NYSCASA Honors Pride Month 2022

Every year in June, we honor Pride Month in solidarity with our LGBTQIA2S community members. Pride Month marks the anniversary of the June 28, 1969, uprising at the Stonewall Inn, when patrons and neighborhood residents resisted harassment and abuse during a police raid on the Greenwich Village gay bar.

The Stonewall Inn acted as a de facto community center for gay youth, drag queens, transgender people, butch lesbians, and sex workers who had taken refuge in New York City in defiance of familial and institutional rejection, many of whom were people of color and/or people experiencing homelessness and economic insecurity.

The uprising lasted from June 28 to July 3, 1969, a six-day period that has been described by historian Lillian Faderman as “the shot heard round the world…crucial because it sounded the rally for the movement.” The Stonewall Uprising called attention to police violence against the LGBT community, particularly LGBT people of color, and is now remembered as a catalyst for mainstream LGBT civil rights organizing.

Although the US has made considerable progress in the decades since Stonewall, people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, or Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2S) continue to face violence, harassment, and discrimination. LGBTQ-identified people experience domestic and sexual violence at rates that are equal to or higher than people who do not share these identities, particularly when they also experience marginalization due to race, ethnicity, immigration status, or disability status.

According to the 2015 US Transgender Survey, nearly half (47%) of respondents were sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime and one in ten (10%) were sexually assaulted in the past year. In addition to experiencing high rates of domestic and sexual violence, transgender and non-binary people are often the targets of anti-trans hate crimes and state violence, including police brutality.

This Pride Month—and every month—NYSCASA proudly supports our LGBTQIA2S community, and we will continue to fight alongside you.

“I am proudly Queer in sexual orientation, and Genderqueer in gender identity. NYSCASA will not stop celebrating the joyous Queer Liberation roots that make Pride Month so special. We will also not stop fighting for the human rights of Queer people, and therefore the human rights of all. Sexual violence is one of the many intersectional driving forces that led to early Queer Liberation Movement leaders like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera to say enough is enough. Though we shouldn’t have to fight for basic human respect and equity, here we are pushing back against hate and bigotry unreserved. Being Queer is beautiful. It also can be painful, and everything in-between. Again, we are simply human. Happy Pride.”—Max Micallef (they/he/she), Public Policy Director

“As a queer and non-binary survivor, I have experienced and witnessed the struggles that many LGBTQIA2S survivors face when seeking support after sexual violence, ranging from microaggressions to lack of awareness and competency from medical and victim service providers to discrimination and further harm. To all LGBTQIA2S survivors: please know that you are not alone. NYSCASA and others are here to support you along your healing journey. To allies: please join us in creating a safer and more equitable New York State for survivors across the spectrum of gender and sexuality.”—Chel Miller (they/them), Communications Director

Access resources for LGBTQIA2S survivors, victim advocates, and allies on our blog.

Member Spotlight: Safe Horizon’s #BeyondTheCall Campaign Celebrates Staff

NYSCASA member program Safe Horizon’s #BeyondTheCall campaign celebrates the staff who showed up for survivors throughout the pandemic and continue to go above and beyond the call of duty every day. Safe Horizon is creating videos to tell these incredible stories of resilience. Watch the video below, or click here to watch it on YouTube.

A Repeal of Roe v. Wade: Understanding the Potential Impacts

Over the past couple of weeks, our collective newsfeeds have been inundated with opinion pieces about the leaked Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) draft ruling to overturn the landmark Roe v Wade decision.

With access to safe, medical grade abortions under threat, the through line connecting many of these pieces is that the matter boils down to an issue of control over birthing people’s bodies and bodily autonomy. But to what end? What are the longer-term societal ramifications of denying women access to safe abortions? Let us begin by considering which women would be most adversely affected by the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade. The answer is almost categorically Black and Brown women.

Click here to learn more in the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s latest blog post.

What’s New on NYSCASA’s Blog?

• NYSCASA Responds to the White Supremacist Attack in Buffalo, NY
• In Case You Missed It: Virtual Panel Discussion on Comprehensive Sexuality Education in New York State
• NYSCASA’s 2021 Annual Report
• NYS college students and administrators: Help us improve availability of resources and information for victims of campus sexual assault!
• NYSCASA Condemns SCOTUS Majority Draft Opinion on Roe v. Wade, Urges Lawmakers to Protect Access to Abortion Care

For a complete list of upcoming events and training opportunities, visit our calendar at www.nyscasa.org/calendar.

Doin’ It for the Culture: Not Your Mama’s Sexual Education Session

June 2 at 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET

This is not your mama’s sexual education session. Instead, this gives historical context on how sexual education has become such a taboo topic and how we can discuss healthy, culturally relevant sexual education on sex, pleasure, and body autonomy. This session does not provide any form of medical sexual advice/information but will be an open discussion on how community members can move past the discomfort of taboo topics.

Guest speaker Nestic Morris is currently the Outreach Coordinator at the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA). She received her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Communication from UW-Whitewater and working on her Master’s at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. For the past 20 years, Nestic has worked in her community to address social change, racism, and oppression. She also has experience working in youth development and with women in the criminal justice system. As the founder of Beautiful Struggle LLC Consulting, Nestic is a skilled public speaker, group facilitator, and trainer. She believes that as a community, “we have to have uncomfortable conversations and put tangible actions behind those words; otherwise, we are just community talkers and not doers.”

Click here to register.

Contact: Josie McPherson, Senior Director of Systems Advocacy, jmcpherson@nyscasa.org

Spring Healing Series with NYSCASA and the Resource Sharing Project

June 7 and June 14 at 1:00 – 2:30 PM ET

Please join NYSCASA and the Resource Sharing Project for a series of interactive conversations about healing from child sexual abuse and how advocates and other survivor-supporting professionals can better serve adult survivors of child sexual abuse.

Guest speakers Cat Fribley and Leah Green from the Resource Sharing Project join us to facilitate these conversations.

Who should attend: NYSCASA Rape Crisis Program Members, NYSCASA Ally Organization and Individual Members, Advocates, Counselors, Allied Organizations, and Coalition Staff

Schedule:

• June 7: Healing in Adulthood
• June 14: Centering Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse in Our Services

Learn more and register: www.nyscasa.org/spring-healing

Contact: Articia Hill, Grants Compliance Director, ahill@nyscasa.org

NYSCASA’s Annual Meeting

June 22 at 12:00 – 2:00 PM ET

Please join the NYSCASA Board of Directors and staff for our upcoming annual membership meeting, to be held via Zoom on Wednesday, June 22, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET.

The program includes a presentation and performance by The Angel Band Project, who use the power of music to provide healing, raise awareness, and promote positive social change for survivors of sexual violence and intimate partner violence. Click here to learn more.

Preliminary Agenda

• Welcome/Introductions
• Discussion of voting results for NYSCASA Board of Directors and Bylaws**
• Update/Q&A from OVS on rape kit storage and tracking
• Update/Q&A from OPDV on plans for working with rape crisis programs
• Presentation and performance by The Angel Band Project
• Wrap-up

Who should attend? NYSCASA’s Annual Meeting is open to all NYSCASA members, including individual and student members, ally organization members, and rape crisis program members.

Registration is required. Click here to register.

**Note for rape crisis program members: Rape crisis program directors received a separate communication with instructions for voting on nominees for the NYSCASA Board of Directors. If you did not receive this correspondence, please contact Joanne Zannoni, Executive Director, via email: jzannoni@nyscasa.org

For a complete list of upcoming events and training opportunities, visit our calendar at www.nyscasa.org/calendar.

Featured Events

• June 1 at 2:00 PM ET: RAFT Monthly Support Call for Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Advocates – Presented by RAFT (Resilience for Advocates through Foundational Training). Join on your computer, mobile phone, or tablet: https://zoom.us/j/5858043499. Meeting ID: 585 804 3499 / Password: raftcares! Contact: info@raftcares.org
• June 7 at 11:00 AM ET: Eviction and Moratorium Update – Presented by NY Crime Victims Legal Help at the Empire Justice Center
• June 7 at 1:00 PM ET: Virtual Town Hall on Sexual Offence Evidence Kits: Transfer and Receipt of Forensic Evidence – Presented by the NYS Office of Victim Services
• June 14 at 1:00 PM ET: Virtual Town Hall on Sexual Offence Evidence Kits: Kit Release and Disposal – Presented by the NYS Office of Victim Services
• June 15 at 11:15 AM ET: 2022 National Self-Care Conference for Anti-Violence Advocates – Presented by Self-Care for Advocates
• June 15 at 3:00 PM ET: Anatomy of a Case, G.R. v. K.R.: Power, Control, and Abuse in an LGBTQ+ Relationship – Presented by NY Crime Victims Legal Help at the Empire Justice Center
• June 15-17: NYS OVS Victim Service Academy Trainings – Presented by the NYS Office of Victim Services and the Institute for Disaster Mental Health at SUNY New Paltz
• June 21-23: NYS OVS Victim Service Academy Trainings – Presented by the NYS Office of Victim Services and the Institute for Disaster Mental Health at SUNY New Paltz
• June 28-30: National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center Specialty Institute: Addressing the Spectrum of Housing for Victim/Survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, and Trafficking in Indigenous Communities – Presented by the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center
• June 29 at 2:00 PM ET: Considering a Facility Dog for Your Victim Service Program? – Presented by the Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC)
• July 19-21: Safety Net’s 10th Annual Virtual Technology Summit – Presented by Safety Net, a project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence
• September 15-16: 2022 SUNY SPECTRUM Conference: Access | Action | Achieve – Presented by the State University of New York (SUNY). Submit proposals by July 15.

Governor Hochul Signs Adult Survivors Act into Law

On May 24, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Adult Survivors Act (S66A/A648) into law. The law provides survivors of sexual violence, who were eighteen years or older at the time and are currently time-barred from pursuing civil action, a one-year window to pursue civil action against the person who committed a sexual offense against them or the entity that enabled violence.

Click here to read NYSCASA’s statement celebrating the passage and signing of the Adult Survivors Act.

Governor Hochul Signs Legislation Protecting Victims/Survivors of Domestic Violence from Discrimination

On May 13, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation protecting victims/survivors of domestic violence from discrimination. The legislation (S8417B/A9601B) expands protections for victims of domestic violence to areas of discrimination where they were not previously guaranteed, such as housing and public accommodations.

This bill will expand coverage under the Human Rights Law and improve access to the Division of Human Rights complaint process for victims of domestic violence by prohibiting discrimination against victims of domestic violence in every context covered by New York’s anti-discrimination law, including housing, education, and public accommodations.

Prior to this, victims of domestic violence were only covered as a protected class under the employment provisions of the Human Rights Law. However, employment is not the only context in which a victim might face discrimination, making this expansion to other areas such as housing and public accommodations necessary, and further instituting a survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive lens to New York State’s response to survivors.

Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act Resource Guide

Created by the Survivors Justice Project, the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act Resource Guide was written for people applying for either sentencing or resentencing under the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA) and offers additional information and support. Attorneys, judges, prosecutors, service providers/advocates, jail/prison staff and others can also use this guide to learn more about the DVSJA and working with survivors of domestic violence who have been arrested, prosecuted or sentenced.

Click here to access the guide.

Upcoming Training Opportunities from Prevent Child Abuse Vermont

Join Prevent Abuse Vermont for their upcoming Adult Responsibility Project Trainings:

• June 9: Understanding and Responding to the Sexual Behaviors of Adolescents ©
• June 13: Brain Development and Learning Consent During Childhood ©
• June 30: Nurturing Healthy Sexual Development ©  
• July 7: Nurturing, Valuing, and Protecting LGBTQIA+ Youth ©

If you’re interested in facilitating PCAVT prevention curricula, be sure to attend the following trainings for facilitators:

• June 14-16, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET: Training of Facilitators: Healthy Relationships Project ©
• July 12-14, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET: Training of Facilitators: Everything Everyone Needs to Know to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse ©
• July 26-28, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET: Training of Facilitators: Understanding and Responding to the Sexual Behaviors of Children © Cómo entender y responder a las conductas sexuales de los niños ©

Click here to register and purchase trainings. To request assistance or more information, please contact Marie Hambrick at mhambrick@pcavt.org.

WhatsOk.org Is Live!

Stop It Now! is excited to announce our new resources for teens and young adults, bringing prevention early and proactively to young people. The Stop It Now! program has traditionally identified adults as being responsible for child sexual abuse prevention. However, we know that addressing youth’s early sexual behaviors must be a part of our prevention landscape. Our new program, What’s Ok? has been created to provide the same reliable, compassionate and support guidance Stop It Now! models – to reduce isolation, misinformation and fear – so that adults or young people can take action and create safety for themselves and for others.

What’s Ok? is a free resource to support youth between the ages of 14 and 21 with questions about their sexual thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. Just like with StopItNow.org, WhatsOK.org offers a free, confidential helpline for youth to email, call, chat, or text to receive support and guidance about their concerns from the Stop It Now! Helpline team. What’s Ok? also offers online resources for youth looking for answers about safe sexual behaviors including Frequently Asked Questions series and a Blog section of real helpline questions and answers. Learn more and explore at WhatsOK.org!

For more resources, visit our website: https://nyscasa.org/get-info

Survivors at Syracuse University Turning Away from Title IX Reporting

Sexual assault is pervasive on college campuses: according to RAINN, 13% of college students in the U.S. have experienced sexual assault or violence in their career. Only a small number of survivors, however, go on to make a formal report. Know Your IX, a nonprofit that works to inform college-aged survivors, found that 12% of all survivors report to law enforcement and even less to their campus’ Title IX office. At Syracuse University, 19% of students have had non-consensual sexual contact, and 95% did not report it to the university, according to its 2020 Survey on Sexual and Relationship Violence.

“The reporting process is difficult, and often traumatic,” Xiushi Zhao, a sexual assault advocate for NYSCASA member program Vera House, said of Title IX. “Between interviews and paperwork and hearings, we’re talking about months of recounting really violating experiences.”

Click here to read the full article.

Bring It’s On Us Trainings to Your Campus This Fall

College students are calling for more comprehensive prevention education on campus. Students are dependent on their institutions for the quality of their prevention education and schools often turn to online modules that aren’t properly preparing students for issues related to sexual and domestic violence. Should have access to training sessions that are relevant to their experiences and meet their specific needs.

It’s On Us is offering colleges/universities the opportunity to host free trainings presented by their Assistant Director of Trainings, Adrianna Branin. Potential one-hour training sessions include:

• Sexual Assault Awareness 101
• Survivor Support 101
• Bystander Education 101
• Online Dating Safety
• Intimate Partner Violence Awareness
• Intimate Partner Violence Prevention
• WTF is a Healthy Relationship?
• How to Exit an Unhealthy Relationship Safely and Avoid Ongoing Manipulation

If you would like to host It’s On Us Training Sessions on your campus this fall, please fill out this request form.

SPACE: A New Toolkit from the Authors of Sexual Citizens

The authors of Sexual Citizens: A Landmark Study of Sex, Power and Assault on Campus have released a new toolkit geared toward equipping college campuses with innovative tools and guidance to transform physical and communal environments that contribute to sexual violence.

SPACE, which stands for Sexual Assault Prevention And Community Equity, builds off of the insights established in Sexual Citizens to provide a practical framework for prevention practitioners on college campuses to engage administration, stakeholders and students in developing a plan to advance campus equity by addressing residential and social spaces.

Click here to learn more and access the toolkit.

For more resources, visit our website: https://nyscasa.org/get-info

NYS Office of Mental Health Survey for People Who Use Mental Health Services: Complete by June 16, 2022

The New York State Office of Mental Health is seeking broad input about attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to mental health. More specifically, the following survey seeks to obtain this input from people who receive mental health services.

Survey responses are anonymous and only aggregate data will be shared. Findings will help depict the current state, of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors here in New York. Findings will also guide the creation of interventions to help promote affirming attitudes.

The Office of Mental Health recognizes that some individuals receiving services may have trouble accessing the survey, so we’re asking service providers, advocates, and other supporters to reach out to individuals and complete the survey with them. In doing so, please make sure that ONLY the information of the individual you are assisting is included in the responses.

The survey is expected to close on June 16, 2022.

Please use the survey link or QR code only when you are ready to take the survey as duplicate responses will be blocked. While responding to the survey, if you would like to look back at your previous responses, please click ‘Back’ found at the bottom of each page of the survey interface. Kindly do not use the ‘Back’ option of the browser for this function.

Please click ‘Submit’ to submit your responses after completing the survey.

Contact: Direct any questions to omhippi@omh.ny.gov.

MHANYS CarePath™ Coach Trainings for Community Organizations to Support Frontline Healthcare Workers and Their Families

The Mental Health Association in New York State (MHANYS) is excited to announce a pilot program offering MHANYS CarePath™ Coach Trainings to support healthcare workers and their families throughout New York State at no cost. Become certified in MHANYS CarePath Program at no cost and support the mental well-being and prevent and heal burnout among healthcare professionals including home health aides, geriatric caregivers, hospice staff, behavioral health staff, residential center staff, school nurses, school counselors, and other non-medical staff.

Click here to access the promotional flyer, and click here to learn more about the MHANYS CarePath™ Coach Trainings.

Contact: Deb Faust, MHANYS, Director of MHANYS CarePath™ & Mental Health

Community Partners, at dfaust@mhanys.org / 518-434-0439 x221

Resources from Building a National Movement to Prevent Trauma and Foster Resilience

This spring, the Campaign for Trauma-informed Policy and Practice, the National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives, and PACEs Connection collaboratively hosted a virtual workshop series called “Building a National Movement to Prevent Trauma and Foster Resilience.” The series brought experts from sectors across the country to accelerate the movement by providing stakeholders, advocates and practitioners with the tools necessary to encourage and assist systems in every community in integrating trauma-informed, resilience-focused, and healing-centered approaches and principles into their daily operations, thereby making America trauma-informed.

Recordings of the workshops are now available online. Click here and scroll down to access the recordings.

The organizers are also compiling resources shared into a resource guide, that is being updated on a weekly basis. Click here to access the resource guide.

Resources from RAFT

RAFT (Resilience for Advocates through Foundational Training) works to improve the level of care for sexual and domestic violence survivors by supporting advocates in building resilience to compassion fatigue and burnout. Learn more about RAFT at raftcares.org.

Recent resources shared by RAFT:

• 5 Secrets to Astounding Organizational Resilience (blog post)
• How to Remind Yourself of Your Value (blog post)
• Occupational Identity Management Part 1 (podcast)

For more resources, visit our website: https://nyscasa.org/get-info

Are you looking for job opportunities in sexual violence prevention and survivor support services?

Visit our website to learn about employment opportunities at NYSCASA member rape crisis programs and ally organizations.

Do you have job announcements that you would like NYSCASA to share on our communications channels? Please send job announcements to info@nyscasa.org with “Job Announcement” in the subject line.