March 2016 Community Education E-bulletin

3/8/2016

Welcome to the March 2016 edition of Hope House's Community Education E-bulletin!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. Thrivent Choice Dollars
2. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
3. Empower Baraboo Events
4. February was Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
5. Hope House Donation Needs
6. Sexual Assault

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

Thrivent Choice Dollars
Are you a Thrivent Financial member? Hope House of South Central Wisconsin is now enrolled as a potential Thrivent Choice Dollars recipient. By directing Choice Dollars, eligible Thrivent members recommend where they feel Thrivent should distribute a portion of its charitable grant funds. Directing Choice Dollars is easy. Simply go to Thrivent.com/thriventchoice to learn more and find program terms and conditions. Or call 800-847-4836 and say “Thrivent Choice” after the prompt.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Hope House staff is gearing up for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and we already have a few events planned to share with you. As things are confirmed, we will add more projects and events to our website.

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training on April 2 in Baraboo: Hope House is partnering with the Boys & Girls Club in Baraboo to offer a free training on child sexual abuse prevention. Using an evidence-informed approach, Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children training (www.d2l.org) provides simple and practical actions you can take to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. Join Robin Bariel, Prevention Project Coordinator at Hope House, as we begin Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month with this compassionate, engaging approach to child sexual abuse prevention. Training is offered at no cost to the community and will be at the Boys & Girls Club in Baraboo (124 2nd St, second floor) from 9:30 am-noon on April 2nd. Childcare is available by RSVPing to 608-356-9123 or preventioncoord@hopehousescw.org.

Denim Day on April 27: Denim Day is in honor of a young woman who was raped by her driving instructor. He was convicted, but he appealed and the judge overturned the conviction. The judge decided that "...because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was no longer rape, but consensual sex." Denim Day was created as a message in protest of victim-blaming. We need to start by believing survivors and not blame them for the sexual assault that someone else committed against them. Consider participating in Denim Day by asking your employer to allow employees to wear jeans on April 27 in exchange for making a donation to Hope House.

Screening and Discussion of Miss Representation on April 28 in Baraboo: Save the date for a screening and discussion of the film Miss Representation on April 28 from 6:30-8:30 pm at the R.G. Brown Theatre on the UW-Baraboo/Sauk County campus.

Empower Baraboo Film Screening on March 18 and Student-led Training in April

As part of Hope House's Rape Prevention Education sub-grant, the Empower Baraboo Advisory Committee would like to invite you to a screening of the film Straightlaced on Friday, March 18. Join us at 3:30 pm at Jack Young Middle School as we learn how gender roles are impacting today’s teens. The screening is free; snacks will be provided.
To learn more about the film, please click here. Hope to see you there!

Libby Pierce and Bethany Deyo, Empower Baraboo Advisors, provided an hour-long training on homophobic and gender-based harassment on March 3. Empower Baraboo Advisors are teens who serve on the advisory committee for the Rape Prevention Education sub-grant. We are very proud of these teen leaders for shaping safer communities! Thank you to everyone who attended and to Jack Young Middle School for the use of their auditorium. The Empower Baraboo Advisors will be hosting another training for Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention – save the date, April 20th, location TBA.

February was Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month

Thanks to everyone that helped spread awareness and prevention of teen dating violence in February. We're excited to see more schools and groups get involved each year. Please see the photos above for more information on the activities at River Valley Middle School, Ho-Chunk's promotion of Wear Orange Day, Hope House's display at the West Square Building in Baraboo, and UW-Baraboo/Sauk County's V-Day. Other activities not pictured include Empower Baraboo's t-shirt design competition, Wear Orange Day at Baraboo High School, and Necedah High School's resource table with information and a spin wheel game on healthy relationships. Looking forward to next year!

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, Silverware, Tupperware, Small mason jars, Dishwasher soap, 13-Gallon garbage bags, 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: 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: Diapers (especially sizes 4-6) and pull-ups, DVD or BluRay plaer, Vacuum, New white full/twin bed sheets, Double stroller, Baby wipes, Band-Aids, Pocket-sized calendars, 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 and Research
Sexual Assault

After His Former Coach Is Suspended For Sexual Assault, Baseball Player Speaks Up About Abuse: “Smith wasn’t sexually abused by Bleiwas, but certainly recalls an environment filled with mistreatment that was actively encouraged by the coach…Smith is encouraging anyone — current or former baseball players, coaches, athletes from other sports, family members, fans — to send him a video message offering support for any players who want to speak up about abuse or mental health struggles they’ve experienced. He thinks that putting faces to this problem can help change the conversation and culture for good. ‘There is a huge problem with the culture in which we’re raising our sons,’ Smith said. ‘Why are we teaching them to suppress emotion, why are we not letting them feel nurtured instead of forcing them to play from a place of fear?’”…Read more
2 L.A. Cops Charged with Repeatedly Raping, ‘Preying on’ Vulnerable Women: “The two officers now face a combined 32 charges. If convicted, they could each face life in prison…But Chang also said the charges were 'years overdue.' According to the complaint, the offenses date back to at least 2008. They were reported by multiple women, but the rapes allegedly continued unchecked as an internal investigation floundered for years”…Read more
Meet the 24-Year-Old who could Change How the US Handles Sexual Assaults: “In what they hope will become a bipartisan bright spot, Democrats in the Senate on Tuesday introduced a sweeping new bill to guarantee and standardize certain rights for people who have experienced sexual assault…And the bill has a unique driving force behind it: Amanda Nguyen, a 24-year-old State Department liaison to the White House in training to be an astronaut who helped craft the bill. Nguyen became an activist because of her own enormous struggles with a difficult legal system that nearly destroyed her rape kit”…Read more
Judge: Ex-Milwaukee Cop Convicted of Rape May Question Victim: “Former Milwaukee police officer Ladmarald Cates, who is serving 24 years in prison for raping a woman after he responded to her 911 call in July 2010, will be allowed to personally cross-examine the victim during the trial in her civil suit, a federal judge has ruled…The unusual set of circumstances arises because Cates is serving as his own attorney in the civil case”…Read more
Educators Do Little Time for Sex Crimes: “Wisconsin educators convicted of inappropriate relationships or abuse of students often plead down from more serious charges and rarely serve more than a year in prison, a USA TODAY NETWORK investigation has found. Three recent cases near Fond du Lac, Green Bay and Milwaukee illustrate how plea deals lead to lesser penalties. Several more cases of teacher misconduct involving sexual allegations over the last decade show a similar trend, based on a database of all Wisconsin teachers whose licenses were revoked”…Read more
Bill Cosby Might Have Changed the Way Police Investigate Rape: “Since the entertainer's highly public downfall, people in America's biggest cities began reporting more rapes, especially rapes from the past…What Bratton dubbed the Cosby Effect has little to do with Cosby and more to do with the country's evolving understanding of rape. Over the past five years, Tracy said, the growing pressure to take victims seriously — rather than blame them or question their motives — has altered the way law enforcement handles rape investigations. Officers, for instance, are more receptive to delayed reports nowadays”…Read more...Read related article: Judge Allows Bill Cosby Sexual Assault Case to Go Forward
Cosby Hearing Affirms the Need for Change: “PCAR and the NSVRC encourages communities to prioritize safety by recognizing these behaviors: Delayed reporting is normal…Inconsistencies in statements are common after traumatic events…All victims of sexual assault are entitled to use either or both the criminal and civil justice systems to seek justice”…Read more

The Moments that Made Oscars Night a Milestone for Sexual Abuse Survivors: “The stories of sexual assault survivors took center stage in multiple ways on Oscars Sunday. In addition to being the subject of 'The Hunting Ground' and the Gaga-Warren track, it is also examined in 'Room,' which won Brie Larson the lead actress Oscar, and 'Spotlight,' which took home the night's biggest award for best picture”…Read more
For Clergy Sex Abuse Survivors, ‘Spotlight’ Oscar Win Brings Joy and Tears: “Garabedian, his voice still hoarse from cheering while watching the Academy Awards, said he still has 500 cases of clergy sex abuse in which he has either filed a lawsuit or sought claims on behalf of his clients. Because of ‘Spotlight,’ Garabedian said, he has been contacted by survivors from ‘Cambodia, Turkey, Australia, many, many countries.’ His hope, he said, is that the attention provided by the movie, which documents the Boston Globe’s investigation starting in 2001 into the abuse and the coverup by church officials, will empower other survivors to come forward”…Read more
Confused Why Women Don’t Report Sexual Assault? Ask Kesha.: “The truth is that there are few incentives to coming forward with an allegation of sexual assault. It means having to recount a trauma over and over again, to people who may not even believe that what you say happened actually happened. It means facing the judgments of those closest to you, and in Kesha's case, the judgments of the public who determine the success of her career. It means being picked apart, as people try to find just how ‘perfect’ a victim you are. It may mean dealing with law enforcement officials and members of a jury who have been socialized to believe myths about rape”…Read more…Read related article: How We Failed to Protect Kesha
This Book Gives Native Girls The Tools To Seek Help After Getting Raped: “American Indians are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault than any other race in the U.S., according to the Department of Justice. The title of the book was chosen accordingly: ‘It's not 'What To Do If You’re Raped,' it’s 'When,'’ Asetoyer said. ‘A young mother was in my office the other day, and she said, 'Charon, what do I tell my daughter when she’s raped?' That feeling is just overwhelming, but it’s true’”…Read more
This Is Why Every College Is Talking About Bystander Intervention: “That's the appeal of bystander intervention programs like Green Dot, experts say. Rather than treating everyone as a potential rapist or rape victim, students are treated like allies who are empowered to step in. And according to research, it's working: For example, John Foubert, who received a grant from the Department of Education to study the impact of bystander intervention, found in 2007 that fraternity men who were trained in bystander intervention were 40 percent less likely to commit sexual violence”…Read more
Male Survivors Of Sexual Assault Speak Out: “Not only are men denied the language to speak of their assaults, their experiences of sexual abuse and violence are erased on a widespread scale. Take, for example, a 12-year-old boy who is molested by a female teacher. Rape culture dictates he should be happy, he scored a woman, an older-but-not-too-old woman—a very valuable commodity—and if he’s not happy, it must be his fault…In fact, male sexual assault, Santino explains, ‘almost never comes up unless someone is making a joke about prison. It’s no wonder so many sexual assaults go unreported.’ And indeed, our broken prison system allows for widespread rape of prisoners…Prison rape, simply, is accepted as an additional punishment for arrest—no matter the crime”…Read more

Domestic Violence

This Is Not a Love Story: America’s Deadly Domestic Violence Problem: “On just the first day of the year, at least eight women in different parts of the country were killed. In each instance, the suspect was a husband, boyfriend, ex or lover. And the bloodletting didn't let up in the month that followed. Every day, somewhere in the U.S., at least one woman was allegedly killed by an intimate partner. Some days four or five women died. All told, at least 112 people were killed last month in suspected intimate partner homicides, a staggering death toll that includes children and bystanders”…Read more
It’s Time We Listen When Women Say Their Boyfriends Are Dangerous: “Cedric Ford was at work at an Excel plant in Hesston, Kansas, on Thursday afternoon when he was handed a piece of paper: The Harvey County Sheriff’s office had served him with a restraining order. Ninety minutes later, authorities say Ford opened fire, killing three people and injuring 14 others. Ford’s ex-girlfriend had filed the protection from abuse order, which stemmed from an alleged domestic violence incident earlier this month…The man who went on a shooting rampage at a Colorado Planned Parenthood in November had allegedly assaulted multiple wives. The man who opened fire in a Louisiana movie theater during a viewing of 'Trainwreck' in July had a history of domestic violence. And according to an analysis of five years of gun safety data, we know that most mass shootings in this country involve domestic violence”…Read more
5 Things To Know About Domestic Violence & Abuse In LGBTQ Relationships: “This invisibility hurts the LGBTQ community because as a society, it means that less and less people are aware they experience this abuse, and therein, first responders and specialists, on a whole, may be less equipped to handle these situations appropriately when survivors come forward…In communities where LGBTQ rights are minimal and homophobia runs rampant, it can be or feel like a huge risk to out your sexual orientation or gender identity, even if it's in an attempt to protect yourself from harm. Even when domestic violence is reported, a lack of collaboration between respondents and LGBTQ organizations can make things difficult”…Read more

Peninsula Teen Uses Financial Prowess To Help Victims Of Domestic Violence: “Jaeger decided to raise money for CORA, eventually $85,000, the put it into an investment fund, one that he would manage and hopefully turn it into even more money. Jaeger has already be recognized for his unique approach, winning the Breakthrough Inspiration Award…Jaeger plans to manage his fund until he graduates high school, then donate the entirety of it CORA”…Read more
10th Annual Census of Shelters Shows the Need for Domestic Violence Services is Growing: “More than 1,700 – or 93 percent – of identified local domestic violence programs in the United States and territories participated in the Domestic Violence Counts Census this year. On Census Day alone, these local programs provided help and safety to 71,828 adults and children who were victims of domestic violence. These survivors were given a safe place to stay and access to the resources or services necessary to escape violence and abuse. In addition to providing direct services, these programs answered more than 21,000 hotline calls and educated more than 27,000 individuals on domestic violence, all on the survey day…Sadly, 12,197 times during the same 24-hour period, a hotline phone rang or a victim knocked at the door to request a shelter bed, an attorney, children's counseling, or another vital service, and the local program was forced to say no because they did not have the resources”…Read more

Miscellaneous News

'Safe at Home' Bill to Conceal Victims' Addresses: “‘Will allow survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault, human trafficking, stalking to apply with the Department of Justice for what is essentially a P.O. Box,’ said Tony Gibart, of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin. Eliminating their address from public record and creating more of barrier from the abusers and the abused. ‘Being able to relocate, have their address confidential, will increase their sense of control over their safety in a very practical way’”…Read more
NFL Bans Prospects With Domestic Violence, Sex Assault Convictions From Scouting Showcase: “The NFL informed teams of a policy change in a memo late last month that will no longer allow prospects with convictions for domestic violence, sexual assault or weapons offenses to attend the NFL Scouting Combine – the invitation-only annual showcase event where college prospects hope to impress NFL scouts prior to that year’s upcoming NFL Draft”…Read more
6 Harmful Effects Of Toxic Masculinity: “By dictating that men must be strong, have no feelings, and dominate women, Western ideals of masculinity lead men to miss out on aspects of life that should be available to all people, regardless of gender — things like emotional connection and nurturing. And at its worst, toxic masculinity can encourage violence…When we talk about the harmful effects of toxic masculinity, we are not criticizing men, but are calling out the unfair standards imposed upon them”…Read more

7 Racial Justice Activists Talk about the Evolution of Black History Month: “We asked seven black activists how they’ve seen the meaning of Black History Month evolve, especially since the inception of movements like Black Lives Matter. Here’s what they had to say about what Black History Month means to them in 2016”…Read more
Awkward, Uncomfortable Conversations about Racism Worth It: “For people of color who may be offended or angered by another’s remarks, Sen’s advice is to ‘lower the litmus test. Expect people to be less than perfect. People are going to say the wrong things. They’re going to be imperfect. They’re not going to know a piece of history that’s critical to your family’”…Read more
11-Year-Old Reaches Goal, Collects 1000 'Black Girl Books' To Donate: “With the help of her mother, Dias set out to collect 1,000 books with Black girls as the protagonists and a plan to donate them to her school and a school in St. Mary, Jamaica, her mother's native country…She told Wilmore that it's important to be able to relate to the books you read”…Read more

Local News

Kevin Krueger, 51, of Friesland, held on $1 million cash bond on charges of first-degree intentional homicide of his estranged wife, Tracy Hill Krueger, in Portage…Read more...View Hope House’s letter to the editor on this recent domestic violence homicide in Portage
$400K grant to help combat sexual assaults: “Sauk County prosecutors, law enforcement and victim advocates will team up to ensure best practices are used in sexual assault investigations. That’s thanks to a $400,000 grant that Sauk County received from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women. ‘If there’s not a team approach, the chances of going all the way to prosecution (with a sexual assault case) are very slim,’ said Julie Fisher, Associate Director of the Baraboo-based Hope House of South Central Wisconsin”…Read more
St. Clare Hospital’s article in the Baraboo News Republic: Love shouldn’t hurt: How adults can support teens
Alex Stolte, 21, of Reedsburg, charged with two counts of felony second-degree sexual assault with the use of force…Read more
Steven Becker, 41, of Wisconsin Dells, has been charged with felony false imprisonment and misdemeanor disorderly conduct for dangling a woman over a balcony railing to threaten her…Read more
April Lynn Oldfield, of Elroy, has been sentenced to two years in state prison for failure to act/sexual assault of a child. According to a criminal complaint, Oldfield allegedly allowed Elroy resident Joshua Olson, 31, to sexually abuse two children, ages 8 and 11…Read more

Parents & Youth Service Providers' Section

ThatsNotCool.com: For Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, www.thatsnotcool.com revamped their website. They have new features, such as the CoolNotCool Quiz and a social hub for all their social media postings. Be sure to check out the Adult Allies page for new resources.
NetSmartz Tip Sheets: NetSmartz.org has a webpage full of tip sheets for teens, parents, and educators related to internet safety, including the new tip sheet You Sent a Sext. Now What? Check out all the tip sheets here.
Bullying Prevention Online Course: “HRSA is excited to announce that StopBullying.gov's Bullying Prevention Online Course is now available! Learn the latest research and best practices in bullying prevention and earn continuing education credits at your own pace. The self-directed training course features the newest research on bullying prevention, quizzes throughout to test your knowledge and the ability to earn course credits quickly and easily”…Learn more
The Great American NO BULL Challenge: “In producing their original films, participants have the freedom to be inventive in using language and format (music, script writing and video) that speak directly to their peers…The NO BULL Challenge focuses on raising awareness and inspiring positive social action on issues affecting today's youth such as: bullying, violence, drug/alcohol abuse, LGBT and more.” Video Upload Deadline is March 14. Public voting March 16-28"…Learn more
PACER’s You’re Not Alone: This campaign “gives students, adults and communities ideas how they can help so that -No student ever feels that they are all alone -Everyone has ideas on how they can provide support, kindness and hope to those that are bullied.” Click here to order their toolkit, view their gallery, and learn ways to “be there” as an adult or youth.

Promoting Protective Factors for Children and Youth: Child Welfare Information Gateway has a series for practitioners on promoting protective factors for children. The fact sheets covers children exposed to domestic violence, children and youth in foster care, for in-risk children and families, for pregnant and parenting teens, and for victims of child abuse and neglect. View them here.
Anti-Defamation League’s Current Events Lesson Plans: “The Current Events Classroom is a collection of timely and relevant brief lesson plans that assist K-12 educators in teaching news topics and other issues of the day. Each lesson helps students analyze the topic through an anti-bias, diversity and social justice lens.” View the collection here.
The NetSmartz Student Project Kit: “Want an interactive way to engage your middle and high school students on digital citizenship? The NetSmartz Student Project Kit is the answer. This tool offers students presentations, skits, lessons, and other activities they can use to teach younger students and their peers about online safety and digital citizenship”…Learn more and download the kit
Teach Consent Project: The Virginia Action Alliance’s Teach Consent project includes a video and facilitator’s guide on talking to teens age 11-16 on how to ask for consent, what enthusiastic, verbal consent looks like, and how to respond to “no” respectfully. View the resources here.

Faith Communities' Section

Responding to Abuse Later in Life: Thanks to everyone that attended the Faith Leaders for Healthy Relationships' luncheon at Trappers Turn on February 23, Responding to Abuse Later in Life. Please stay tuned for information on upcoming luncheons.
Hymn Addressing Domestic Violence: Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, an acclaimed master, has written a new hymn, God of Love, We've Heard the Teaching, to inspire congregations to address domestic violence. Gillette, a co-minister at Limestone Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, DE, has written hundreds of hymns that respond to the most urgent and meaningful contemporary events. She offers the hymn for free to faith communities, which you can access by clicking here.

Training Opportunities
Registration is still open for the following trainings:

Free Youth Mental Health First Aid Training: The Adams-Friendship School District is providing two free trainings in March on Youth Mental Health First Aid. Dinner and snacks will be provided. For more information, please see the flyer.
Summit on Healthy Teen Relationships: On April 4-6, the 2016 Summit on Healthy Teen Relationships will be held at the Kalahari Resort and Waterpark in Wisconsin Dells! The days will be packed with action and fun, bringing together a diverse group of teens and adults to talk and learn about creating healthy teen relationships and preventing teen dating abuse and sexual assault. To learn more, click here. Plan on attending? Please let Hope House know by calling 608-356-9123 or email us so we can try to connect with you at the summit!
Together for Children Conference: “Join us for the 29th Together for Children conference in Lake Geneva, WI, April 5-7, 2016. Each year, participants attend workshops to gain knowledge in prevention strategies, innovative intervention and treatment strategies, best practice and research initiatives, as well as other current topics in the areas of child abuse and neglect.” Early registration discounts expire on Monday, March 14, and room block at Grand Geneva expires on Friday, March 11.…Learn more
The Prevent Suicide Wisconsin Conference will be held on April 27th at the Holiday Inn in Stevens Point. To learn more click here.

Resources
VAWnet’s Special Collection: Intimate Partner Homicide Prevention: This special collection of resources covers the scope of the problem, safety planning and assessment tools, systems’ response and prevention opportunities, and more.

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March 2016 Community Education E-bulletin

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