Thirsty Thursday Blog – Re-Engaging the Team
Many of the technical assistance questions I receive share a common theme about getting a team back on track. This has been especially true in the midst of COVID-19, which forced several teams to cease in-person meetings. In addition to…
5 Supportive Responses to a Sexual Violence Disclosure
Sexual violence is the fault of the perpetrator. When we blame the victim, perpetrators aren't held accountable for their action, and ultimately, perpetrators are more likely to continue their destructive behaviors and acts of sexual violence. Sexual violence is never…
The Fear of Not Knowing & The Resilience of Survivors and Communities
This entire year has hands down been one for the history books. From battling dueling pandemics to watching unprecedented political events, I can truly say 2020 has brought challenges I never thought I would face. Never have I experienced nightly…
OAESV Statement on Recent State Violence – December 2020
Content Warning: Police Violence, State Violence, Racism, Murder OAESV condemns the state violence that has been weaponized against Black people in Ohio communities and beyond. This violence is ongoing, unacceptable, relentless, and gut-wrenching, as we’ve seen in the past weeks…
Joint Statement – THE TIME IS NOW: Victim-Service Agencies in Ohio Need Government Officials to Step Up and Provide Funding
Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Ohio Crime Victims Justice Center, Ohio Domestic Violence Center, Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy Centers, and Ohio Victim Witness Association In an era of reduced taxes and efforts to slim down federal agencies, the…
Darkness to Light Spotlight: Supporting Hispanic Survivors
Darkness to Light This blog originally appeared on the blog of Darkness to Light, an amazing organization working to end child sexual abuse, as part of their Hispanic Heritage Month spotlight. Read the original post here. This week we sat…
6 Tips for Trauma-Informed Advocacy
When defining trauma, we often limit the definition to a catastrophic and explicitly physical, violent event. Through this definition, we inadvertently remove ourselves from the notion that we, too, may have experiences with trauma and that trauma is normalized in…
Profiting Off of Our Fear
I was scrolling mindlessly through Facebook a few weeks ago (as one does during a pandemic) and suddenly a post caught my eye. “BUY 1 SPORTS BRA, GET 3 MASKS FREE!!” Ok, weird combination. Of course, I went straight to…
It is a Box but It Is Also a Prison: Rethinking Conversations On Masculinity
In these times of civil unrest, we have heard global calls from communities on defunding and abolishing the police. I have myself been in many conversations examining the questions of: what would it look like to live in a community…