May 2016 Community Education E-bulletin

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. Upcoming Educational Luncheon
2. Hope House Donation Needs
3. Sexual Assault
4. Domestic Violence
5. Children & Youth
6. Miscellaneous News

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

 

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You're Invited: May 17 Educational Luncheon in Wisconsin Dells
​"Strengths-based Support for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Abuse"
Please join us! Faith Leaders for Healthy Relationships and Hope House present "Strengths-based Support for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Abuse" by Julie Fisher, Associate Director at Hope House, on May 17 from 11:30 am - 1 pm at Trappers Turn in Wisconsin Dells.

Domestic violence and sexual assault are two of the most traumatic experiences a human can endure. Victims need to be heard, empowered, understood and supported in order to begin healing and moving forward. Strengths-based support begins with the understanding of the impact of trauma on an individual or family – and emphasizes survivor strengths, competencies, and adaptive capacities. We hope you will join us for lunch and will walk away with a deeper understanding of the impact of trauma and how to support those who have experienced it.

Register by May 12th to ensure your place at the luncheon. Please click here to order your ticket and reserve your seat! This is a secular workshop and discussion, and all are welcome to attend.

 

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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, Body spray and makeup, 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: 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.

 

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News and Research
Sexual Assault

• ‘Prevention Is Possible’: What Does It Really Mean?: “Prevention requires each of us to promote safe behaviors and healthy relationships in our own lives. It requires bystanders to intervene when they witness unsafe behavior. It requires parents to educate their children about healthy sexuality. It requires communities to believe and support survivors when they come forward and report. It requires lawmakers and leaders in the private sector to promote awareness and make policies that foster a cultural change”…Read more
• Talking Consent Over Tea: Prevention Is Possible: “We continue to ignore people’s boundaries as we grow up. I was quite rightly called on ignoring someone’s wishes recently when I wanted to take a group photograph that someone didn’t want to be in. ‘Oh, go on’ I pleaded, ‘It will be FUN, come on.’ She had said no three times, and it took a friend going ‘SHE DOESN’T WANT TEA OK’ before I realised I was riding roughshod over her needs just because I wanted her in the picture”…Read more
• NFL Linebacker Encourages Men To Speak Up Against Sexual Assault In Powerful Essay: “Levy, who’s played in the NFL for five years, published an insightful and important essay on sexual assault and the definition of consent this past Wednesday on The Players’ Tribune. In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month this April, the 29-year-old described why men need to be active and vocal allies for women by speaking out against sexual violence. ‘It’s truly astounding how many awful things that occur in this world because men are afraid of appearing weak,’”…Read more
• Oklahoma Court: Oral Sex is Not Rape if Victim is Unconscious from Drinking: “The case involved allegations that a 17-year-old boy assaulted a girl, 16, after volunteering to give her a ride home…Tests would later confirm that the young man’s DNA was found on the back of her leg and around her mouth…And the appeals court ruling, on 24 March, affirmed that prosecutors could not apply the law to a victim who was incapacitated by alcohol…But several legal experts declined to fault the appeals court, saying instead that the ruling should be a wake-up call for legislators to update Oklahoma’s laws”…Read more
• Former Vanderbilt Football Player Found Guilty of Raping a Student who had Blacked Out: “A former football player at Vanderbilt University was found guilty Friday night of raping an unconscious student in a dorm room, an attack that was photographed and videotaped by teammates”…Read more
• What Happens After Men Get Raped in America: “Jeff, 51, from Indiana, told Mic via email that some people have refused to believe what happened and respond with a blunt: ‘No you weren't.’ Jeff was told that the priest who sexually assaulted him ‘would never do that. He's a good man, and a priest too’…And for the men who were assaulted by women, some of them are told that they should be grateful”…Read more
• A "Staggering Number" of Vets End Up Homeless After Experiencing Sexual Violence in the Military: “Nearly 1 in 10 veterans who experienced sexual assault or harassment in the military became homeless within five years”…Read more
• Sexual Assault Survivors Are Outing Their Rapists on the Anonymous Corners of the Internet: “‘People have been writing rape lists since the '80s and '90s, passing out fliers, writing names on doors. It's just now you're behind a computer screen, and not a bathroom stall’… ‘If the way they're seeking justice or healing is through anonymous online forums,’ Heldman said, ‘it indicates the survivor doesn't feel comfortable coming forward in an institution’”…Read more
• The Myth vs Reality of Sexual Assault: Check out this article from Meriter Hospital’s Forensic Nurse Examiner Program. 

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• These Survivors Refuse To Let Their Sexual Assaults Define Them: “She writes about it in the new book We Believe You: Survivors of Campus Sexual Assault Speak Out, an anthology of voices discussing sexual assault: the experience, the aftermath, the activism. ‘I still think it’s very surface-level,’ Diaz told The Huffington Post. ‘I still think people don’t fully comprehend it’s not just that night — it’s the nights after that night too.’ She said the weight of being a survivor never fully goes away”…Read more
• Winston Moseley, Killer in Kitty Genovese Case that Became a Symbol of Urban Apathy, Dies in Prison at 81: “Though it was just one of 636 murders in New York that year, the story led to public outcry and national soul-searching. Good Samaritan laws were enacted in all 50 states, the 911 system was developed, and countless social psychologists scrambled to understand how so many witnesses could do so little — a phenomenon later termed the ‘bystander effect’…A series of subsequent investigations (including one by the New York Times itself) revealed that the shocking story that ran two weeks after the killing had misreported many of the details”…Read more
• The Dubious Promise of Rape Prevention Technology: Not since the chastity belt has there been so much interest in apps and gadgets designed to prevent sexual violence. But do they work, and what do they say about us?: “‘If these things worked, we would have solved rape by now because we’ve been doing it since the beginning of time’…Of far less interest to venture capitalists are three programs — Safe Dates, Real Consent and Shifting Boundaries — that have been shown to be effective in preventing sexual assault, according to the CDC”…Read more
• Bill Cosby Loses Attempt To Stop Sexual Assault Case
• The Legacy Of The Kobe Bryant Rape Case: “Though the criminal charges were ultimately dropped after 15 months and the civil case was settled behind closed doors, the Kobe Bryant rape case left behind a legacy of victim blaming, media sensationalism, and image repair that still influences society — and other high-profile rape cases — to this day”…Read more
• When You're a Woman Raped by a Woman: “It was the same for Maria*, molested at age four by an older girl; for Sophie*, forced to have sex throughout an abusive relationship; and for Emma*, assaulted by two women before she turned 23. Their stories make up a largely undocumented section of survivor accounts, experiences that often are untold, underreported, and discredited by those around them. They are the female victims of female perpetrators—the survivors of sexual assaults that many believe impossible”…Read more
• 6 Things To Stop Telling Sexual Assault Survivors: “Due to this lack of understanding, there are so many things people need to stop telling sexual assault survivors — and yet they continue to say them anyway, often because they either believe it will help or think it's acceptable (sometimes both). But much of the time, they only make matters worse”…Read more...Read related article: 5 Tips for Dating a Survivor of Sexual Assault

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Domestic Violence

• When Domestic Violence Becomes A Workplace Issue: “The two deaths came in quick succession, shocking the close-knit community of health care workers at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center…St. Joseph is undergoing an ambitious effort to address domestic violence among its workforce, rolling out an intensive training program to help staff members identify — and hopefully prevent — domestic violence, as well as a new workplace policy to support employees who are suffering. The hospital partnered with Futures Without Violence, a nonprofit that has helped organizations across the country address how domestic violence hurts its workforce”…Read more
• Mississippi Fails To Add Domestic Violence As A Legal Reason For Divorce: “In Mississippi, a person can get a divorce if their spouse is a habitual drunk, commits adultery, has an incurable mental illness or is naturally impotent…As it currently stands, domestic violence is not among the 12 legal grounds for divorce in the state. A recent effort to rectify that died in the Mississippi state Senate last week…Wright said domestic violence victims trying to divorce abusive partners typically allege ‘habitual cruel and inhuman treatment,’ which is among the current legal grounds for divorce. But that can be hard to prove unless the abuse was physical and ongoing, he said. Subtle types of abuse, like emotional, verbal and economic, are much more difficult to demonstrate”…Read more
• Survivors Motivated By $40 Million Domestic Violence Judgement: [Note: graphic image and description of abuse] “Survivor Maria Escamilla was awarded $40 million in a decision that domestic violence experts are calling monumental…But there are risks for women who file civil cases. Many of the men they sue won’t have more money than the cost of a lawyer. There are also concerns in some rare cases it could provoke a backlash from an abuser”…Read more

 

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Children and Youth

• ​Teen Faces 40 Years In Prison For Live-Streaming Her Friend’s Rape On Periscope: “Ohio teenager Marina Lonina was indicted for child pornography and sexual assault charges after reportedly live-streaming her underage friend’s rape on Periscope. On February 27, Lonina, 18, and her 17-year-old friend were hanging out at a house in Columbus, with an acquaintance, Raymond Boyd Gates, 29. At some point during their socializing, Gates allegedly forced intercourse with the victim, which Lonina then reportedly live-broadcasted via Periscope”…Read more
• Can Restorative Justice Change the Way Schools Handle Sexual Assault?: “The parties discuss the harm and then, together, develop a detailed timeline to restore the harm done and reintegrate the wrongdoer. This alternative to adversarial hearings, the Skidmore researchers believe, will  better address the real needs of survivors and offenders while avoiding the trauma of antagonistic disciplinary clashes. Unlike a traditional hearing, RJ requires the accused to admit wrongdoing before the process even begins; the question at issue is what can be done to remedy the harm, not whether it happened. (Neither party may be forced to participate in RJ, so accused students who maintain their innocence are routed to standard discipline processes)”…Read more

• We Changed The Language, Now Let’s Change The Laws!: “We are thrilled that The Associated Press revised its AP Stylebook to now instruct writers to avoid using the word ‘prostitute’ when a child is involved. We’ve always known there’s no such thing as a child prostitute and now, thanks to the Associated Press, millions more Americans will know that too…These children are victims of child rape, and they should be treated as such. The Associated Press’s decision sends a strong message to the thousands of news outlets across the country that continue to use the phrase ‘child prostitute’”…Read more
• Why Dress Codes Can’t Stop Sexual Assault: “When news broke that deputy principal Cherith Telford at Henderson High School in New Zealand told female students that their uniform skirts must be knee-length in order to “keep our girls safe, stop boys from getting ideas and create a good work environment for male staff,” reactions were mixed...It’s also a myth that has been thoroughly debunked by the Justice Department, RAINN and many other organizations”…Read more

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Miscellaneous News

• ​Teaching Men to Be Emotionally Honest: “As men continue to fall behind women in college, while outpacing them four to one in the suicide rate, some colleges are waking up to the fact that men may need to be taught to think beyond their own stereotypes”…Read more
• Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Organizations Debunk 'Bathroom Predator Myth': “‘Over 200 municipalities and 18 states have nondiscrimination laws protecting transgender people’s access to facilities consistent with the gender they live every day,’ according to the coalition. ‘None of those jurisdictions have [sic] seen a rise in sexual violence or other public safety issues due to nondiscrimination laws. Assaulting another person in a restroom or changing room remains against the law in every single state’”…Read more
• U.S. Suicide Rates Up, especially among Women, but Down for Black Males: “The number of suicides in the United States has been on the rise since 1999 in everyone between the ages of 10 and 74…The largest increases were among American Indians and Alaska Natives; in this group, the suicide rate climbed by 89% among women and 38% among men. Suicide rates among white women and white men increased by 60% and 28%, respectively…The CDC is focusing its suicide prevention efforts on finding strategies that can help prevent suicide among middle-aged men because the number of suicide deaths in that group is so high”…Read more

• ​​17 Tweets Show How Early Women Experience Sexual Harassment And Violence: “A new hashtag is highlighting the subtle sexism, sexual harassment and violence women face from an early age. On Tuesday morning, the UK-based Everyday Sexism Project asked their Twitter followers to share their experiences of sexism, harassment and sexual violence with the hashtag #WhenIWas…Scrolling through the hashtag, which now has thousands of tweets, serves as an important reminder that all women experience some form of sexism — and many experience it at a very young age”…Read more
• Ten Inspiring Songs about Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault that Will Move You: “Hearing your story in a song is a powerful way to remind those who have been isolated physically and emotionally that there are people out there who can relate to and care about them. This Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), we are excited to share some of the moving and downright catchy songs that people have shared with NO MORE. (Warning: Some of the lyrics in the songs and videos may be triggering to survivors)”…Read more

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Local News

• Daniel Coughlin, 53, of Lyndon Station, sentenced to six years in state prison after being convicted of first and second degree sexual assault of a child…Read more​
• Kevin Karl Krueger, 51, of Portage, charged with first-degree intentional homicide, entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity or mental deficiency…Read more
• A state appeals court ruled that it would be double jeopardy to retry Russell Troka, of Lyndon Station, for attempted homicide and other offenses stemming from an alleged 2013 attack on his wife…Read more
• Levi Ramone Dacorah Kearney, 20, of Portage, given a deferred prosecution and placed on four years’ probation on July 29 after entering a plea of no contest to charges of second-degree sexual assault of a child and fourth-degree sexual assault…Read more
• Samuel Terwall, 18, of Reedsburg, faces two counts of sexual assault of a child under 16…Read more
• Robert Reick, 29, of Portage, appeared in court on Oct. 19 charged with burglary and second-degree sexual assault with use of force. The criminal case ended with a plea agreement…Read more
• Alexander Kluball, 25, of Reedsburg, who brought a teenage girl from Tennessee last year to work as a prostitute was sentenced Tuesday in federal court to 10 years in prison for transporting an individual to engage in commercial sex…Read more
• “Juneau County Sheriff's Department Detective Tim Andres has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into a possible domestic disturbance with his wife”…Read more

 

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Parents' and Youth Service Providers' Section

• We Can Teach Kids About Consent Without Bringing Sex Into the Conversation: “Though we often think about consent in terms of sexual assault, the truth is that it is an essential aspect of all interpersonal relationships. People have the right to set boundaries about their bodies, their possessions, and their actions, and we need to respect those boundaries. By framing consent in this way for kids, we’re laying the groundwork they will need to navigate situations in the future, including and beyond sexual interactions”…Read more
• Preventing Sex Abuse in Schools: The Healthy Sexual Climate: “This past week, Dr. Janet Rosenzweig, our Vice-President of Programs and Services, was asked to be a source for a Washington Post article describing a series of sexual abuse cases in a suburban Washington, D.C. school district. The investigative work of reporters to keep these issues in the public ‘spotlight’ and to hold school officials accountable is critical. But since April is Child Abuse Prevention month, Janet couldn’t let the opportunity pass without sharing with adults everywhere some steps they might take to help reduce the chances of a similar case happening in their district. How? We can start by understanding the concept of ‘sexual climate’ in a school”…Read more
• 9 Ways to Introduce Students to Random Acts of Kindness: “At school, the RAOK project crosses the curriculum and offers lessons in social studies and current events, math (the students graph different RAOK types), writing, and speaking (they give class presentations using the Haiku Deck app). But the benefits the project brings to students’ character and sense of self is the real reward…Here are his nine tips for starting it in your classroom or school”…Read more​
• 7 Things to Do When Your Kid Points Out Someone’s Differences: “Instead of shushing children for stating the obvious, that the person (or family) in front of them is appears different, parents can do the following: 1. Apologize. When your child behaves rudely, apologize on the child’s behalf, immediately and without excuse. Try something like: ‘I’m sorry my child spoke rudely. He is curious about your son and didn’t respond appropriately’”…Read more

 

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Faith Communities Section

• Faith Trust Institute's Meaningful Voices Book Club: "The Meaningful Voices Book Club is designed to foster conversations between advocates, clergy, seminary students, and lay leaders on the role of faith in our lives, the dynamics of domestic and sexual violence and the ramifications of violence on individuals, our faith communities, and the wider culture. The online book discussions, blogs and chats will also increase awareness of what individuals can do to support victims and respond effectively and sensitively to victims/survivors, their families, and abusers." The next book is Lived Through This: Listening to the Stories of Sexual Violence Survivors. Learn more and see upcoming and previous book club meetings.
• 10 Ways Every Church Ought to Combat Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse: “It was one of the rare moments when religious leaders acknowledged publically in a liturgical context the cultural and institutional silence surrounding sexual violence. The rarity of what we created strikes me as a sad failure of the church…I have compiled a list of concrete, easy things every pastor and/or church can (and ought) to do”…Read more
• Faith Trust Institute's Free Upcoming Webinars: Upcoming webinars include Black Women, Violence, and the "Abuse to Prison" Pipeline, Reproductive Coercion and the Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence and Faith Beliefs, Survivors' Faith Journeys: The Nomadic Spirituality of Home, The Role of the Faith Community in Preventing and Healing Child Sexual Abuse, and more. Click here to learn more.

 

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Training Opportunity
Webinar on May 25 from 1-2 pm: Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect to Create a World Where Every Child Can Thrive: "This webinar will highlight the CDC's Essentials for Childhood framework, which is intended for use by communities committed to the positive development of children and families and specifically to the prevention of child abuse and neglect." Click here to register. 

 

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Resources

• Access New Resources on Adverse Childhood Experiences for National Child Abuse Prevention Month: “Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that impact lifelong health and opportunity. ACEs have been linked to risky behaviors, chronic health conditions, educational and employment challenges, and early death. CDC is committed to preventing ACEs before they happen.  The new ACE resources available at CDC.gov will help your community better understand ACEs, their health impact, and strategies for prevention”…View the resources
• We Believe You Coloring Book: Download and print the We Believe You coloring “book for survivors and supporters is an initiative of the Office of Sexual Violence Support and Education at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. Team members: Farrah Khan, Tesni Ellis, and Kirsty Pazek-Smith. You are free to print and share the colouring book with loved ones.”​

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