list and see how you can get involved. Feel free to call Hope House with any questions or requests for additional information or presentations at 608-356-9123.

UW-Baraboo/Sauk County V-Day Event Benefiting Hope House on February 17

UW-Baraboo/Sauk County is holding its eighth annual V-Day event on February 17th from 12:30-1:45pm at the R.G. Brown Theatre on campus. The “V” in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine, and Vagina. Students and community members will perform a staged reading of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues.” These monologues are taken from real women’s stories about their bodies, empowerment, and violation.

Unfortunately, a common experience for many women is that of abuse – child sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, rape, domestic violence, teen dating violence, and stalking. By breaking the silence and telling women’s stories of strength and survival, other women (and men) feel more comfortable telling their own experiences of abuse.

These monologues aren’t all heavy and serious. Many are fun and flirty tales of women claiming their rights to their own bodies (and yes, their vaginas).

This Valentine’s, rather than buying flowers or chocolate, how about doing something unique like taking a partner or a friend to see “The Vagina Monologues”? After the show, there will be a “Break the Chain” dance performance as part of V-Day’s 3rd annual One Billion Rising campaign. The suggested donation is $5. Proceeds help support Hope House.

For more information on V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, please visit www.vday.org. For more information on the One Billion Rising campaign, please visit www.onebillionrising.org. To view a poster for this event, please click here.

Hope House Needs Your Help in Reviewing Our Mission
Hope House board and staff will be reviewing its mission and vision. We'd greatly appreciate community members input for this process. Please click here to take a 3-question survey by February 9th. Thanks for your assistance!

Heart Health Workshop at Hope House
Lori Rudolph, Parish Nurse Coordinator, will be at Hope House on February 12 at 10am to give a presentation on heart health. All are welcome to attend. Please call Hope House at 608-356-7500 with any questions.

Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES) and Protective Factors:
Protecting and Promoting Children’s Well-being Free Workshop in Portage
You’re invited to join others from across Columbia County to come together to learn more about ACEs and their impact on health and well-being. Because we believe that all of us can be part of creating a better life for children, we will also explore the idea of “Protective Factors” as a framework for preventing ACEs in the lives of children and promoting stronger families. Organized by the Columbia County CARES Advisory Steering Committee, this free workshop will be held on February 12 from 8am-12:30pm at Grace Bible Church in Portage. Please RSVP by February 6 by emailing Patti Herman, UW-Extension Family Living Educator, at patti.herman@ces.uwex.edu.

Hope House Donation Needs
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 stuffed animals, clothes (except for sweatshirts and sweatpants), shoes, TVs, bar soap, hats, scarves or travel-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash. Current needs include

Bathrooms: Toilet paper, Deodorant, Small garbage cans with bags, Nail clippers, Toilet bowl cleaner, Cleaning supplies such as Lysol disinfecting spray and floor cleaner, Clorox wipes, Hairspray, Bleach, Bathroom rugs and bath mats
Kitchen: Dishwasher soap, 13-Gallon garbage bags, Paper towels, Silverware, Brush for cleaning bottles, Fruit juice, Sip cups, Milk, Saran wrap, Aluminum foil
Laundry: Power laundry detergent, Dryer sheets, Fabric softener sheets
Clothing for Women and Kids: Winter boots, Socks, Women’s underwear, Medium-Large size pajamas, Sweatshirts and sweatpants
Misc: Baby wipes, Band-Aids, Diapers and pull-ups, Pocket-sized calendars, Strollers, Baby bottles, Umbrellas, Hangers, Weather radio, Journals, Exercise balls, Yoga/exercise DVDs, Relaxation CDs, Baby thermometer, CD players, Regular light bulbs, New twin bed sheets

News & Research
Domestic Violence
Marissa Alexander Released from Jail: "Marissa Alexander, the Florida mother whose case became a rallying cry for anti-racism activists and survivors of domestic violence, was released today after three years of incarceration. Alexander had faced up to 60 years behind bars for firing a single shot near her abusive husband, unable to convince a jury she had feared for her life. A hearing Tuesday confirmed the terms: Having pleaded guilty to assault in exchange for credit for time served, she will be subject to two years of electronic monitoring and house arrest, except for approved appointments and employment"...Read more

George Zimmerman Arrested on Suspected Domestic Violence
Watch the NFL's Chilling Anti-Domestic Violence Super Bowl PSA: “The clip, part of the league's No More campaign, features scenes of a disheveled home and the voice of a woman who dials 911 but pretends to order pizza — fearing to openly report the abuse within earshot of her abuser. The PSA, reportedly based on an actual 911 call, shows the woman doing her best to communicate the situation to the emergency operator”…Read more...Read related article: The NFL Wants to Listen to Victims of Domestic Violence: Where Were They Last Year
Viral Italian PSA About Domestic Violence Makes A Good Point, But Not Without Flaws
Sports Illustrated Will Run Edgy Domestic Violence Ad Ahead Of Super Bowl: “The ad, created by the progressive advocacy group Ultraviolet, includes a dramatic video of a uniformed football player tackling a woman without a helmet. The video notes that 55 domestic abuse cases in the NFL have gone unanswered under the leadership of league commissioner Roger Goodell, and it ends with the hashtag ‘#GOODELLMUSTGO’”…Read more
NFL Player Junior Galette Arrested for Domestic Violence and Battery
Domestic Violence Assault Charges Against U.S. Soccer Star Hope Solo Dismissed: "At a hearing last week, the judge renewed an order for a deposition after Solo's nephew and half-sister failed to appear for interviews...In court documents, Solo said she was defending herself against her nephew, who is 6-foot-9 and weighs 280 pounds. She claims she was hit over the head with a broom handle. Solo's relatives claimed she attacked first"...Read more
Bar Owner Apologizes For Sign Supporting Domestic Violence

Sexual Assault

Detroit Tries Charity to Test Backlogged Rape Kits: "The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, which discovered 11,000 untested rape kits in a Detroit police storage unit five years ago, announced Tuesday that it has teamed up with two nonprofits to raise $10 million to pay for the testing, investigation and prosecution of those unsolved rape cases"...Read more...Read related article: 100 Serial Rapists Identified after Rape Kits from Detroit Crime Lab are Finally Processed
Storyline: How Survivors of Sexual Assault Tell Their Children: "'But as I got older and a little wiser, I changed my perspective. I thought, 'How empowering it can be for them to know the kind of resiliency that is within them. Here I am. Their mom. I got married. I own a home. I got a Master's degree. I teach at a college, and I have a full-time career. I did all these things. Despite what happened'"...Read more
He Was Abused by a Female Teacher, But He Was Treated like the Perpetrator: "Cameron Clarkson was a 16-year-old football player when he suddenly landed in the middle of a sex crime investigation at his St. Paul, Minn., high school. Lawyers grilled him on the details of his sexual history. School officials, in a statement to the press, cited him for not invoking the school’s sexual harassment policy...Gail Gagne, a 25-year-old basketball and lacrosse coach, was a full-time substitute teacher at Cretin-Derham Hall High School and a couple of months away from becoming a regular physical education instructor...Gagne was fired and charged with two felony counts of criminal sexual conduct with a student. But in the investigations that followed, Clarkson was treated more like the perpetrator than the victim. Gagne, meanwhile, faced an easier path in some ways"...Read more
England Just Established "Yes Means Yes" Guidelines for Police Investigating Rape
Uber Safety Checklist Created After Sexual Assault Incidents: "Uber drivers have been in Chicago and Boston have been charged with raping a female customer since December; so far the 'safe ride checklist' is only available in these two cities"...Read more
NBC Cuts Ties with Bill Cosby amid Sexual Assault Allegations

Campus Sexual Assault

Male Victims Of Campus Sexual Assault Speak Out: “It was Andrew's sixth night of freshman year at Brown University when he was assaulted by a male student in his dorm bathroom. When Andrew brought on-campus charges, his assailant was expelled. Unlike myriad students who report mishandled cases in the burgeoning national campaign against sexual assault, Andrew initially believed his case was handled appropriately. But after The Huffington Post discovered Andrew’s assailant had previously been found responsible for assaulting two other students and had not been expelled, Andrew was devastated. Andrew has decided to share his story in hopes that victims of assault -- and specifically male victims -- be taken more seriously…‘There are a lot of male survivors who haven’t found someone they can relate to,’ he said. ‘I want to break the silence, and I want other men to know that they’re not alone’”…Read more

The Downside of the Vanderbilt Rape Convictions: "Two former Vanderbilt University football players were convicted yesterday of raping a fellow student back in 2013. While it was a rare win for justice in such cases, it nonetheless highlights the many ways the system is stacked against victims. It was a muted victory, as those in sexual violence cases tend to be. You hope it gives the victim some semblance of healing, but we should also remember all those who didn't get their day in court. After the jury handed down guilty verdicts for 16 felonies, including aggravated rape and sexual battery, the now-21-year-old woman issued a statement to those who have endured similar ordeals: 'You are not alone. You are not to blame.' One detective working the case called her, 'one of the strongest women I've ever met.' Yet it was no surprise that some sports commentators tried to steer the conversation toward sympathy for the attackers"...Read more
How Faculty Can Use Syllabi to Reduce the Campus Sexual Assault Epidemic: "By taking the simple measures of incorporating Title IX language into syllabi and giving students the names and numbers of the primary campus resources, educators can do their part to provide support for victims and help end the epidemic of campus sexual violence"...Read more

Two New Documentaries Will Highlight Student Activism Against Campus Sexual Assault: "On Wednesday, Pivot, the TV network for Participant Media, will release 'It Happened Here,' a documentary by Emmy Award winner Lisa F. Jackson. The film follows women from Amherst College, Vanderbilt University and the University of Connecticut who went public about how their schools mishandled their sexual assault cases. Starting in February, 'It Happened Here' will screen on a number of college campuses as part of the White House's It's On Us campaign, launched last year to combat college sexual assault...Another documentary on the subject, 'The Hunting Ground,' will premiere later this week at the Sundance Film Festival…'The Hunting Ground' is set to debut in theaters and in a broadcast on CNN sometime in 2015"...Read more
States Want More Campus Rape Reports Sent To Police, But Survivors Feel Differently: “The New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault likes proposals such as Cuomo's that would make sure options are laid out to victims, but is strongly against the bill offered in New Jersey that would require colleges to tell law enforcement of sexual assault reports. ‘Why, once someone enrolls in one of our colleges or universities, should they lose their right to make decisions about how to proceed after such a violent crime was committed against them?’ asked Patricia Teffenhart, executive director of NJCASA. ‘Why are the rights of college survivors trumped by our desire to hold institutions and offenders accountable?’”…Read more
If Colleges Want To Regain Trust On Sexual Assault, 'It Starts With Transparency': "'People get confused when we talk about campus sexual assault -- yes, it's a potentially criminal act, but it's also a civil rights infraction. That's where Title IX comes in,' said Lisa Maatz, the top policy adviser at the American Association of University Women. 'We're not asking universities to be detectives and judge and jury to deprive someone of their liberty and send them to jail. What they must do is ensure an equal and equitable learning environment for men and women'"...Read more
These Are The Colleges And Universities Now Under Federal Investigation For Botching Rape Cases

Children & Youth

[WI] Pittsville Students Use Social Media to Pay It Forward: "The entire Pittsville High School student body was not in school for a few hours Wednesday morning...Students and staff members decided to pay forward acts of kindness through volunteering, then post photos and comments on social media accounts"...Read more

Teen Girls Report Less Sexual Victimization after Virtual Reality Assertiveness Training: "'Research has shown that skills are more likely to generalize if they are practiced in a realistic environment, so we used virtual reality to increase the realism.' The training program, called 'My Voice, My Choice,' emphasizes that victims do not invite sexual violence and that they have the right to stand up for themselves because violent or coercive behavior is never OK...She cautioned, however, that the research is preliminary and based on a small sample: 42 in the 'My Voice, My Choice' condition and 36 in a control condition. Future research is needed to establish the benefits of the program across different age groups and populations, for example, college versus high school students"...Read more
How Girls Are Seeking (and Subverting) Approval Online: "For some -- especially girls -- what starts as a fun way to document and share experiences can turn into an obsession about approval that can wreak havoc on self-image... A new countermovement -- call it the 'ugly selfie' trend -- is prompting girls to share their true selves and accept (and even challenge) whatever feedback they receive"...Read more
Interrupting Cycle of Violence before Young Perpetrators and Their Victims Reach Adulthood: "Evidence suggests that the drivers of gender-based violence among adolescents are similar to those identified for adults. In addition to exposure to violence as a child and prior victimization, bullying and homophobic teasing, poor parental practices, harmful alcohol and substance use, unequal social norms that condone gender-based violence, lack of female empowerment, controlling male behavior, as well as laws and policies that perpetuate gender inequality are risk factors"...Read more
AP: At Least 786 Kids Die of Abuse or Neglect under Watch of Child Protective Services: "Most of the 786 children whose cases were compiled by the AP were under the age of 4. They lost their lives even as authorities were investigating their families or providing some form of protective services because of previous instances of neglect, violence or other troubles in the home...The AP reviewed thousands of pages of official reports, child fatality records and police documents for the period in question, which ran from fiscal year 2008 through 2013"...Read more

Miscellaneous

Celebrating MLK Day: Reclaiming Our Movement Legacy: "Dr. King nurtured visions of a movement that could restore a deep and abiding love for all of humanity; a world where the restoration of democracy and full citizenship, of an economic system that could provide for everyone, and an end to war and militarization. Dr. King's dream tackled poverty and systemic inequality. Ultimately his vision was a society with human rights for all"...Read more...Read related article: 11 Black American Icons You Won't Learn About On MLK Jr. Day — But Should
How White Americans Lose When They Don’t Stand Up for Racial Justice (and 4 Ways They Can Counter Racism Instead)
In Preventing Trans Suicides, 'We Have Such A Long Way To Go': "A recent study from UCLA found that 41 percent of transgender people in the survey had attempted suicide — nearly nine times the national average. That's why Greta Martela founded Trans Lifeline, a suicide hotline for trans people, run by transgender volunteers...Trans Lifeline launched in September and it's already getting around 60 calls a day. Alcorn's case hit home, Martela says"...Read more
NO MORE: 10 Reasons We're Excited for 2015: "We begin the year with a message of hope: 2014 was the year a new national conversation surrounding sexual assault and domestic violence began, and together we’re working to sustain and gain even more momentum as we head into ‘15. It was hard to select from so many, but here’s just ten of the many incredibly empowering takeaways, big and small, from the past twelve months"...Read more

'This Girl Can' Reminds Women That Healthy Bodies And 'Perfect' Bodies Are Not The Same Thing: "Sport England, an organization providing services and funding to sports programs in the UK, launched the ‘This Girl Can’ campaign on Jan. 12 after research showed that 75 percent of English women would like to be more active...The 90-second ad shows women of all body types participating in their favorite sports -- without any concern for what they look like. Phrases like 'I jiggle, therefore I am' are interspersed with shots of women working out -- cellulite, smudged makeup, sweat patches and all. None of the women featured in the ad are models or professional athletes, reinforcing the message that athletics are accessible to everyone"...Read more
Hollaback's New Sexual Harassment Video: "Seeing Isn't Always Believing" is the third video in a new series to raise awareness and end street harassment worldwide. Watch the video and read more about it here.

Proof Tabloids Represent Men And Women Very Differently: "In the video 'The Experiment,' writer Kate Hardie and lighting technician Andy Lowe cut out pictures of men and women featured in the British tabloid The Sun, the UK's most widely read daily newspaper. Over the course of six months, Hardie and Lowe pasted all of these photos to a wall, placing images of women on one side and men on the other. The results show the stark contrast between how women are represented and how men are"...Read more

Local News

Students Learn About Healthy Relationships [from Hope House]...Check out this information on the school district newsletter too
Michael Traxler, 28, of Westfield, was charged with felony counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child and repeated sexual assault of the same child...Read more
Terry Brace, 73, of Columbus, pleaded no contest to felony repeated sexual assault of the same child...Read more
Sotero Rodriguez, 68, of North Freedom, sentenced to 17 years of prison for sexually assaulting a young girl on multiple occasions in 2013...Read more
Former U.S. airman Eric Popaeko, sentenced to three years in prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old Reedsburg boy that he met online...Read more
Cody Russell, 21, of Arlington, faces a felony charge stemming for physically abusing a 10-month-old baby boy...Read more

Parents' & Youth Service Providers' Section
Grief In The Classroom: 'Saying Nothing Says A Lot': "A new website — GrievingStudents.org — is trying to help teachers and school leaders answer that question. It's a database of fact sheets, advice and videos. The materials were produced by the Coalition to Support Grieving Students, a group including 10 national organizations that represent teachers, school administrators and support staff"...Read more

Call Out Sexist Ads This Super Bowl Sunday: “[The Representation Project is] inviting you to live tweet the Super Bowl with us and our partners, The 3% Conference. Tell advertisers whether their commercial was a fumble with #NotBuyingIt or a touchdown with #MediaWeLike. Together we can combat harmful stereotypes and demand better representation for all”…Check out the commercials here

Common Sense Media's 10 YouTube Channels for Girls (Completely Makeup- and Fashion-Free!) and 10 Awesome YouTube Channels for Boys (With No Violence, Explosions, or Macho Posturing)

KidSmartz™ Safety Dance Video Contest: "Would you like a chance win $10,000 for your school? Check out this contest from KidSmartz - our sister-program focusing on abduction prevention. The KidSmartz™ Safety Dance Video Contest offers educators a fun and novel way to help K -5 students engage with lessons about personal safety. Film your students dancing to the KidSmartz remix of the 80s hit song 'The Safety Dance.' One school from each of the four regions across the U.S. will be chosen to win. Each school may submit one video entry although K-5 students from multiple classes may perform together"...Click here to learn more.

Thatsnotcool.com Now on Tumblr: Thatsnotcool.com has created a Tumblr that uses gifs, pictures, and quotes to draw attention to common instances of digital dating abuse. Accessible, funny, and informative, this Tumblr is a great social media resource to share with the teens that you work with. Check it out here.

The "Real World" of Teen Dating Violence: "In this Research for the Real World seminar, Dr. Peggy C. Giordano shares preliminary findings from a longitudinal study on the nature of teen dating relationships and risk factors for dating violence. The findings challenge traditional assumptions about gender in early relationships and how youth deal with disagreement. Conflict around financial concerns, infidelity and time spent with peers are risk factors for violence among young adults. Dr. Giordano stresses that developing a more nuanced view of anger, control and communication around these areas can provide opportunities to change patterns of violence in relationships." Watch the recorded seminar here and read the research brief Teen Dating Violence: How Peers Can Affect Risk & Protective Factors.

Our Gender Revolution Campaign: "The Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence encourages you to engage young people, communities, and schools to promote gender equity as a way to prevent gender violence - relationship abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault and other forms of violence - that disproportionately impacts girls and women, transgender, and people who are gender non-conforming. As part of February's National Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Month, an inter-generational partnership of youth and adults developed the Our Gender Revolution high school and middle school campaigns. Order free Our Gender Revolution Campaign materials (conversation guide, posters, brochures, stickers) by clicking here. Materials can also be downloaded. During the months of February-April, anyone who facilitates a conversation with youth or young adults (ages 14-25) and answers a brief survey will be randomly selected for a $100 incentive! Each month we will select up to 25 individuals to receive the incentive for a total of 75 winners. The more conversations you facilitate, the more chances you'll have to be selected! To be eligible for the incentive, facilitate a conversation with high school students and answer the Our Gender Revolution Conversation Guide Survey."

Faith Communities' Section
Community Resources Panel: Thanks to the nearly 40 people that attended the Community Resources Panel on January 21 at Trappers Turn Golf Club in Wisconsin Dells. Thanks also to the panelists from law enforcement, prosecution, healthcare, human services, advocacy, and a faith community who shared their expertise with us. This luncheon was part of a series. Stay tuned for information on the next luncheon on spiritual integrity.

Upcoming Free Webinars from the Faith Trust Institute: Upcoming webinar topics include addressing domestic violence in pre-marital counseling, talking with teens about social media, battered African-American women, the spiritual crisis of child victims of abuse, and addressing elder abuse. Click here to learn more and register.

Resources
Demand Better Media in 2015: "The Representation Project is thrilled to premiere our Demand Better Media in 2015 video. While we have a lot to celebrate, some things aren’t changing fast enough. We all – men and boys, women and girls – must combat harmful stereotypes and demand better representation in our media and culture at large"...Watch the video

The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs' LGBTQ and HIV-Affected Intimate Partner Violence Report in 2013: "Although reports of violence remained consistent with those in 2012, NCAVP’s 2013 report documents 21 homicides, the highest number of LGBTQ intimate partner violence (IPV) homicides recorded and on par with the 21 homicides in 2012. These intimate partner violence homicides illustrate the severe and deadly impact of intimate partner violence in LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities. Within the 2013 intimate partner violence report, person level data indicates that gay men, LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities of color, LGBTQ youth and young adults, bisexual survivors, and transgender communities experienced the most severe forms of IPV. These findings continue to highlight the importance of IPV prevention, strategic and community-specific responses to IPV, and the need for research and accurate documentation of intimate partner violence in LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities"...Read the full report here

Reproductive and Sexual Coercion Toolkit: The Virginia Action Alliance has released a Reproductive and Sexual Coercion Toolkit with information on coercion, screening, trauma-informed care and resources specifically for home visitors and healthcare providers. View the toolkit here.

Human Trafficking Awareness Month (January 2015): In support of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) has resources for mental health professionals, law enforcement personnel, health care professionals, and survivors on the signs of trafficking and services for human trafficking survivors...Check out these related resources: NSVRC's Assisting Trafficking Victims Information Packet and National Human Trafficking Resource Center

Adult Sexual Assault: A Trauma Informed Approach: The Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board has created a new in-service/roll call training film for law enforcement and allied professionals. This two-part film provides an overview of how trauma impacts victims and how law enforcement first responders can implement a trauma informed response and approach to sexual assault survivors. To preview or share the film on YouTube, click here. To download the film, click here. To order a DVD of the film, click to email here.

Legal Issues Related to Elder Abuse: Guides for Law Enforcement: The American Bar Association has produced two new free publications: a pocket guide and a desk guide for law enforcement on legal issues related to elder abuse. Click here to learn more and to order or download a copy.

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