October 2016 Community Education E-bulletin

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
2. Empower Baraboo Advisory Committee Meeting
3. Hope House Donation Needs
4. WI's 2015 Domestic Violence Homicide Report
5. Domestic Violence

6. Sexual Assault
7. Children & Youth
8. Miscellaneous News
9. Local News
10. Parents' & Youth Service Providers' Section

Pictured here are Hope House staff and volunteers getting ready to walk in the Tournament of Chips Parade during Cow Chip in Sauk Prairie on September 3. They were promoting the new Sauk County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Program! If you are interested in learning more about becoming a CASA volunteer, email Mary Jo at Hope House at mjelert@hopehousescw.org, call 608-356-9123, or visit www.saukcountycasa.org.

 

---

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

There are several ways you can get involved with Domestic Violence Awareness Month:

• October 6 in Spring Green: “Diggin for Hope” Domestic Violence Awareness Month Homecoming Volleyball Match at ​River Valley High School
• October 11 in Wisconsin Dells: Supporting Families Affected by Violence: A Community Resources Luncheon
• National Campaigns and Events:
  • The National Network to End Domestic Violence is sponsoring #31is31, 31 pieces of information they share for each day of the month. This year's theme is busting prevalent myths. They are also promoting their National Week of Action on October 16-22, including Conversation Sunday, Media Monday, Tie-in Tuesday, Write-In Wednesday, #PurpleThursday, Film Friday, and Shout-Out Saturday. Please join Hope House and several of our community partners in wearing purple on Thursday, October 20.
  • The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence is sponsoring a #ThisIsDV and #WhyICare campaign and webinars on self-care and girls for gender equity.

Learn more about Domestic Violence Awareness Month on our page. We'll continue to add more resources as we receive them.

 

---

Join Us for This Year’s First Empower Baraboo Advisory Committee Meeting!
As the 2016-2017 school year starts, Hope House is excited to continue implementing our Rape Prevention & Education grant focused on sexual violence prevention at Baraboo High School. Through this grant, we will be working to address the following four risk factors for sexual violence: hypersexualization of youth, a culture that glorifies violence, gender-based and homophobic harassment, and sexual entitlement and misconceptions around consent.

​As with last year, we will be guided in this process by the Empower Baraboo Advisory Committee, a group of passionate BHS students, staff, and other community members working together to create a safer, healthier, and happier school for everyone. Our first meeting will take place on Monday, October 17th from 6:15-7:15pm at East Elementary School in the Professional Development Room. If you’re interested in joining the committee but can’t make this meeting, or if you have any other questions about the grant, please contact our new Prevention Project Coordinator Nola Pastor at 608-356-9123 or preventcoord@hopehousescw.org. 

 

---

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 the following; our most needed items are bolded:

• Bathrooms: Liquid hand soap, Full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner, Full-size toothpaste and toothbrushes, Full-size bottles of body wash and shaving cream, Toilet bowl cleaner, Toilet paper, Deodorant, Disposable razors, Small garbage cans with bags, Nail clippers, Cleaning supplies such as Lysol disinfecting spray, Windex, and floor cleaner, Clorox wipes, Hairspray, Bleach, Bathroom rugs
• Kitchen: Paper towels, Ziploc bags, 13-Gallon garbage bags, Coffee, Blender, Strainer/Colander, Silverware, Tupperware, Dishwasher soap, Brush for cleaning bottles, Sip cups, Saran wrap, Aluminum foil
• Food and Beverages: Cereal, Fruit juice, Meat, Fresh fruit and vegetables, Yogurt, Cheese, Canned soup, Snack items (crackers, granola bars, etc.), Eggs, Milk, Coffee
• Laundry: Laundry detergent
• Clothing for Women and Kids: New socks, New women’s underwear, New medium-large size pajamas, New sweatshirts and sweatpants, 
• Misc: Alarm clock, D batteries, Swiffer mop, New pillows, New full-sized fitted white sheets, Diapers (especially size 5) and pull-ups, Journals, Vacuum, Double stroller, Baby wipes, Band-Aids, Pocket-sized calendars, Baby bottles, Umbrellas, Exercise balls, 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.

 

---

Wisconsin's 2015 Domestic Violence Homicide Report
​
2015 Wisconsin Domestic Violence Homicide Report Released: “At least 58 people lost their lives because of domestic violence in Wisconsin in 2015. This is just one of the grim statistics included in the 2015 Wisconsin Domestic Violence Homicide Report, released by End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin on Monday...In addition to 48 domestic violence homicide deaths, nine domestic abuse perpetrators committed suicide and one individual was killed by law enforcement as he held a knife to the neck of his estranged wife. End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin has released the homicide report annually since 2000. The 2015 numbers are some of the highest on record. The organization indicates that a preliminary count of 2016 domestic violence homicides is also significantly elevated…
​Victims reflected the span of life, from 2 months old to 92 years old. The average age of victims was 37 years old. Perpetrators ranged in age from 14 to 66. The average age for perpetrators was 41 years old. In 2015, homicides were committed in 21 separate counties in Wisconsin. About 57% of the homicide incidents occurred in urban areas, and roughly 43% happened in rural communities. Consistent with the findings throughout this report’s history, firearms remain the most common means of perpetrating domestic violence homicides. In 2015, firearms were the weapons used in half of the domestic violence homicide incidents, excluding the one homicide by legal intervention"...Read the report here 

 

---

Domestic Violence

• Why Domestic Violence Is an Economic Issue: “In Pennsylvania, for example, there are two measures on the table: One, a move to remove all cancellation fees for abuse victims who have to abruptly leave their cell-phone contracts, and give them a new phone number if requested. Two, a move to allow women who are being abused to terminate their leases without penalty. Those seem like small things, maybe even trivial—but if your abuser still has access to your phone, he may be able to see whom you’re calling, or even use your GPS to find you, making stalking more possible. And you can’t ‘just leave’ if breaking your lease will damage your credit and make it impossible for you to rent your next home and begin to rebuild your life”…Read more
• How Domestic Violence In One Home Affects Every Child In A Class: “'Kids who witness domestic violence are more likely to get in trouble at school and have behavioral problems, including being aggressive and bullying their classmates. Welch says she understands why: School is 'where they can feel powerful because they are completely powerless at home.' She often works with those kids one-on-one or in small groups. She wants them to have at least one relationship where 'they feel listened to and they feel respected and they know someone cares. That can change everything for them'"…Read more

​

• Violence Against Women, The Wage Gap And Homelessness: “Between 22 percent and 57 percent of homeless women, depending on the jurisdiction, cite domestic violence and financial vulnerability as the reason they are homeless. One study found that 46 percent of homeless women said that having nowhere to go, and no way to support themselves and their children, meant they stayed in violent relationships. At least 50 percent of US states cite domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, in Massachusetts, for example, 92 percent of homeless women surveyed had been severely assaulted at some point in their lives: of those, 63 percent had been physically or sexually assaulted by an intimate partner”…Read more
• He Kidnapped, Beat And Tortured His Wife. Free On Bond, He Killed Her: “District Attorney Eugene Vittone, who called Tierne’s murder a possibly ‘preventable tragedy,’ told The Huffington Post that he has begun an investigation into what went wrong. ‘We are trying to get all the facts and see where the system may be improved,’ he said. ‘We probably need to take a look at how we address bail in these types of cases.’ While it’s impossible to predict every domestic violence case that turns lethal, experts believe that there are critical warning signs that can indicate when a case is especially dangerous and needs special monitoring”…Read more

 

---

Sexual Assault

• ​​​Netflix's Audrie & Daisy Tackles Sexual Assault – and Surviving Assault – in the Age of Social Media: “Even though the two lived across the country form each other, their assault cases had many similarities and occurred within eight months of each other. Coleman also tried to kill herself after her alleged assault, like Pott, but was unsuccessful…Shenk says the filmmakers hope they can ‘help provide a framework’ for conversation and education on sexual assault. To that end, he and Cohen have partnered with multiple organizations including the non-profit Futures Without Violence, which developed discussion guides for the film”…Read more
• Emma Watson Speaks Out About Campus Sexual Assault At U.N.: “‘A university should be a place of refuge that takes action against all forms of violence,’ Watson said. ‘That’s why, we believe, that students should leave university believing in, striving for, and expecting societies of true equality…in every sense and that universities have the power to be a vital catalyst for that change.’ Watch her remarks.”
• When Detectives Dismiss Rape Reports Before Investigating Them: “The Baltimore County Police Department is one of a number of law enforcement agencies nationwide with an alarming record of dismissing rape cases, according to a BuzzFeed News analysis of FBI statistics. These departments routinely mark an extraordinary percentage of rape allegations as false or baseless — ‘unfounded’”…Read more
• UNC Student Claims Cops ‘Laughed’ at Her Rape by Football Player: “‘Despite her cooperation [with police] and strong physical evidence, no action has been taken against the student who raped her,’”…Read more
• Sexual Assault Survivors Are Using #IHaveTheRightTo as a Way to Reclaim Their Power: “Chessy Prout is one of those survivors. Her story made national headlines last year when Labrie, her alleged rapist, was found not guilty of felony sexual assault. Now Prout is talking a stand for survivors everywhere. She partnered with PAVE, a nonprofit focused on sexual violence, for the #IHaveTheRightTo social media campaign. Here's how Prout explains it: #IHaveTheRightTo find my voice and to use it when I am ready. #IHaveTheRightTo be called a survivor, not an 'alleged victim' or 'accuser.' #IHaveTheRightTo spend time with someone and be safe. #IHaveTheRightTo say NO and be HEARD. #IHaveTheRight to not be shamed and bullied into silence. #IHaveTheRightTo not be isolated by the crime against me or by people who want to shame me. #IHaveTheRightTo name what happened to me because being sexually assaulted is never excusable or 'complicated.' There is no perfect victim. #IHaveTheRightTo be happy, sad, upset, angry, and inspired anytime during the process of my healing without being judged. But most importantly, #IHaveTheRightTo stand with you. Hundreds of people have rallied behind Prout by using the hashtag on Twitter. Here are just a few examples”…Read more

---

• 7 Ways Bartenders Can Prevent Sexual Harassment and Assault: “Alcohol does not cause rape, but it’s often involved, and if bar owners do not actively work to mitigate the role that we inadvertently play as purveyors, then we become part of the problem. To, instead, be part of the solution, there are practical steps that bartenders, owners and managers can take to help reduce the risk of sexual assault in your establishments”…Read more
• Federal Sexual Violence Stats Sow Confusion: “The problem: Federal sexual violence statistics are confusing. ‘Rape is rape’ makes a good protest sign, but it doesn’t begin to explain the ways the federal government classifies these violent acts. Four agencies manage 10 data collections that use 23 different terms to describe sexual violence, according to a Government Accountability Office report, which said the collections ‘rarely use the same terminology to describe sexual violence’…‘Whatever numbers we have,’ she said, ‘we know that sexual assault is a very serious problem across the country’”…Read more
• How Janitors Banded Together to Fight Rape on the Night Shift: “The legislation, which was inspired by our Rape on the Night Shift investigation, will create a registry of janitorial firms in California, which worker advocates say makes it easier to hold problematic companies accountable for violations ranging from wage theft to sexual assault. It will also require sexual harassment training for everyone who works at a janitorial company”…Read more
• We All Know A Brock Turner: “We picture rapists as strangers attacking women who walk alone at night. But that’s probably the least common scenario. Most of us don’t recognize rapists as manipulative boyfriends, drunk classmates at parties, or over-entitled guys who think they can coerce their way out of the ‘friend zone.’ We ignore them, make excuses for them, or even egg them on. That’s how Brock became ‘Brock Turner’”…Read more
• Martha Stewart Served More Jail Time than Stanford's Brock Turner: “Here’s a look at people who served or were sentenced longer jail time"…Read more
• Historic Bill Of Rights For Survivors Of Sexual Assault Is Heading To Obama’s Desk: “The legislation primarily deals with the treatment of rape kits, the two-to four-hour medical forensic exams survivors of sexual assault undergo to help gather evidence, including the DNA of the assailant. The bill specifies that survivors not be prevented from receiving the kit or charged for the procedure and that they be informed of the test results. Evidence gathered during the process must also be preserved for around 20 years. The bill also requires that the survivor be notified at least two months before their kit is scheduled to be destroyed and allows for them to ask for it to be preserved with a simple email”…Read more
• She Was Raped During Study Abroad. Then Her School Said She Couldn’t Talk About It.: “She filed two federal complaints against St. Scholastica this summer, alleging that the school had mishandled her sexual assault case ― something she says she might not have done if she’d been allowed to talk to other students about her experience. In the complaints, Franklin claims the school failed to inform her about her rights and available resources, didn’t help her communicate with Irish police, and took months to respond to her requests for assistance…Read more…Read related article: Michigan High School Suspended Student who Reported Sexual Assault

 

---

Children & Youth

• Seven-Year-Old’s Open Letter to Party City: Girls Need Career Halloween Costumes: “While shopping for her costume choice this year -- a cop -- Shaelyn noticed something. The boy cop costume came with pants, while the girl one was a dress. This prompted Shaelyn to write an open letter to the company, her mom said. ‘I think you need more simple costumes like a fire fighter and a police in pants for the girls,’ Shaelyn offers in the letter, which her mom posted to Facebok. ‘Maybe the career costumes should have a section by themselves, and not be labeled boy and girl’”…Read more
• US Teens Often Forced to Trade Sex Work for Food, Study Finds: “Their testimony paints a picture of teenagers – often overlooked by policymakers focused on children aged zero to five – missing meals, making sacrifices and going hungry, with worrying long-term consequences…In seven of the 10 communities, teenagers told stories of girls exchanging sexual favours with strangers or stripping for money in abandoned houses, at flea markets and on the street”…Read more

---

• Jacobs Memory and Hope Patty Wetterling, a Mother’s Legacy: “Her activism slowly grew out of the tragedy of her son Jacob’s abduction on October 22, 1989. The search for Jacob lasted nearly 27 years along with the families, and so many others, firm hope that Jacob was alive. That reality shifted when Jacobs remains were identified. On September, 6, 2016, Danny Heinrich plead guilty to a child pornography charge while also admitting, with horrifying detail, how he had kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered Jacob. He buried Jacob’s body in Paynesville, MN which is near the same small town where he had kidnapped and sexually assaulted another boy, Jared Scheierl. While not admitting to more crimes, there were other boys about the same age, about the same time, approached and assaulted in a similar way. How many of us in Patty Wetterling’ s place could have emerged from such agony to becoming a beacon of hope for so many families, the media, law enforcement, victim advocates and sex offender therapists and researchers?”…Read more…Read related articles: Op-Ed from Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers and On Being a Voice for Prevention: Thanks to Patty Wetterling…Want to remember and honor Jacob? Be part of the #11forJacob movement or join the #CreateJoy movement

 

---

Miscellaneous News

• Take The ACE Quiz — And Learn What It Does And Doesn't Mean: “An ACE score is a tally of different types of abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood. According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be and the higher your risk for later health problems…ACE scores don't tally the positive experiences in early life that can help build resilience and protect a child from the effects of trauma. Having a grandparent who loves you, a teacher who understands and believes in you, or a trusted friend you can confide in may mitigate the long-term effects of early trauma, psychologists say.…Read more and take the survey

---

• What Exactly is a Microaggression? Let These Examples from Hollywood Movies Explain: “A microaggression can be rooted in racism, sexism, or discrimination based on nationality or sexual orientation. It can be delivered casually or even unconsciously. And it can unleash effects that add up over time. So what exactly is a microaggression? Watch our video, and let Hollywood teach us the ways”…Watch video
• Twenty-two Years of Progress with the Violence Against Women Act: “We’ve provided more resources — rape crisis centers and forensic nurses and examiners are in nearly every major city in America, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline has been used by more than 4 million women and men. We’ve reauthorized VAWA three times over the years — expanding protections to Native American women, immigrants, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans, and victims in public housing”…Read more
• September was Suicide Prevention Month: Click here to view resources from the National Child Stress Traumatic Stress Network for educators, parents, youth, mental health professionals, law enforcement, and more.

 

---

Local News

• Michael S. Huebsch, 35, of Baraboo, charged with repeated sexual assault of a child and second degree sexual assault of a child…Read more
  
• Chad S. Brest, 35, of New Lisbon, faces strangulation and suffocation charges and a count of child abuse, among other charges…Read more
  
• Enos Bontrager, 48, of Friesland, is charged with four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 years old, two counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child, and one count of sexual assault of a child under 16…Read more
  
• Tyler A. Sauter, 31, of Necedah, is charged with stalking resulting in bodily harm, burglary of a dwelling, misdemeanor battery, criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct – domestic abuse…Read more
  
• Poverty in Juneau County: 47 percent of families have trouble making ends meet
  

 

---

Parents' & Youth Service Providers' Section

• New White House Guidance on Responding to Sexual Assault in K-12 Schools: “Today, the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault released a document titled, 'Considerations for School District Sexual Misconduct Policies'. The document provides guidance and encourages K-12 school districts to develop sexual misconduct policies with input from key stakeholders including rape crisis centers. The release of the document also serves as a reminder to K-12 school districts of their ongoing obligations under Title IX. Highlighted in the document are elements for school districts to consider when crafting sexual misconduct policies and these elements include prevention, education and training. Additionally, the Department of Education released the 'Safe Place to Learn' online resource package for administrative leadership and school staff that focuses specifically on prevention, intervention and response to peer-to-peer sexual harassment in schools”…Read more
• Stewards of Children® Prevention Toolkit App: "Darkness to Light, in partnership with The World Childhood Foundation and telecommunications leader Ericsson, is excited to launch the Stewards of Children® Prevention Toolkit mobile app. This tool is the first-of-its kind mobile application that contains videos, quizzes, and links to relevant resources for preventing child sexual abuse, including the link to the Stewards of Children® online training. The app also includes information on how to report and seek help after a disclosure of sexual abuse has been made... Download the app from iTunes or for Anroid."

---

• From Teasing to Torment: School Climate Revisited, A Survey of U.S. Secondary School Students and Teachers “provides an in-depth look at the current landscape of bias and peer victimization as reported by students and teachers from across the nation. In addition to examining various types of bias, including those based on race/ethnicity, religion, body size, and ability, this report provides a focused look at LGBTQ issues in secondary schools. Comparing findings to a similar survey we conducted in 2005, the report discusses the progress that has been made over the past ten years, as well as highlights the challenges that remain. It also offers recommendations and strategies to improve school climate for all students”…Read more
• Infographic about Sexual Minority Youth Data: Check out this new infographic from the CDC on how lesbian, gay, and bisexual teens are reporting experiencing more violence and what you can do about it.
• Kids Against Bullying Classroom Activity Book: "A new resource is the Kids Against Bullying Classroom Activity Book, which is available to download for free. This eight-page activity book features the characters of the Club Crew, a diverse group that’s featured on PACER’s Kids Against Bullying website. The book encourages students to navigate the website and provides activities to help students think about their feelings, explore responses to bullying situations, and take the pledge to be a Kid Against Bullying. It is available to print in full color or black and white. Download the activity book."

---