We are pleased to present the "2017 Sexual Violence Prevention Plan," an update to the "2009 Sexual Violence Prevention Plan, Synergies." The period surrounding the development of the 2009 plan was the culmination of a shift in statewide focus away from risk reduction efforts, and toward perpetration reduction. The 2017 plan builds upon that transition. It emphasizes community-driven decision-making and encourages efforts to track and evaluate…
¿Cómo organizas un grupo de apoyo psicoeducativo para sobrevivientes latin@s de abuso sexual y agresión que aborda sus necesidades únicas y reconoce los efectos de la violencia sexual en sus vidas? ¿Qué pasos prácticos necesita tomar para formar y facilitar estos grupos de apoyo?
Este seminario se centra en los pasos del facilitador y las habilidades necesarias para reclutar con éxito, mantener a los miembros comprometidos, estructurar el grupo para satisfacer las necesidades de sus…
This webinar will take an advanced look at a foundational skill in our work: communication. So much of advocates’ work with systems, survivors, and colleagues centers on effective communication. Advocates and managers are called to challenge the oppression woven into systems and do so while still maintaining a relationship to those systems. Sexual assault program staff are also responsible for challenging each other to grow in our understanding of oppression. Many of us come to the field…
Recognizing the need for an accessible, user-friendly manual that could help Community Sexual Assault Programs navigate the complexities of the Washington State accreditation process, we have developed this document over the years.
While WCSAP realizes that it is often useful to see samples of policies, procedures, or other documents, we are mindful that these examples can easily be misused. It is never good practice to simply copy and use sample documents, because they may not fit…
Sex and sexuality are important and integral parts of most young people’s lives, and survivors of sexual abuse and assault are no exception. In fact, survivors may find it more necessary to explore their sexual identity and more complex to navigate engaging in sexual activity. This may be due to real, projected, or feared impacts of sexual assault on aspects of sexuality, including sexual identity, sexual relationships, and sexual experiences. As advocates, it’s crucial we provide space for…
Recently, WCSAP worked with a facilitator on clarifying our organizational values. It occurred to us that, as an organization, we may have been working under similarly understood implicit values of a Movement but had not, in recent years, explicitly stated our organizational values. Like us, you too, may wish to enrich your agency by identifying, revisiting, and discussing values with your board and staff.
Organizational values…
In studies of adults who were sexually abused as children, two out of three said they never told anyone about the abuse during childhood (London, Bruck, Ceci & Shuman). Accordingly, we can expect survivors may not seek help until they are adults. As advocates, we should feel prepared to work with adult survivors who may no longer be in an immediate danger of assault and meet these survivors in varied places along the healing spectrum. Here are some considerations in your advocacy with…
This webinar will provide an overview for Executive Directors and management staff on how to empower and motivate your staff to be invested in your agency’s success along with building your overall organizational capacity and sustainability. The webinar will address how to conduct an organizational assessment of your personnel management needs and provide recommendations for supervision, staff orientation, staff development, succession planning, training, workplans, and performance…
Many sexual violence prevention efforts aim to change individual beliefs and attitudes that contribute to a culture where sexual violence is prevalent. While these strategies are an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to creating social change, a more comprehensive approach that addresses environmental and social factors that lead to these beliefs and attitudes is necessary in preventing sexual violence. Engaging in effective community level prevention is crucial in our efforts to…
For many survivors, coming forward and accessing resources also includes the pursuit of justice. However, personal feelings of justice do not always align with the traditional models of punishment-based responses that are seen as the only pathway to justice. In cases of child sexual abuse these models of justice can be even trickier to navigate due to the complicated contexts and relationships involved.
For these reasons, the framework of Transformative Justice can be helpful in…
