Unfinished Business: Few States Providing Robust Workplace Protections for Survivors of Violence

Posted by Kyle Coleman

Financial independence is critical for people experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. It can be especially challenging, or even impossible, for them to escape abuse if they lose their jobs and face heightened economic insecurity.

But a new guide released today by FUTURES WITHOUT VIOLENCE and Legal Momentum finds that few states have enacted the kind of employment laws that help people facing violence keep their jobs – and the laws that do exist are not always complied with or enforced. Changing that should be a high priority for state lawmakers when state legislative sessions begin early next year.  

Our new State Guide on Employment Rights for Survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking identifies workplace protections now on the books in four categories essential for survivors: anti-discrimination protections, reasonable accommodations in the workplace, leave/time off, and unemployment insurance. It looks at laws in all 50 states and several territories and finds that the only employment protection that is available in most states is unemployment insurance for survivors.  
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Supporting Survivor Health Access: Open Enrollment

Posted by kvandertuig

Date/Fecha: December 1, 2022/ 1 de Diciembre de 2022  10am PT/ 11am MT/ 12pm CT/ 1pm ET 

Watch the recording here.

View the transcript here.

Ver la grabación aquí (Comienza a las 6:38).

Open Enrollment is happening now through January 15, 2023! Did you know… 

  • Health insurance is available for survivors and their families through the marketplace (healthcare.gov) and that significant financial help is available for the purchase of coverage? 
  • Screening and brief counseling for domestic violence and behavioral health are covered benefits in all plans offered on the marketplace? 
  • There are special rules that may help married victims of domestic violence and their dependents to qualify for financial help when they apply for health insurance. 

View this webinar to hear key steps and strategies about signing up for health insurance and how to help clients enroll in healthcare and understand the domestic violence provisions in the Affordable Care Act. Learn more about supporting survivor access to health coverage here. 

¡La Inscripción Abierta está ocurriendo ahora hasta el 15 de Enero de 2023! Sabía que… 

  • El seguro de salud está disponible para los sobrevivientes y sus familias a través del  Mercado de Seguros Médicos (healthcare.gov) y que hay disponible una importante ayuda financiera para la compra de cobertura? 
  • La detección y el asesoramiento breve para la violencia doméstica y la salud mental están cubiertos en todos los planes que se ofrecen en El Mercado de Seguros Médicos? 
  • Existen normas especiales que pueden ayudar a las víctimas casadas que sufren violencia doméstica y a sus dependientes a que puedan ser elegibles a recibir ayuda financiera cuando soliciten un seguro médico. 
  • Vea este seminario en línea a fin de conocer los pasos y estrategias clave sobre la inscripción en el seguro médico y cómo ayudar a los clientes a inscribirse en el seguro de salud y entender las disposiciones de la violencia doméstica en la Ley de Asistencia Asequible.  

Access/Acceso: English Captioning, ASL Interpretation, and Spanish><English Interpretation will be provided. Interpretación ASL e interpretación en Español e Inglés. 

Speakers/ Oradores: Lena O’Rourke and Elena Josway 

What’s missing in coverage of the Pelosi attack? A focus on violence against women

Posted by Kyle Coleman

News reports on the brutal attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are rightly pointing to the incident as yet another consequence of the rising tide of hate-fueled political speech from the far right.

But these stories largely miss the big “M” in the room. Misogyny.

The attacker’s goal was to kidnap and assault Speaker Pelosi, to make an example of her in her role as a powerful woman. In this way, he was following up on the intentions of the January 6 insurrectionists, who specifically targeted Speaker Pelosi and defiled her office when they broke into the Capitol building.

At Futures Without Violence, we have long known that violence against women is linked to many other forms of violence. Mass shooters, primarily male, more often than not have histories of domestic violence. Both the Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League have lifted up “the woman problem” of far right extremism, whose membership is primarily white and male. And more recently, experts have been sounding alarm bells about how the January 6 storming of the Capitol was rooted in white supremacy and violence against women.

Is it any wonder that even as Americans are electing more and more female politicians, women in office are also increasingly under attack? Axios reported last year about the growing number of death and rape threats, by phone and online, against female elected officials, especially those who are recognizably Black, women of color, Muslim or Jewish.

What happened to Paul Pelosi is also personal to me. Speaker Pelosi has long been a champion of our work in California and nationally to prevent and respond to violence, in all forms.

I’m not surprised by this incident but I’m saddened nonetheless. My heart goes out to the Pelosis, who need all our support as they recover, as do all victims of violent crimes. Reports are that he will have a long recovery process and convalescence, and we are keeping him in our thoughts.

Despite this incident, I still believe that violence is not inevitable, and that there are actions we can take to prevent and confront this rising tide of hate.

What can be done?

Every institution – including the U.S. Congress – should do more to recognize and respond to threats and incidents of violence against women. We’ve come a long way since 1984, when a former Congressman called the first federal legislation to address domestic violence the “take the fun out of marriage” bill. But not nearly far enough.

Just look at some of the responses trying to minimize the Pelosi attack or deflect attention. Whenever there is a hate crime, there should be a unified voice of condemnation. We need to take out the politics and put humanity back at the center of our response.

We also need to do more to recognize how the links between racism, anti-Semitism, anti-trans violence, and violence against women are a threat to our communities and our nation.

For too long, those of us who work across these issues have worked in silos. But we are doing better.

At Futures Without Violence, for example, we just issued over $1 million in Community IMPACT awards from a federal contract to 11 organizations across the country working to respond to hate crimes in all forms. From Oakland, California to Colorado Springs to Martinsburg, West Virginia, these organizations are connecting with men, women, and young people where they are – in nail salons, workplaces, and in their homes – to prevent and respond to hate. And we are going to take what they’ve learned and share it out to be replicated elsewhere.

But you don’t need to work at an organization like ours to be part of the response.

Each one of us can reflect on what happened in the Pelosi home, and to women in many homes, or in the Tops grocery store in Buffalo, or the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.

We can decide that what happens to one community affects us all, even if the families directly targeted don’t look like us or worship like us or share our party affiliation.

And we can take one small step to reach out with compassion, and speak out against the hate targeting our neighbors.

Won’t you join me?

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Filed under: Blog

A Love Letter to Survivors

Posted by DJ Peay

A Love Letter to Survivors and Those Living with Violence or Abuse

To all survivors and anyone living with violence or abuse – you are more than worthy of love, of joy, of thriving. Whatever your experience is, please know that you are resilient. Because when we’re experiencing abuse, just getting to the next day takes resilience.

Let’s dismantle the notion that healing happens only after abuse ends. You can be in pain and healing all at the same time, because healing is not linear. Whatever you are experiencing now, you can find help from just one person you choose to let into your story.

Farah and her kids have a story as unique as yours. She found things like connecting with her aunt, setting up automatic payments, and having a morning routine with her children helpful – these are all examples of “protective factors,” and they can look different for everyone. Maybe someone from church sees you at the store and asks how you’re doing – even brief connections that don’t involve talking about our experiences of abuse can be meaningful for us and for our healing. There might be someone in your family or community who could help you and your kids have more time together, or help you identify ways you’ve grown or want to grow. When someone shows up in just one of these ways, whatever change happens might help make other things more possible, too.

This love letter is for you to know that what you do every day to survive and heal matters. It’s for you to know that hope and change are possible, even if bit by bit.

To learn more about the protective factors and what they might look like for adult and child survivors of domestic violence, visit: https://dvchildwelfare.org/resources/issue-brief-on-the-protective-factors-for-survivors-of-domestic-violence/.

 

Accessibility

This video is presented in English with closed captions in English. If you would like to request an interpretation, translation, or have other requirements to watch the video, please email us!

 

Questions?
Please e-mail DJ Peay at DJPeay@FuturesWithoutViolence.org

 

A Renewed Sense of Urgency this Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Posted by Kyle Coleman

Domestic Violence Awareness Month, observed each October, brings a renewed sense of urgency for those of us working to support women and all people affected by relationship abuse. 

This is especially true this year, as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

A new analysis by the Council for Criminal Justice reports that domestic violence increased more than 8% following the pandemic lock-downs of 2020, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline is receiving two to three times as many requests for help as before the pandemic. This “shadow pandemic” meant women were increasingly unsafe at home – and the many impacts of COVID on housing, jobs, transportation and child care meant it was harder than ever to leave.  (more…)

DVAM: Virtual Briefing on Intersection of Reproductive Health and Violence and Abuse

Posted by kvandertuig

Title:  National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse Virtual Briefing on Intersection of Reproductive Health and Violence and Abuse

Date: Monday, October 31st 2022

Time: 1oam PT, 11am MST, 12pm CT,  1pm ET (60 min)

Watch the recording

View the slides

National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse Policy Recommendations

Futures Without Violence Reproductive Health Resources and Provider Training Videos

Description:

Women with unintended pregnancies are two to four times more likely to experience physical violence than those whose pregnancies were planned, and those who experience abuse are at increased risk for pregnancy complications and poor birth outcomes. Research finds homicide is the leading cause of death among pregnant women – with Black women, Native American and Alaska Native women, and younger women bearing a disproportionate burden of those deaths. At the same time, domestic violence and sexual assault hotlines have seen a sharp rise in requests for help over the past two years – pointing to a need to further support victim services. During the pandemic, children and youth were half of the callers to the national sexual assault hotline. Youth are often estranged from reproductive health care in general, and the intersection of abuse and lack of reproductive health care can result in untreated STIs, unplanned pregnancies and miscarriages, and long-term physical and mental health impacts. The connection between violence and reproductive health has far reaching consequences for our communities.

Speakers:
• Jennifer Villavicencio, MD, MPP, FACOG, Lead for Equity Transformation, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
• Maeve Wallace, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology, Tulane University
• Virginia Duplessis, MSW, Director, National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence, Futures Without Violence
• Sandra Henriquez, MBA, CEO, VALOR
• Shanna Cox, MSPH, Associate Director, Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Moderated by:
• Lisa James, Futures Without Violence, National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse

Sponsored by: The National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse

Connecting Workforce Development and Violence Prevention

Posted by Kyle Coleman

A Q&A with the National Fund for Workforce Solutions and FUTURES

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. At the Workplace Resource Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, we know the toll economic abuse and workplace sabotage take on survivors and their workplaces. However, the intersection between domestic violence and workforce development is rarely discussed.

We sat down with Michelle Rafferty, chief program officer at the National Fund for Workforce Solutions (pictured left) and Sarah Gonzalez, associate director for workplace and economic justice at FUTURES WITHOUT VIOLENCE to discuss how domestic violence shows up at work and how workforce development can better support survivors.
 

Some advocates see a disconnect between the workforce development community and the gender-based violence prevention community. Does this disconnect exist?

Rafferty: I’ve held positions in both fields and have witnessed the disconnect first-hand. Workforce organizations may make cross-referrals for survivors who are searching for a job, but we could have a much greater impact on economic outcomes for survivors of gender-based violence if we developed strategies for systemic change.

It can be challenging to connect the dots across the complex systems of human service, policy, government and advocacy organizations at local, state and federal levels. We have so much to do with limited resources – and also have to work hard to stay on top of key issues and changes in our respective fields. It’s not surprising that this results in silos.

In addition, our country still underestimates how common gender-based violence is. As a result, workforce development groups don’t always have access to resources or training to screen for violence and intervene in helpful ways. And it’s incredibly challenging and sometimes unsafe for someone to disclose they are dealing with an abusive partner.

This all results in not enough survivors being connected with the support they need to build careers, while their partners often undermine or sabotage their economic independence.

Just imagine what we could do to close gender gaps in employment, income, and wealth if we created local systems that intentionally supported the physical, emotional and economic well-being of survivors.
 

This Q&A tackles the intersections of workforce development and gender-based violence. How do you define the term “gender-based violence”? Why is it important to define?

Gonzalez: Gender-based violence is a broad spectrum of abusive behavior and/or harassment directed toward a person based on their gender. It’s about power and control over another. It encompasses domestic, dating or intimate partner violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. The abuse spans physical, sexual, and psychological harm; threats and coercion; being denied one’s basic freedoms; and economic sabotage and control.

There are many terms used to describe this kind of violence, including domestic violence and intimate partner violence. On a technical level, these terms may have different definitions, especially within research. But we use the term “gender-based violence” to recognize that this type of violence impacts everyone: those who identify as heterosexual, LGBTQIA+, cis-gender women and men, or who are gender-non-conforming or transgender. While data show men are primarily the perpetrators, women, gender-non-conforming individuals, and transgender individuals can use gender-based violence as well.

Gender-based violence is too often narrowly viewed as physical violence or rape, and something that only impacts certain identities. But that’s not true. By recognizing what gender-based violence is at its core and what it can look like, workplaces and workforce development providers are better able to prevent it and support those who experience it.
 

How does gender-based violence affect survivors in the workplace? And why is understanding its impact on workers and the workplace important for employers?

Gonzalez: Aside from sexual harassment, gender-based violence is generally not seen as a workplace issue. But it is. Violence doesn’t stay home. There are people in your workplace right now who have or are currently experiencing gender-based violence and harassment.

At the most extreme, women are getting killed at work. One in three female workplace homicides were committed by a personal relation, most of whom were intimate partners.

Abusive actions not only affect those who are targeted, but everyone in the workplace. Abusive partners often make harassing phone calls, show up at work, keep survivors up all night, or assault them before work so they struggle to perform their job duties. This, of course, also affects co-workers who witness abuse.

It also affects workplace safety in other ways. In a survey, nearly 20 percent of perpetrators of violence against their intimate partners reported causing or almost causing a serious accident at work because they were distracted.

And it’s also taking an economic toll: seven out of 10 survivors say their abusive partners stopped them from working. The goal of employment sabotage is to limit the resources and opportunities survivors have to seek safety and independence. Unfortunately, all too often, survivors are also penalized by employers, making them more vulnerable to harm. About 60 percent of victims report losing their jobs because of the impacts of violence and abuse.
 

One of the core missions of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions is advancing equity and a human-centered workplace. How does advancing trauma-informed workplaces and supporting survivors advance this mission?

Rafferty: The National Fund aims to advance workforce equity by ensuring all workers have resources required to thrive in careers, all jobs are good jobs, and race does not dictate employment outcomes. We believe that job quality and equity cannot exist without the other. All workers need access to a job that is safe, offers sustainable pay and benefits, is secure and stable, and provides career pathways and opportunities for mobility. We outline these principles in our Job Design Framework.

Centering worker voice is key to creating quality jobs and equitable workplaces. Businesses that are able to retain a skilled and committed workforce and achieve their goals often prioritize the well-being and engagement of their staff. They recognize that workers bring their whole selves to the workplace, and sometimes that means they show up with the mental and physical impacts of toxic stress, abuse, or trauma. Ignoring this can cause harm to both the worker and the business.

You can learn about practices that employers can adopt to create more supportive workplaces in the National Fund’s guide, A Trauma Informed Approach to Workforce.
 

What are some best practices for a trauma-informed workplace?

Gonzalez: First, a trauma-informed workplace recognizes that its employees have lived experiences that may include trauma, whether related to gender-based violence, racism, a near-death experience, or other life events. Knowing that, employers should respond with supportive policies and practices that seek to create a space in which all workers can thrive and do their best work.

Trauma-informed environments center on six principles: safety; transparency and trust; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment, voice, and choice; and cultural, historical, and gender issues. Each of these principles reinforce one another to create a stronger and more trauma-informed workplace.

So what can this look like?

Employers can start staff meetings by checking in on how employees are doing, which centers their humanity and helps establish a psychologically safe environment. They can be clear about workplace policies and decision-making processes, share the rationale behind them, and implement them equitably and consistently. And they can foster connection and belonging through team building or meeting rituals to help increase feelings of safety, inclusion, respect.

These are just a few examples. There are so many actions both individuals and organizations can take. At the FUTURES National Resource Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, we offer a range of technical assistance and training resource to support employers in these efforts.
 

It sounds like the changes needed within the workforce development community go beyond the individual organization level, to create new norms around gender-based violence in the workplace. What does systems-level change look like and why is it critical?

Rafferty: Systems-level change can be driven by legislative or administrative policies, through sustained commitments and alignment between key community institutions and organizations, through new narratives and shared beliefs, and through other mechanisms.

To better support the economic outcomes of survivors, workforce development systems should dedicate more resources to understanding and responding to the impact of gender-based violence on workers. It should be something we try to solve, as much as lack of access to affordable, quality child care or safe, affordable transportation. And we need leaders to acknowledge and prioritize these issues, to begin to change the narrative that gender-based violence is uncommon or that a survivor can simply choose to not be abused.

These are a few basic preliminary suggestions. Developing a more comprehensive recommendation would require much more thought, analysis and partnership.

Let’s keep this conversation going! I’m looking forward to comments and ideas from our readers.

 
Michelle Rafferty
As chief program officer on the executive team at the National Fund, Rafferty articulates and implements the organization’s strategic vision and oversees its program portfolio. Rafferty has spent her career working to reduce unemployment and poverty while promoting racial, socio-economic equity.

Sarah Gonzalez
is associate director, workplace and economic justice at FUTURES WITHOUT VIOLENCE. She leads initiatives relating to economic justice and security, and safety and gender equity in the workplace, and works to improve access to quality employment opportunities for survivors of trafficking and gender-based violence.

PIVOT Towards Promising Futures

Posted by DJ Peay

PIVOT Towards Promising Futures

Introducing the new podcast for everyone invested in ending and preventing gender-based violence and deepening experiences of healing for children and their families.

PIVOT Towards Promising Futures is a podcast where leaders working to end violence against children and families share their insights on what is needed to pivot our efforts towards a bright and promising future. We invite you to join wide-ranging discussions examining our collective work over the decades and taking an honest look at where we fell short, particularly for families of color. We’ll explore what pivots can lead us to a future where we can help parents and caregivers get the resources and support they really need, and build more pathways toward healing and growth for ALL children and families who have experienced violence. Hosted by Wendy Mota and Surabhi Kukke, this podcast is presented by Promising Futures.

The PIVOT Towards Promising Futures logo states the title in purple over a lavender background.

 

Out now on most streaming platforms!

Spotify
Google Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music
Deezer
and more!

 

Accessibility

This series is presented in English with transcripts available. If you require other accommodations, please email us!

 

Questions?
Please e-mail us at thePIVOT@FuturesWithoutViolence.org.

 

Presented by Promising Futures

The development of this podcast was supported by Grant Number 90EV0532-01-00 and 90EV0524-01-00 from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Points of view shared in this series are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Building Healing Environments for Children and Youth Impacted by Violence

Posted by DJ Peay

Building Healing Environments for Children and Youth Impacted by Violence

This webinar presents five research-based protective factors that illustrate opportunities for prevention and early intervention with families impacted by co-occurring domestic violence and child maltreatment. In this webinar Dr. Tien Ung, and Mie Fukuda, will present new resources for the field, including an issue brief and practice tips on protective factors for survivors.

Learning Objectives:

  • Explain the science of resilience.
  • Describe five protective factors that reduce the negative impacts of domestic violence on adult and child survivors of domestic violence and promote their healthy development and well-being.
  • Strengthen systems of care to incorporate protective factors for survivors.

 

Access the webinar recording and resources

This webinar was held on September 21, 2022. Recordings are available here (English) and here (with American Sign Language interpretation).

Webinar slides

Protective Factors Alignment Tool

What’s on your radar? Protective Factors Template

 

About the presenters

Tien Ung, PhD, helps individuals and organizations translate and apply relevant research, build knowledge, and generate culturally authentic evidence to improve outcomes for families impacted by adversity and trauma. She is the Associate Director of Impact & Learning at Futures Without Violence, where she collaborates with colleagues and external partners to design practice, program, and policy solutions by integrating community wisdom, lived experience, and 21st century science. Tien draws from 25+ years of experience as a child protection expert, trauma therapist, social work educator, community-based researcher, and systems consultant. She has worked across sectors—including child welfare, criminal justice/family law, schools, rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, and child and family trauma clinics.

Mie Fukuda, MS, provides technical assistance to domestic violence programs and implements initiatives focused on supporting child and adult survivors of domestic violence. Mie was a children’s advocate at the Asian Women’s Shelter and holds a BA in Psychology from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Education in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

 

Accessibility

This webinar is presented in English with closed captions in English. Spanish and American Sign Language interpretations will be available soon. If you require other accommodations, please email us!

 

Questions?
Please e-mail DJ Peay at DJPeay@FuturesWithoutViolence.org

 

Presented by Promising Futures

This webinar was supported by Grant Number 90EV0532-01-00 and 90EV0524-01-00 from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Points of view shared in this event are those of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect the official positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Centering Equity in Multisector Collaborations

Posted by DJ Peay

Centering Equity in Multisector Collaborations

Are you doing equity work in your community or organization or want to get started? In this webinar, equity, leadership, and improvement consultant Kristene Cristobal shares a framework about how to center equity in collaboration and how to measure it through a set of values, capabilities and processes that underpin health equity efforts. The Framework for Equity in Multi-Sector Collaboration synthesizes the wisdom of thought leaders and people with lived experience and utilizes metrics such as leadership and organizational commitment to equity, diverse staff representing the communities their organizations serve, disaggregated data by race, and structures and processes to increase staff capabilities in equity. We hope that as a result of this webinar, viewers can add this framework to their toolbox for designing community-centered and equity driven work in their communities.

Viewers are invited to reflect on:

  • how to track equity in a meaningful way,
  • how to make equity work actionable across partnerships, and
  • how to center lived experience in equity strategies, implementation, and practice in a sustainable way.

 

Access the webinar recording

This webinar was held on August 23, 2022. The recording is available here (English and American Sign Language)

You can “Switch Playback View” at the bottom right hand side of the recording window.

 

About the presenter

Kristene Cristobal, MS, MA, founded Cristobal Consulting in 2013 to create lasting positive social impact, building on the strengths of individuals and communities, focused on racial and health justice. Kristene has over 20 years of experience in program and curriculum design, strategic planning, teaching and coaching teams in QI, program evaluation, and equity TA and consulting. She works at the intersections of equity, multi-sector collaboration, quality improvement, and the spread and sustainability of effective practices – partnering with community-based organizations, health care delivery systems, community health centers, health plans, academic institutions, government departments, and foundations to do so. Kristene earned her MS in Maternal and Child Health at the Harvard School of Public Health, her MA in Creative Writing from Victoria University of Wellington, and her BA in Neuroscience at Oberlin College.

 

About the facilitator

Tien Ung, PhD, helps individuals and organizations translate and apply relevant research, build knowledge, and generate culturally authentic evidence to improve outcomes for families impacted by adversity and trauma. She is the Associate Director of Impact & Learning at Futures Without Violence, where she collaborates with colleagues and external partners to design practice, program, and policy solutions by integrating community wisdom, lived experience, and 21st century science. Tien draws from 25+ years of experience as a child protection expert, trauma therapist, social work educator, community-based researcher, and systems consultant. She has worked across sectors—including child welfare, criminal justice/family law, schools, rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, and child and family trauma clinics.

 

Accessibility

This webinar is presented in English with American Sign Language interpretation available and closed captions in English. If you require other accommodations, please email us!

 

Questions?
Please e-mail DJ Peay at DJPeay@FuturesWithoutViolence.org

 

Presented by Promising Futures

This webinar was supported by Grant Number 90EV0532-01-00 and 90EV0524-01-00 from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Points of view shared in this event are those of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect the official positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Women Belong Inside, Outside, Everywhere, Free

Posted by Kyle Coleman

In the Persian language, there is a word for rooms in the home that are open to male visitors, beeroonee (بیرونی) or outside, and a word for rooms that are sacred and protected, andaroonee (اندرونی) or inside, the space for women.

Not exclusive to Iran, acts of violence and oppression against women have long been treated as a private matter, veiled behind closed doors. It wasn’t until 1993 that the UN considered domestic violence an international human rights issue. In the U.S., the Violence Against Women Act, which acknowledged domestic violence and sexual assault as crimes and designated resources for prevention and response, wasn’t passed until 1994.

Around the world, we have witnessed women breaking open the doors of silence about violence, lifting their voices to call for their safety and freedom – from nations recovering from conflict such as in Rwanda or in response to raising rates of femicide in places including Mexico.

And now, the people of Iran, led by women and girls, are taking to the streets in response to the recent death of 22-year old Iranian-Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini. Amini died in police custody on September 16, behind closed doors, three days after she was arrested and detained by the Morality Police for wearing the country’s mandatory hijab, or headscarf, improperly.

Her death has since sparked the demonstrations rapidly spreading in the streets of Iran that go beyond the call for women’s freedoms. As recounted in the lyrics of Shirvin Hajipour’s song “Baraye” – the protest’s new anthem – these demonstrations call for “dancing in the streets, for smiling faces, for students, for the future, for the polluted air, for the innocent dogs, for a girl who wishes she was a boy, for feeling of peace, for woman, life, freedom.”

In Iran and elsewhere, women are often the canaries in the mines when it comes to the erosion of freedom. In fact, women’s treatment is the greatest indicator of how peaceful and secure a society is. The groundbreaking work of Dr. Valerie Hudson shows “that the prevalence of violence against women and inequality in a country can be a predictor of its peace and security” and notes that “when a society normalizes violence and oppression between men and women—the two halves of humanity whether in households or communities—adverse effects will be felt.”1

In 2017, FUTURES released its report “Linking the Security of Women and Security of State: A Policymaker Blueprint” and offered priority policy and programmatic recommendations around the relationship between gender-based violence, violent extremism, and trauma, and approaches that improve resilience, support survivors and contribute to better security outcomes. This report informed the Women, Peace and Security Act of 2017 (WPS) which calls for women to have a stronger presence at negotiating tables, greater opportunities to prevent conflict, increased protections from violence, and better access to resources during post-conflict reconstruction.

Women in Iran have access to education, employment, and even the right to vote. Behind closed doors, however, laws govern the personal and private aspects of women’s lives, including their right to travel, inherit property, pass citizenship onto their children, and dress how they like.

Now women have become the symbol of freedom and are leading the protests — from removing their hijab and singing songs of freedom in their classrooms to cutting off their hair and marching in the streets of Iran in defiance of batons and bullets. Their voices are leading the movement, and speaking to the impact of women’s empowerment and the demand for equality.

The very fact that the chants for “women, life, and freedom” became the battle cry for Iranian demonstrators over the past few weeks is a realization that as long as the women in Iran are treated as second class citizens, and their personal and private decisions can be trampled on, all people’s hope for democracy, justice, and equality in the rule of law is futile.

As we have done in other countries, Futures Without Violence is listening to the women in Iran. We must follow their lead, lift up their voices, and support the effort to change Iran’s arc towards injustice and oppression to one of freedom — freedom of expression, freedom of movement, freedom of choice, freedom to exist.

Women belong inside – andaroonee (اندرونی), outside – beeroonee (بیرونی), everywhere, free.

 

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Filed under: Health

DC Update: Health Policy and Legislative Opportunities to Promote Violence Prevention and Response

Posted by Kyle Coleman

Title: DC Update: Health Policy and Legislative Opportunities to Promote Violence Prevention and Response

Date: Tuesday, January 18th, 2022

Time: 11:00 – 12:00pm Pacific/2:00 – 3:00pm Eastern

View the webinar recording.

Download the webinar slides.

New and at times substantial federal policy and legislative advances are providing enhanced opportunities to support violence prevention and response initiatives in health and public health settings. Significant funds from the American Rescue Package and other programs are starting to reach communities.

What new and important initiatives are arising out of DC? How can local and regional stakeholders, care providers, and other interested parties s help direct how funds are allocated? How might Build Back Better impact efforts to support the health and wellbeing of survivors and their families? How do policies and laws like the child tax credit and Violence Against Women Act promote violence prevention efforts by addressing the root causes of violence?

How can health providers become engaged in translating policy into practice? The National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse (NHCVA) 2022 “DC update” will inform participants about new initiatives that enhance response to and promote prevention of, violence and abuse.

The 2022 NHCVA DC Update webinar will:

1. Describe existing and planned federal legislative, policy, and regulatory initiatives related to violence and abuse
2. Share ideas about how to utilize available funding streams to promote creative, trauma-informed, and prevention-focused initiatives
3. Explore specific ways to access opportunities for funding and collaboration
4. Describe how to identify and pursue further opportunities for providing input and accessing funding in the field

Focused on finding solutions, the National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse (NHCVA) reaches more than 850,000 health and allied health professionals among its member organizations and professional disciplines it represents.

For additional information, please contact NHCVA Staff at health@futureswithoutviolence.org

This webinar is supported by the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence (HRC) and the National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse (NHCVA). The HRC is funded by a grant from the Family Violence Prevention & Services Program, Family & Youth Services Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Trauma, Grief and Loss Services for Adolescent Students in California

Posted by Anisa Ali

TGL Brief CoverTrauma, grief, and loss (TGL) services for Californian adolescents are needed now more than ever. It is crucial for students’ well-being, long-term health, and educational outcomes to have easily accessible TGL services at no cost to them. TGL services are especially critical for students of color and immigrant students, as well as other vulnerable student populations who are in need of mental health services.  This brief highlights the critical need for TGL services for Californian children and youth, especially adolescents.

This policy brief was developed in partnership with KIND Inc, RAMs, Futures Without Violence, Contra Costa County Alliance to End Abuse, through the Solis Policy Institute (formerly the Women’s Policy Institute).

Download the PDF now!

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Collaborating to Increase Access to Employment and Educational Opportunities for Survivors of Human Trafficking and Domestic and Sexual Violence

Posted by Anisa Ali

Title: Collaborating to Increase Access to Employment and Educational Opportunities for Survivors of Human Trafficking and Domestic and Sexual Violence

Date: January 27th, 2022 @11AM PST/ 2PM EST

View Recording (includes captions)

Captioning Script 

Access PowerPoint Slides

Resources List

Speaker Bios

Description: 

Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking (DV, SA, HT) need access to education and job training programs that are grounded in trauma-informed practices. This webinar will focus on recognizing barriers to employment and education for survivors and strategies for building strong cross-sector collaborations between advocacy service providers and workforce development programs. This presentation is designed for service providers, anti-human trafficking collaborations and/or task force members.

Learning Objectives:

As a result of this webinar, participants will be better able to:

  1. Recognize the intersection of DV, SA, HT and the impact on the physical and mental health of survivors.
  2. Describe the obstacles to education, training, and to seek and hold employment opportunities that result from abuse and trauma.
  3. Consider local workforce development agencies, educational institutions, job readiness training and apprenticeship programs, to potentially engage in collaboration.
  4. Identify key components to build successful partnerships that support education and job opportunities for survivors.
  5. Utilize tools and resources for collaboration.

Speakers:

Carolyne Ouya, Sr. Training & Technical Assistance, Futures Without Violence
Mónica Arenas, Program Manager, Futures Without Violence
Missy Blackwell, Job Training Program Manager, Safelight

Target Audience: 

Domestic violence/sexual assault program staff, legal service providers, human trafficking taskforce members, and others interested.

Questions?
Please e-mail: learning@futureswithoutviolence.org 

This project is supported by Grant No. 2015-TA-AX-K029, awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

Session 3: Promoting Workforce Wellness and Resilience (2021 ARP COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines and Mobile Health Units Supplemental Funding Technical Assistance)

Posted by Kyle Coleman

Title: Session 3: Promoting Workforce Wellness and Resilience (2021 ARP COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines and Mobile Health Units Supplemental Funding Technical Assistance)

Date: Tuesday, January 25th, 2022

Time: 11:00am Pacific/2:00pm Eastern

Watch the webinar recording.

Download the transcript.

Handout: Facilitating Attuned Interactions (FAN)

Spanish and American Sign Language interpretation & captioning will be provided.

Promoting staff wellness in the workplace during COVID-19 is critical, given high rates of stress, little or no access to child care, and increased financial insecurity. Staff wellness is especially important for health providers and advocates, as they are both frontline workers. During this session, participants will learn about workforce wellness and resilience strategies ARP funding can support that reduce staff turnover and contribute to COVID-19 mitigation that can be adapted for use in a diverse range of work settings and communities.

Due to technical difficulties, we are not able to provide the Spanish recording of this webinar. Please contact us at Health@FuturesWithoutViolence.org if you need Spanish services for this session.

Questions? Please email Health@FuturesWithoutViolence.org

>>> En Espanol <<<

Title: Tercera Sesión: Promoviendo en Bienestar y la Resiliencia Laboral

Date: Martes, 25 de enero del 2022

Time: 11am Hora del Pacifico / 2pm Hora del Este

Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Kpn3zIIWQ72PPlR7qufDTA

Se ofrecerá interpretación en español, subtítulos, y Lengua de Signos Americana

Promover el bienestar dentro del lugar de trabajo durante COVID-19 es crítico, dado los altos índices de estrés, el poco acceso o nada al cuidado de los niños, y la inseguridad financiera en aumento. El bienestar de los empleados es especialmente importante para proveedores de salud y personas que abogan por otros, ya que ellos están al frente. Durante esta sesión, los participantes aprenderán acerca del bienestar en el lugar de trabajo y las estrategias de resiliencia que los fondos del Plan de Rescate Estadounidense pueden apoyar, para reducir los reemplazos de personal y contribuir a la mitigación del COVID-19 que pueden ser adaptados para el uso dentro de un rango diverso de ambientes laborales y comunidades.

¿Preguntas?
Envía un email al Centro Nacional de Salud y Recursos para la Violencia Domestica al: Health@FuturesWithoutViolence.org

This webinar is supported by the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence (HRC), funded by a grant from the Family Violence Prevention & Services Program, Family & Youth Services Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

 

 

Session 2: Increasing Access to Support Services for Survivors (2021 ARP COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines and Mobile Health Units Supplemental Funding Technical Assistance)

Posted by Kyle Coleman

Title: Session 2: Increasing Access to Support Services for Survivors (2021 ARP COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines and Mobile Health Units Supplemental Funding Technical Assistance)

Date: Tuesday, January 11th, 2022

Time: 11:00am Pacific/2:00pm Eastern

Watch the webinar recording.

Download the transcript.

Due to technical difficulties, we are not able to provide the Spanish recording of this webinar. Please contact us at Health@FuturesWithoutViolence.org if you need Spanish services for this session.

Spanish and American Sign Language Interpretation, and captions, will be provided.

Systemic health inequities increased vulnerability to COVID-19 for many survivors. It is critical for any efforts to address COVID-19 to increase access to culturally relevant, trauma-informed care that considers the unique needs and experiences of marginalized communities.  This session will provide strategies for meeting survivors where they’re at—in their communities, in their unique healing journey, and in ways that reduce stigma, shame and blame. Speakers will include practitioners from a range of settings working with diverse communities, with a focus on long term partnerships and systems change to promote the health and wellbeing of survivors.

Questions? Please email Health@FuturesWithoutViolence.org

>>> En Espanol <<<

Title: Segunda Sesión: Aumentar el Acceso a Servicios de Apoyo para Sobrevivientes

Date: Martes, 11 de enero del 2022

Time: 11am Hora del Pacifico / 2pm Hora del Este

Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MAbcBsgaRNOsa9ukp7VDGg

Debido a dificultades técnicas, no podemos proporcionar la grabación en español de este seminario web. Póngase en contacto con nosotros en Health@FuturesWithoutViolence.org si necesita servicios en español para esta sesión.

Se ofrecerá interpretación en español, subtítulos, y Lengua de Signos Americana

Las inequidades sistemáticas de salud aumentaron la vulnerabilidad al COVID-19 para muchos sobrevivientes. Es critico para cualquier esfuerzo el abordar el tema del COVID-19 al mismo tiempo que aumentar el acceso al cuidado trauma-informado y culturalmente relevante que tome en consideración las necesidades únicas y las experiencias de las comunidades marginadas.  Esta sesión proveerá estrategias para encontrarse con sobrevivientes donde ellos estén – en sus comunidades, en su jornada unidad de sanación, y de manera en la que disminuyamos los estigmas, culpabilidad, y vergüenza. Como parte de los ponentes se incluirá a profesionales de un rango variado de ambientes de trabajo y comunidades diversas, con un enfoque en colaborativas a largo plazo y cambios de sistemas que promuevan la salud y bienestar de los sobrevivientes.

¿Preguntas?
Envía un email al Centro Nacional de Salud y Recursos para la Violencia Domestica al: Health@FuturesWithoutViolence.org

This webinar is supported by the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence (HRC), funded by a grant from the Family Violence Prevention & Services Program, Family & Youth Services Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

 

 

2021 ARP COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines and Mobile Health Units Supplemental Funding Technical Assistance, Session 1: Partnerships, Practices, Policies and Products to Support COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines and Mobile Health Units for Survivors

Posted by Kyle Coleman

Title: 2021 ARP COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines and Mobile Health Units Supplemental Funding Technical Assistance, Session 1: Partnerships, Practices, Policies and Products to Support COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines and Mobile Health Units for Survivors

Date: Tuesday, December 7th, 2021

Time: 11:00am Pacific/2:00pm Eastern

Watch the webinar recording, Part I and Part II

Download the Slides

Download the Transcript

HRC Technical Assistance and Training Resources

NCDVTMH Technical Assistance and Training Resources

Spanish and American Sign Language Interpretation, and captions, will be available.

The key to effectively implementing survivor-centered COVID-19 testing, vaccines and mobile health units is building partnerships between health and domestic violence programs. Health centers and domestic violence programs are natural partners given their shared mission to improve the health, wellness, and safety of their patients and clients. They are in a unique position to coordinate their care to meet survivors’ safety planning and health care needs, and to promote prevention. During this session, lessons learned and promising practices from previous initiatives addressing the intersection of domestic violence and health, mental health, and/or substance will be highlighted. Strategies for building partnerships will also be discussed. In addition, available training and technical assistance resources to support domestic violence survivors’ access to COVID-related health and behavioral health services, as will be reviewed. Considerations for policy and systems change to ensure sustainable improvements will also be discussed.

>>> En Espanol <<<

Title: Asistencia Técnica para Recipientes de los Fondos Suplementales del Plan de Rescate Estadounidense del 2021 Pruebas del COVID-19, Vacunas y Unidades Móviles de Salud, Primera Sesión: Prácticas, Pólizas, y Productos para Apoyar las Pruebas del COVID-19, Vacunas, y Unidades Móviles para Sobrevivientes

Date: Martes, 7 de diciembre del 2021

Time: 11am Hora del Pacifico / 2pm Hora del Este

Mira la grabación: Parte I, Part II

Descargar la presentación

Se ofrecerá interpretación en español, subtítulos, y Lengua de Signos Americana

La clave para implementar efectivamente y de manera centrada-en-los-sobrevivientes las pruebas del COVID-19, vacunas, y unidades de salud móviles es creando una colaboración entre los programas de salud y violencia doméstica. Los centros de salud y los programas de violencia doméstica crean un equipo natural, dada su misión compartida para mejorar la salud, bienestar, y seguridad de sus pacientes y clientes. Ambos se encuentran en una posición única para coordinar el cuidado y lograr responder a las necesidades de los sobrevivientes en planear para su seguridad y necesidades de salud, y promover la prevención. Durante esta sesión, los aprendizajes y las practicas prometedoras compartidas previamente en otras iniciativas, relacionadas a la intersección entre la violencia doméstica, la salud, salud mental, y/o uso de sustancias serán resaltadas. Se discutirán las estrategias para establecer equipos colaborativos. Adicionalmente, se repasará la información acerca de los entrenamientos disponibles y los recursos de asistencia técnica para apoyar a que los sobrevivientes de violencia domestica usen los servicios relacionados con el COVID, su salud, y servicios de salud mental. Abordaremos las consideraciones para cambios sistemáticos y políticos que ayuden a crear mejoras sostenibles.

Questions? Please email Health@FuturesWithoutViolence.org

This webinar is supported by the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence (HRC), funded by a grant from the Family Violence Prevention & Services Program, Family & Youth Services Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

 

 

Living Our Values: Supervision and Feedback for Survivor-Serving Organizations

Posted by marenas

Title:  Living Our Values:  Supervision and Feedback for Survivor-Serving Organizations

Two-part Webinar Series

Part 1: Supervision, December 9, 2021

Part 2:  Giving and Receiving Feedback, December 16, 2021

 

Webinar Description:

Supervisors within domestic and sexual violence organizations must provide supportive guidance to lead and manage projects. Effective supervisors are trauma-informed, strengths-based, and highly relational. This requires the ability to engage in generative feedback that maintains mutual accountability and trust, advances equity, and supports professional growth.

This two-part webinar series is interdependent and participation in both sessions is highly recommended.  Participants will have the opportunity to use supervision and feedback tools, engage in practical exercises, and apply strategies to use personally and within their organizations.

As a result of this webinar series, participants will be better able to:

  • Explore different types of supervision and feedback strategies in order to discern the best fit for your work, style, and relationship with your peers.
  • Examine personal reactions to giving and receiving feedback and practice skills to regulate your response and promote ongoing communication.
  • Utilize tools and resources to build trust in your supervisory relationships and mutual staff support.

Presenters and facilitators: 

  • Cathy Cave, Senior Training Consultant for the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health
  • Yasi Safinya-Davies, Consultant
  • Abby Larson,  Senior Training and Technical Assistance Specialist, Learning & Leadership, FUTURES
  • Mónica Arenas, Program Manager, FUTURES

Who should participate:  

Executive Directors, Program Directors/Managers/Coordinators, Supervisors, Team Leaders, and other staff in domestic and sexual violence and stalking organizations.

Questions? Please contact Monica Arenas at marenas@futureswithoutviolence.org.

This project is supported by Grant No. 2015-TA-AX-K047, awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

 

Building Collaborative Responses with Community Health Centers to Support Survivors at the Intersection of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Human Trafficking

Posted by marenas

Title: Building Collaborative Responses with Community Health Centers to Support Survivors at the Intersection of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Human Trafficking

Date: December 1, 2021

PowerPoint

Listen and view the recording

Closed Captioning Script

Handouts

Description: 
Healthcare providers are often an initial point of contact, or first line responder, for people who are sexually assaulted, in situations of domestic violence or trafficking.  Building collaborative responses with healthcare providers across disciplines helps promote health and well-being, in addition to responding to acute health needs of victims/survivors.

This webinar will discuss the health impact and needs of survivors, the role of health care providers and community health centers, as well as strategies to build collaborative partnerships. Participants will be able to utilize new tools and approaches for collaborations to expand partnerships with health care programs and to enhance safety and wellness for survivors.

Learning Objectives:
As a result of attending this webinar, participants will be better able to:
1. Recognize the health impact and health needs of survivors of domestic violence/sexual assault, who are also human trafficking survivors.
2. Consider the role that health care providers can play to prevent and respond to survivors.
3. Define what a community health center is and why partnering with them promotes health access.
4. Identify strategies and tools to build collaborative partnerships between advocacy programs and community health centers, in order to support the health, safety, and trauma-informed care for survivors.

Speakers:

Kimberly Chang, S.G. MD, MPH, Family Physician, Asian Health Services
Anna Marjavi, Director, Health Partners, on IPV+ Exploitation, Futures Without Violence

Target Audience: 
Staff who work in domestic violence, sexual assault or human trafficking programs including: Executive Directors, Program Directors/Managers/Coordinators, Advocates, Attorneys, and legal service providers who work in OVW-funded programs.  Additional audience members may include programs collaborating with DV/SA/HT advocates; or others providing services to survivors of DV/SA/HT.

Questions?
Please contact Mónica Arenas at: marenas@futureswithoutviolence.org 

This webinar is part of a project entitled Building Collaborative Responses Project, supported by the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

This project is supported by Grant No. 2015-TA-AX-K029, awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.. 

Why Domestic Violence Increased During COVID-19, and What Can Be Done About it

Posted by Kyle Coleman

Crossposted with permission from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies Blog

Content Warning: The interview below discusses the subject of domestic violence.

It’s been called a pandemic within the pandemic. Reports of domestic violence surged during the COVID-19 lockdowns and limits on social interaction outside the home. And the problem was already widespread; 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men in the U.S. say they have experienced violence by an intimate partner.

For more than 40 years, Futures Without Violence (FUTURES), a grantee in Schusterman Family Philanthropies’ Gender and Reproductive Equity portfolio, has worked to reduce the injuries and deaths from these often-hidden crimes. With offices in Boston, New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C., FUTURES works to educate thousands of young people nationwide, train tens of thousands of first responders and lobby for major reforms, including the landmark Violence Against Women Act. Since the rise of COVID-19, FUTURES has grown its domestic violence response programs and helped to influence key congressional legislation to provide much-needed aid to survivors.
(more…)

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HCADV Day 2021: Discussing the impact of COVID-19 and other public health emergencies on survivor health, community health, and looking towards new collaborative prevention efforts

Posted by Kyle Coleman

Title: HCADV Day 2021: Discussing the impact of COVID-19 and other public health emergencies on survivor health, community health, and looking towards new collaborative prevention efforts

Date: Wednesday, October 13th, 2021

Time: 10:00am Pacific/1:00pm Eastern – duration 1 hour

Registration for this event has closed.

Description:

Living through ongoing public health emergencies (e.g. wildfires, substance use and overdose, evictions and homelessness, Black maternal mortality, reproductive healthcare restrictions, etc.) makes it clear that not only is healthcare access more important than ever, but that the health of our communities as a whole matters more than ever.

FUTURES’ staff continue to train health center staff and DV advocates on our Universal Education Intervention, CUES, and have adapted the intervention to telehealth settings. HCADV Day presents an opportunity to expand the conversation from individual health outcomes to community health outcomes. Community health workers (CHWs) and others from community based organizations (CBOs) are integral to building and maintaining community protective factors, to help with community healing, and to support violence prevention efforts. With health center staff and DV advocates experiencing high rates of burnout throughout this time, there is opportunity form partnerships with other community health services and highlight additional methods to prevent violence and support whole and caring communities.

Facilitator: 

  • Virginia Duplessis, MSW, Futures Without Violence

Speakers

  • Gabriela Zapata-Alma, LCSW, CADC, National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health
  • Toni Schrader, House of Ruth
  • and speakers from Líderes Campesinas

Questions? Please contact, Graciela Olguin, Program Assistant at: golguin@futureswithoutviolence.org, and include ‘HCADV Day Webinar’ in your subject line.

This webinar is supported by the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence (HRC). The HRC is funded by a grant from the Family Violence Prevention & Services Program, Family & Youth Services Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Healing-Centered Approaches to Addressing Adolescent Relationship Abuse and Trafficking for School-Based Health Centers Learning Collaborative

Posted by Anisa Ali

Title: Healing-Centered Approaches to Addressing Adolescent Relationship Abuse and Trafficking for School-Based Health Centers Learning Collaborative

Dates: October 2021 – February 2022

Description: Health Partners on IPV + Exploitation is excited to announce that we are partnering with School-Based Health Alliance to offer a six-session learning collaborative for adolescent-serving school-based health centers (SBHCs) on Healing-Centered Approaches to Addressing Relationship Abuse and Trafficking! This learning collaborative is open to SBHCs sponsored by FQHCs and lookalikes who are interested in building their capacity to promote healthy relationships and prevent, assess for, and respond to adolescent relationship abuse and trafficking. The learning collaborative will meet on select Wednesdays between October and February.

Learning Objectives:

  • Take steps to create meaningful partnerships with local community based domestic violence programs for referrals and care coordination
  • Understand how to implement CUES: an evidence based prevention and response program for ARA and HT
  • Engage youth on site to conduct youth led programming to promote healthy relationships
  • Use quality improvement tools and strategies to create sustainable responses to ARA/HT

Please read the program description for more information. 

Fee: No Cost/Free

How to apply: Please complete the online application. Applications due September 28, 2021.

Questions? Please email ipvhealthpartners@futureswithoutviolence.org 

 

Virtual Hill Briefing – Maternal Mortality and Intimate Partner Violence

Posted by Kyle Coleman

Title: Virtual Hill Briefing: Maternal Mortality and Intimate Partner Violence

Date: Thursday, July 22nd, 2021

Time: 9:00am – 10:00am Pacific/12:00pm – 1:00pm Eastern

View the webinar recording, view U.S. Senator Patty Murray’s remarks, view Representative Gwen Moore’s remarks.

Printed remarks will be uploaded shortly. 

Complete this survey to endorse the Protect Moms from Domestic Violence Act and to provide additional supporting materials like, a letter of support (PDF upload) and/or a quote/statement in support of the Act.

This event is hosted by the National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse, American College of Obstetricians, March of Dimes, and Futures Without Violence in conjunction with U.S. Senator Patty Murray, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, and Representative Gwen Moore.

As Congress addresses the threats to Black maternal health, it is important to also discuss the impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on maternal mortality. The briefing will highlight the leading causes of pregnancy-associated deaths (homicide, suicide, and drug overdose) and the relationship with intimate partner violence and structural barriers to health equity. Join us to hear from leading health and advocacy experts to lift up these issues and share timely policy solutions.

Speakers

  • Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, National Birth Equity Collaborative
  • Dr. Zsakeba Henderson, March of Dimes
  • Gabriela Zapata-Alma, LCSW, CADC, National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health
  • Abigail Echo-Hawk, MA, Seattle Indian Health Board and Urban Indian Health Institute
  • Virginia Duplessis, MSW, Futures Without Violence
  • Tonya McFadden, MS, MSA, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Focused on finding solutions, the National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse (NHCVA) reaches more than 850,000 health and allied health professionals among its member organizations and professional disciplines it represents.

For additional information, please contact Sally Schaeffer, consultant, at sally@uncorkedadvocates.com,
or Lisa James, Director of Health at Futures Without Violence, at ljames@futureswithoutviolence.org.

This webinar is supported by the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence (HRC) and the National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse (NHCVA). The HRC is funded by a grant from the Family Violence Prevention & Services Program, Family & Youth Services Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

New Biden Administration Policy Helps Immigrant Survivors Access A Pathway to Safety

Posted by Claire Kao

FUTURES Senior Advisor Karen Herrling explains how the new policy dramatically improves the circumstances for immigrant survivors of gender-based violence with pending U visa applications.

On June 14th, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) announced that it would provide employment authorization and deferred action for U visa applicants[1] and their family members with pending, bona fide cases. This new policy dramatically improves the circumstances for immigrant survivors of gender-based violence with pending U visa applications. It allows them to work, be lawfully present, and aid law enforcement while waiting the full adjudication of their cases. Importantly, it also allows them to live a more normal life without fear from an abusive partner and immigration enforcement agents.
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Clinical Response and Prevention Strategies to Support Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Workers Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence and Human Trafficking

Posted by Anisa Ali

Title: Clinical Response and Prevention Strategies to Support Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Workers Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence and Human Trafficking

Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Watch the webinar recording.

Description: Intimate partner violence impacts all communities and segments of our society – but migrant and seasonal agricultural workers (MSAW) may encounter additional disparities and barriers to care that make prevention and supports more complex. Community health centers, in collaboration with community based domestic violence prevention programs can play an important role in addressing these barriers, promoting prevention, and providing a bridge to ongoing support as needed.

On this webinar, Migrant Clinicians Network in partnership with Futures Without Violence describe clinical response strategies to support migrant and seasonal farmworkers who have experienced intimate partner violence and human trafficking. The presenters  discuss the health impacts of domestic violence and human trafficking and what providers can do to address the intersecting and systemic challenges many farmworkers face when accessing care. Faculty explore strategies to develop meaningful and effective collaboration between community health centers and local domestic violence service providers to better address the needs of farmworker survivors. We  also explore the value of virtual care coordination for migrants, particularly in the era of COVID-19 restrictions. Faculty present specific and practical tools that providers can implement to promote prevention as well improve their community health center response.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to…

  • Describe strategies to improve delivery of and access to health care services for migrant and seasonal agricultural workers experiencing intimate partner violence and human trafficking.
  • Raise awareness of health issues impacting migrant and seasonable agricultural workers experiencing intimate partner violence and human trafficking.Promote meaningful, effective collaboration between domestic violence service providers and community health centers as a critical strategy to support migrant and seasonal agricultural worker survivors.
  • Participants will identify at least three practical tools that community health center staff can implement to address the needs of survivors and promote prevention of intimate partner violence and human trafficking in farmworker communities.

Questions?

Please email: ipvhealthpartners@futureswithoutviolence.org 

Supporting LGBTQIA+ Youth Who Have Experienced Trafficking

Posted by Anisa Ali

Title: Supporting LGBTQIA+ Youth Who Have Experienced Trafficking

Date: December 9, 2020

Download the webinar slides.

Description: In partnership with the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center, this webinar provides strategies for the identification of LGBTQIA+ youth at risk for trafficking. Participants will learn about the health impacts of this experience for LGBTQIA+ youth, and explore research-informed and promising practices for the implementation of trauma-sensitive policies and practices. 

Speakers:

  • Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD, FSAHM
  • Kate Vander Tuig, MPH
  • Lauren Kourabas, LICSW

Questions?

Please email: ipvhealthpartners@futureswithoutviolence.org