auROARa! - The Aurora Center

Transcription

auROARa!
Advocacy for Victims and Survivors
Primary Violence Prevention Education
St. Louis River - Jay Cooke State Park
Copyright 2004 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Photo Credit: Patrick O’Leary
In this issue...
Hot Button “State Budget Woes”...............
Greetings from Aurora.............................
Volunteers in the Spotlight.......................
Statistics..................................................
“Stop the Silence to End the Violence”
by Rebecca Waggoner-Kloek &
Emily Johnson of Outfront MN.................
The Aurora Center for Advocacy and Education
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Aurora Responds.....................................
Upcoming Events.....................................
How You Can Help: .................................
Community Agency Highlight : UCCS.......
Best & Worst............................................
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The Aurora Center for Advocacy & Education The Aurora Center for Advocacy and
of sexual assault, relationship violence,
primary prevention of gender violence.
with a chance to develop and practice
Education (TAC) offers help for victim/survivors
and stalking. TAC also gives presentations on
Volunteer opportunities at TAC provide students
leadership skills and gain hands-on experience.
Staff
auROARa!
Jamie Tiedemann, Director
(612) 626-9988
[email protected]
Editor
Jill Lipski Cain
Roberta Gibbons, Associate Director
(612) 626-9977
[email protected]
Amber Schneider, Legal Advocacy and Direct
Services Coordinator
(612) 626-6404
[email protected]
Jill Lipski Cain, Violence Prevention
Education Coordinator
(612) 626-9122
[email protected]
Jerie Smith, Volunteer Coordinator
(612) 626-3433
[email protected]
Interns
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The University of Minnesota
Office for Student Affairs
Becky Redetzke Field { Advocacy Program }
Andrea Wegner { Advocacy Program }
Jackie Heard { Advocacy Program }
Sarah Welsch { VPE Program }
[email protected]
Guest Writer
Rebecca Waggoner-Kloek
and Elissa Johnson
of Outfront MN
Contributors
Caroline Palmer of
MNCASA
Design & Layout
Jill Lipski Cain
opinions and research
in guest writing are of
the author(s) and not
officially sponsored by
The Aurora Center
Need to talk to someone?
Have you or someone close to you experienced
sexual assault, relationship violence, or stalking?
Our advocates will listen and provide options to help
you get through a difficult experience. Our free &
confidential services range from individual crisis
intervention, academic assistance, support groups,
to legal advocacy. For more information, call our 24hour help line at (612) 626-9111.
Presentation requests may be directed to
Jill Lipski Cain by phone or email.
Want to volunteer? Check out our website under
“get involved” and you access the volunteer
information packet.
The Aurora Center for Advocacy & Education 407 Boynton Health Service
410 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
24 Hour Help Line 612.626.9111
Business 612.626.2929
TTY 612.626.4279
Fax 612.626.9933
www.umn.edu/aurora
The Aurora Center for Advocacy & Education The University of Minnesota
State Budget Woes Create Obstacle for
Sexual Violence Policy Change This Year
Despite state
lawmaker support
for the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault
(MNCASA) legislative action agenda this year, big
budget deficits have made it difficult to advance
policy changes that provide protections for
victims and survivors of sexual violence and hold
perpetrators accountable. However, the outlook looks
promising for stable funding for victim services. And
there’s always next year!
Each winter the Minnesota State Legislator convenes
and the mood is usually optimistic. Everyone looks
forward to the opportunity to advance new laws that
will improve the lives of Minnesotans. This year,
however, the mood on February 12 was more wary
than hopeful. In just two weeks the state budget
forecast would come out, and it was widely expected
that the news would not be good. As we now know,
those fears turned out to be well-founded; the
Department of Finance announced a $935 million
shortfall for the 2008-09 biennium.
MNCASA was aware of the potential budget problems
going into the 2008 session and made its first priority
to protect crime victim services funding (which
includes support for sexual assault service programs)
distributed through the Office of Justice Programs
(OJP) at the Department of Public Safety. As of this
article’s publication, the Senate and House budget
bills differ over the funding level. The House version
spares the program entirely, preserving gains made
last year after 10 years of level funding. The Senate
recommends a $622,000 cut to OJP and if this version
prevails, presumably the cuts would be spread out
amongst OJP programs, not just victim services. A
conference committee has been convened to reconcile
the House and Senate budgets.
While we remain cautiously optimistic that funding
for sexual assault programs will survive the budget
fallout, we have experienced many policy-related
setbacks this session. The MNCASA action agenda
proposed changes to the sex conduct laws including
an expansion of the sexual contact definition to
include contact with semen or sperm (especially
relevant in light of the recent sexual assault trial
involving a University of Minnesota football player)
and an equalization of charges for actors and
accomplices when force or coercion is present in a
sexual assault. Representatives Dave Olin (DFL-Thief
River Falls) carried a bill with these two measures
and Joe Mullery (DFL-Minneapolis) authored another
providing a technical clarification in the statute of
limitations for reporting a sexual assault while a
minor.
The bills passed the House Public Safety Committee
and Mullery’s bill won unanimous approval on the
House floor. Olin’s bill, however, could not move
forward because of the minimal fiscal impact
(measured in prison beds) created by the proposed
changes and the Senate Judiciary Committee declined
to hear the companion bill authored by Senator
Mary Olson (DFL-Bemidji) for similar reasons as
well as a concern that a case addressing the statute
of limitations fix (which had no fiscal impact) was
pending review at the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Further, a bill correcting an omission affecting
repeat sex offenders in the Minnesota sentencing
guidelines brought by MNCASA and the Sentencing
Guidelines Commission could not advance, again
due to a minimal fiscal impact. These temporary
defeats demonstrate that a policy of “no new taxes”
governance has consequences; in this case, access
to justice for victims of sexual assault was blocked
because the state can’t afford the costs associated
with convicting offenders – including those who
repeatedly harm others.
On the bright side, MNCASA has initiated an
important and positive dialogue with several
auROARa! Spring 2008
continued on next page
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legislators about the need to devote resources to
sexual assault prevention (based on findings from
the Department of Health’s 2007 “Costs of Sexual
Violence” Report). In the coming year MNCASA hopes
to continue this conversation and potentially secure
funds for a statewide demonstration project.
What can you do to help?
Please be sure to contact Governor Tim Pawlenty as
soon as possible and let him know how important
stable sexual assault funding is to victims, survivors,
families and communities statewide. He can be
reached at 651.296.3391/800.657.3717 or tim.
[email protected].
Also, be sure to join MNCASA, the Minnesota Indian
Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition, the Minnesota
Network for Abuse in Later Life, and the Minnesota
Coalition for Battered Women on February 11, 2009 at
the Minnesota State Capitol for the Action Day to End
Violence Against Women. The day includes a rally and
an opportunity to meet with your state legislators.
Caroline Palmer is the staff attorney at Minnesota
Coalition Against Sexual Assault. For more
information about MNCASA, statewide sexual assault
programs, and the Sexual Violence Justice Institute
please visit www.mncasa.org
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greetings
Office News
What a busy spring! Check out the events section for Sexual Assault Awareness Month
activities and other happenings around campus and surrounding areas.
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hello from jamie
Dear Advocates, VPEs, staff, and colleagues: I
wanted to share with you the wonderful professional
development opportunity I had on my mini leave from
January 28 - March 21, 2008. For about 10 years I
have facilitated a sexual assault support group for
survivors each semester. I have learned over the
years that traditional “talk” principles in a support
group of sharing feelings of betrayal, fear, anger,
loss, sadness, violation, lack of feeling safe, etc.
are helpful discussion topics in recovery. However, I
have often felt that there also needed to be a focus
on helping survivors develop coping skills for the
long-term process of meeting life’s challenges,
relationship issues, etc... I have taken various classes
from the Center for Spirituality and Healing here at
the U. of Minn. so began to think about whether the
study of some traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
courses would be helpful for students victimized
and needing effective stress reduction skills. So, I
applied and was approved by Jerry Rinehart, my Vice
Provost for Student Affairs for a mini leave to study
Qigong and Reiki. Thank you Jerry!! It has given me
so many tools to integrate into my support group.
Breathing exercises that are practiced at a minimum
of two times a day are essential to reducing anxiety,
fear, stress responses, and managing life’s daily
challenges. I hope to be able to use the physical
exercises, visualizations, meditation strategies and
breathing approaches to enable my staff and clients
to minimize the impact that stress has on their health
and wellness. I would recommend these types of
trainings for everyone!
invite everyone to participate in as many educational
opportunities as you can. Our exceptional volunteers
and interns will be actively involved not only in the
planning but also in the carrying out of these events.
Thank you student advocates and interns for your
commitment and service to our Center.
Two new staff appointments have been made the
past couple of months. Jerie Smith (formally known
to many of you as a wonderful colleague from
Lutheran Campus Ministry) has been hired as our
new Volunteer Coordinator. She started in January
and has brought so many new and exciting ideas
for supporting our advocates and planning special
events. She is a shared appointment with Housing
and Residential Life and University Counseling and
Consulting Services. Amber Schneider is officially
hired as our Legal Advocacy and Direct Services
Coordinator. She served as a volunteer in our
program for a couple of years as an undergraduate
student and continued as an interim appointment for
several months prior to officially being hired in March,
2008. We are exceptionally pleased they have both
joined our team.
Hopefully Spring will soon be upon us, and we can
look forward to sunshine and flowers! It has been a
long winter. Thank you all for your supportive work
and collaborations with The Aurora Center. It is
sincerely appreciated.
April is upon us and again this year Aurora will be
having several events to commemorate Sexual Assault
Awareness Month. The events are scheduled in
another section of this newsletter and we cordially
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happy birthday to
our volunteers
Volunteer Rebecca Z. writes in the
“letters to the editor” section of
the MN Daily! Check it out:
*****************************
Sarah We. 4/19
Megan J. 4/27
Sarah Br. 5/21
Alex F. 5/22
Lisa K. 5/29
Claire P. 5/24
http://www.mndaily.com/
articles/2008/02/28/72165831
volunteer
spotlight
Alex F. : Violence Prevention Educator : Philosophy and Wellness Studies
I am a Gemini and I like long walks on the beach… Actually,
I’m from Plymouth, Minnesota,
prefer skiing to warm places,
really enjoy goat cheese, and find it difficult to write anything
meaningful about myself in 200 words or less.
I started
volunteering at The Aurora Center almost 2 years ago and enjoy
the community of people dedicated to changing culture on campus.
I am currently studying the book A Course in Miracles by the
Foundation for Inner Peace. My ultimate goal in life always seems
more transient than ultimate, but I think I’d like to help people view
themselves as powerful agents of change in the world and find ways
to collectively examine our moral obligations to each other… or
if that is too ambitious, I’d at least like to reach Enlightenment at
some point. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend the book
Grandmothers Counsel the World—it has a lot of good advice for us
as citizens of planet Earth. Also, I’m a big fan of Chai’s Thai over on
Riverside—if you are looking for good Thai food, I think that’s the spot.
Kelli W. : Crisis Advocate : Maj. Psychology/Min. in Family and Social Science
I began to volunteer for the Aurora Center in September 2007 as a Crisis Line Advocate and then also took on
the role of SAAM co-coordinator in December of 2007. I began to volunteer because, as a woman, I felt the
need to reach out to other women here at the University of Minnesota who may feel like they have no where to
turn. I remain passionate about volunteering because I plan to become a marriage and family therapist and I
want to continue to gain knowledge about working with those in crisis and learning how to deal with people
based on their specific situations.
So far, I have absolutely loved my time here at school and I have kept busy with involvement in the Aurora
Center, Y-Buddies, Y-Emersion and my sorority Alpha Chi Omega. Being involved with these organizations
has helped open my eyes to social justice issues and power struggles that happen not only abroad, but here
on campus. I hope to keep volunteering and learning more about my surroundings and the difference that I
can make!
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Kristi J. : Legal & Crisis Advocate : Psychology/Spanish and Sociology
I started volunteering at the Aurora Center in September of 2007 and have enjoyed it ever since. The experience
has been quite rewarding and educational. My motivation for volunteering was to assist individuals in need
and make a difference in society. As a proponent of women’s rights, I also was interested in confronting
the negative images and stereotypes that surround women when they are the ones being hurt or attacked.
The most important political cause for me right now would be women’s rights and their ability to choose
their own actions in regards to their own bodies. As a women myself, I feel that equality is quite important.
In 2006 I took a Spanish study abroad class in Mexico which was fascinating and eye-opening. Discovering
another culture and visiting historic sites was an amazing experience that I will never forget, especially
our scary encounter with a scorpion. In my spare time, I love to read historical documentaries, especially
about the Titanic, and mystery novels. Movie-wise, I do not have a specific genre that I like best, but my
favorite movie would be Ever After. My ultimate goal in life would be to have a positive effect on others
and attend grad school for counseling psychology while obtaining employment in that field as well.
fy 2008 total: 227
Aurora Center: statistics
july 1 07 - june 30 08
crisis line calls, walk-ins, & appointments
reason for contact
jan 08
feb 08
fy 2008
relationship violence.......................
acquaintance sexual assault...........
stranger sexual assault..................
harassment / stalking...................
child abuse / incest.......................
therapist exploitation....................
other.............................................
6
8
0
2
3
0
4
9
18
0
7
4
0
6
60
68
10
38
16
2
32
23
44
month total:
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Of ce for Student Affairs
guest writer
Stop the Silence to
End the Violence
GLBT community members are sexually assaulted approximately every
11 minutes (OutFront MN, 2007)
53% of self-identified GLBT community members have reportedly been
sexually assaulted (Duncan 1990)
Exposing the Barriers and Beginning the Recovery of
GLBT Survivors
By Elissa Johnson and Rebecca Waggoner-Kloek
of Outfront MN
There is no doubt that domestic violence and sexual
abuse exist within our culture. Our society is plagued
with unhealthy behaviors in relationships and riddled
with confusion about sex, rape, and the difference
between the two. Just consider how society tolerates
and allows sex symbols for adults to be the role
models for children. We live in a society that sometimes
shames abusers but simultaneously always finds a
way to blame the survivor. These cultural attitudes
have appalling consequences in that survivors do not
feel they can share their story of abuse, report crimes
of violence against them, reach out to loved ones or
professional services for support, or feel safe seeking
medical attention after an assault. Consider all this.
Then, imagine adding another barrier: identifying as
gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender in a homophobic
society. Survivors may find it difficult to take the first
steps in reporting abuse or telling friends or family
members of the crimes if they are not yet out and living
openly as a member of the GLBT community.
Survivors of abuse come from every income level,
ethnic background, gender, age and ability levels
who encounter barriers to safety, justice, and healing.
Like many groups of people hurt by oppression, those
who identify as GLBT face even larger obstacles when
coming forward about the abuse or assault. Here
we have outlined some very common barriers for the
GLBT community.
Traditional or Stereotypical Image of Victims
Society has created a very specific image of what a
survivor looks like. The common image portrayed on
*80% of transgender identified people have been assaulted; 50% are
sexual assaults (Arizona Gender Alliance 2000)
television that often tries to help viewers empathize
with is typically white, attractive, modestly dressed
and is either a student or a professional woman who
was suddenly attacked. This is very narrow and
makes it difficult for populations “outside the bounds”
of this stereotype to receive adequate support from
society. If all that society thinks of is what they see
on TV, this will have implications for the ability to
empathize or even believe GLBT survivors. It can
make their healing process much more difficult as a
result of ingrained stereotypes and the devastating
impact of being forced to “come out” when and if the
crimes are reported.
Such narrow representations also perpetuate the
idea that sexual assault never happens to men or
that women cannot rape other women. There is often
no mention of sexual assault within the context of
abusive same sex relationships which can lead to the
under-serving of GLBT survivors.
Within the framework of domestic violence, we often
have a vision that domestic violence can only be men
abusing women. In fact, abuse within a same-sex
relationship occurs at approximately the same rates
(1 out of every 3-4 relationships) as in heterosexual
relationships. And yet, the silence continues to be
deafening. We should not make assumptions about
what “real relationship violence” looks like because
abuse takes on many forms in both heterosexual and
GLBT relationships and the same concern should be
shown for any survivor.
Difficulty in Recognizing Abuse
Abuse within a relationship between two males or
two females can sometimes be hard to recognize
especially when these survivors do not fit the
continued on next page
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The Aurora Center for Advocacy & Education traditional picture of intimate partner violence.
Verbal and emotional abuse is often mistaken for
spats between friends. Physical violence is often
reported as general assault or a fight between
roommates instead of what this violence truly is.
Cries for help often go unanswered because people
are often unsure of how to deal with the situation.
Some think that GLBT relationships are somehow less
valid than heterosexual relationships; that the idea
that GLBT survivors are less deserving of legal and
medical resources; that the community is somehow
flawed as human beings.
Insensitivity / Incompetence of Service Providers
GLBT survivors often require the same or similar
physical, mental, spiritual and emotional recovery as
their heterosexual counterparts. However, one large
difference is that when reaching out for assistance,
the fear of re-victimization or somehow being blamed
for the assault often keeps GLBT survivors quiet This
silence prevents the support that is necessary to heal.
The GLBT population is also at risk of further
victimization from services put in place to protect
survivors. Even if domestic abuse or sexual assault is
recognized in a GLBT relationship, there are several
reasons a survivor may not choose to seek services.
Our society makes it difficult to talk about abuse,
even in a heterosexual relationship. Again, GLBT
survivors who are not yet out may be outed by the
system or face re-victimization by well-meaning but
uninformed service providers.
For example, language used by helping professionals
may not be inclusive of the relationship between
the survivor and the abuser. Examples include
questions or statements like, “I didn’t think lesbian
relationships were violent. Are you sure she’s really
being abusive?” or “which one is the ‘man’ in the
relationship?” Service providers may unknowingly
be offensive to people who identify as transgender.
They may ask about the person’s biological genital
representation or if the person had a sex change
surgery when these issues are not relevant to the
help the person is seeking. On a basic level, having
forms for the survivors to fill out that only allow
them to check “male” or “female” can exacerbate the
uncomfortable experience for them. This exclusivity
is found in the constraints of filing systems-based
reports (such as medical exams) and make a concise
police report nearly impossible.
The University of Minnesota
Myths & Hate
At Outfront MN, we constantly hear reports that
someone was sexually assaulted and society’s
attitude is “she just needed a good man to teach her
how to be a woman” or “he deserved it because he
came on to me.” Sexual violence is an excellent tool
of hate violence and degradation that strips survivors
of any personal power. Homophobia, combined with
other oppressions such as sexism, allows and can
increase the level of hatred that often leads someone
to commit sexual assault.
Encouragement for Survivors to Come Forward
•
If you identify as an ally, talk to your friends and
family, associates, and political officials in ways that
include all relationships. Using GLBT inclusive language
in a supportive manner in everyday interactions helps
to make life safer for people to come out rather than
feeling isolated. This will help eliminate a barrier for
survivors after an assault.
•
Regardless of sexual orientation, we need to
talk about rights of survivors and work to strengthen
those rights. Talking about this violence will let abusers
know their actions will not go unnoticed and it will
create a safe space for all survivors. We can talk to our
legislators to let them know we need and will support
laws that include rights of GLBT citizens.
•
In order to ensure GLBT survivors receive the
vital help any survivor needs, we must work to make
social changes INSTEAD of continuing to say “you are
not important and therefore you should not and cannot
have access to the tools for healing.” We NEED change
so all people have equal rights and access.
•
Listen to survivors when they talk to you about
the abuse. Do not blame them for the things that have
happened to them or tell them they should have seen it
coming. Work with them to figure out what they want
to do and help them reach the services they need. A
GLBT survivor of domestic or sexual abuse faces several
impediments to services and recovery.
At Outfront MN, Rebecca Waggoner-Kloek is the AntiViolence Program Manager and Elissa Johnson is the
Crisis Services Specialist
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a u r or a r e s p o n d s
It is with great pleasure to have Rebecca and Elissa
contribute to our newsletter on such an important
issue. Many thanks to their dedication and voices to
break the silence.
At The Aurora Center, it is our mission to eliminate
gender-based violence. Quite a big task. But it can
be done with addressing the factors that contribute
to gender inequality and the intersections of
sexism, heterosexism, racism, and the classism that
perpetuates sexual and relationship violence. By
challenging the narrow and unrealistic expectations
of what a relationship or gender “should” look like,
we can break down the barriers for survivors. For
as many people there are in this world are genders
and dimensions of identity. To honor this diversity
is to better understand the individuality of people we
serve.
I would also like to take this opportunity to say thank
you to our campus colleagues for their dedication to
equality for GLBT people as well as their commitment
to addressing gender violence. The GLBTA Programs
Office and the Queer Student Cultural Center have
significantly improved the lives of students, staff, and
faculty by creating a safe and welcoming environment
that not only accepts but celebrates who everyone is.
There are many times throughout the year for all
of us to celebrate, remember, or learn about GLBT
issues. Some of them include:
Pride Parade
Celebrating its 35rd year in 2007, GLBT Pride/Twin
Cities, the organizer of the Twin Cities Gay-LesbianBisexual-Transgender (GLBT) Pride Celebration, began
in 1972 with a small group of activists meeting for a
picnic in Minneapolis’ Loring Park and a short march
down Nicollet Mall. Over the intervening years, the
Twin Cities Pride Celebration has grown to be the
largest GLBT Pride in the region and 3rd largest in the
United States, with an estimated combined attendance
of nearly 400,000 people at six events.
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Since 1999, November is set aside to memorialize
those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred
or prejudice. It also raises public awareness about
hate crimes against transgender people and reminds
non-transgender people to step forward to end antitransgender violence.
Annual Rainbow Families Conference
Minneapolis: The largest event of its kind in the
country, with more than 1,200 adults and children
attending last year. It’s an exciting day for the whole
community: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
(LGBT) parents and their children, prospective
parents, extended family, friends, educators, and
those serving our community.
Additional GLBT Organizations in the
Twin Cities Area
PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays)
www.pflagtc.org
District 202 (for youth)
www.dist202.org
Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition
www.mntranshealth.org
Out for Equity (safe school environments)
www.outforequity.spps.org
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Training Spring/Summer 2008
May 27 - June 6
complete schedule & application:
www.umn.edu/aurora/events/training.html
professional skills
compassion
3 positions for students
leadership development
:
crisis line advocates answer our 24-hour help line to provide support
to victim/survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking
violence prevention educators vpes give presentations on
primary prevention of gender violence and develop leadership skills
legal advocates write restraining orders, attend court, and
facilitate the legal process for people hurt by violence
Contact Roberta Gibbons, Associate Director at The Aurora Center
[email protected] (612) 626-9977
events
Spring Pride Showcase/Resource Fair
Friday, April 11 :
McNamara Alumni Center on the East Bank of the U of M
Hosted by: Queer Student Cultural Center serving Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer, Questioning, and Allied students on the U of M campus
Women’s Environmental Institute at Amador Hill
Big Band Bash - White Bear Lake Big Band
Saturday, April 12 : White Bear Unitarian Church, 328 Maple Street, Mahtomedi.
In honor of Earth Day, put on your dancing shoes and swing into Spring. A portion of the proceeds from
this event will be donated to WEI for the environmental justice programming. $5 per person, kids under 5
free. http://www.w-e-i.org/
MINNESOTA CONFERENCE ON ADOLESCENT FEMALES:
“Connecting in a World of Disconnect”
Thursday, April 16 : University of MN Continuing Education and Conference Center, St. Paul, MN
Registration Fee (includes lunch): $90.00. A limited number of scholarships are available. Register at:
www.mngirls.org. Contact 651-295-8216 or [email protected]
CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS:
SNAPSHOTS OF A NEW MINNESOTA AND A NEW AMERICA
Friday, April 17 : 5:30 - 8:30 pm, Campus Club West Wing in Coffman Memorial Union.
FREE
Historically, Minnesota has been a relatively homogeneous state, but today’s changing populations are
affecting our educational systems, our economy, and our social and cultural institutions in significant
ways. Join four faculty members in discussing the challenges and disparities, benefits and opportunities
presented by Minnesota’s increasingly diverse population. Their work reveals a recurrent theme of
exclusion, adversity, and disparity for indigenous people, immigrants, and descendants of former slaves.
Registration required. Information at: http://www.academic.umn.edu/equity/changingdemog.html
Lobby Day for Fairness for GLBT Minnesotans
Twin Cities PFLAG and OutFront Minnesota’s justFair
Thursday, April 17 : All morning educational session. All day meetings with legislators. Rally for
Fairness at noon. Register at www.outfront.org or for more info (612) 825-1660.
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Economic Status of Women in the 21st Century:
Policy Issues Affecting Women
Friday, April 18 : 7:30am - 9:30am, FREE breakfast event, State Office Building
Hosted by; WomenVenture, and the Office on the Economic Status of Women
Register at www.checkerboard.com
Self Defense Training
Tuesday, April 22 : 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Waite Park, 1810 34th Ave NE Minneapolis
& Saturday, May 17th, 2008, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Audubon Park, 29th Ave and Buchanan St NE Mpls
Contact Rick Maas (612) 673-2797 to reserve a space because the space is limited.
Take Back The Night: MPIRG’s Rally & March
Thursday, April 24 : 6:00pm, Loring Park in Minneapolis
Keynote Speaker is Representative Karen Clark. Performances by Indigo, Jessica Lopez Lyman, and others.
March led by the Minnesota RollerGirls. http://www.mpirg.org/womensrights/TBTN/index.htm
Child Abuse Prevention Conference:
Igniting Change for Families
Wednesday, April 23 - 24 : St. Paul, MN. www.pcamn.org
Restoring the Sacred Trails of Our Grandmothers:
Communities Healing from Sexual Violence
Wednesday, April 23-25 : Morton, MN. Contact the Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual
Assault Coalition at (651) 646-4800 or www.miwsac.org
LAVENDER CELEBRATION & AWARDS CEREMONY
GLBTA Programs Office and The Queer Student Cultural Center
Thursday, May 1 : 4:00pm, McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak Street SE. FREE
www.glbta.umn.edu/awards/lavendercelebration or [email protected]
Lavender Celebration & Awards Ceremony (formerly known as Lavender Graduation) is an opportunity to
recognize and honor the cumulative accomplishments of GLBTA students and scholars over the past year at
the University of Minnesota. All graduating students are invited to participate and be celebrated, and those
who do will receive rainbow tassels and certificates to mark their achievements.
The GLBTA Studies Awards for Excellence, the GLBTA Student Scholarships, the GLBTA Student Leadership
Awards and the Breaking the Silence Awards will be presented at this event.
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How you can help
Making a “Women’s Issue” an “Everyone’s Issue”
The history of sexual violence awareness, advocacy, and prevention is rich with women’s strength and
ingenuity. Women have made great strides to address the trauma, from their hometowns to the international
community. They were the first to break the silence and raise their voices to confront sexual violence and its
contributing factors. This history and the fact that the majority of sexual violence victims are women make
sense why prevention and crisis work has been seen as a “women’s issue.” But the tide is changing.
The time is right for men to join in the efforts and
take leadership to make this “everyone’s issue.”
Here are some tips to encourage men to work to prevent sexual violence:
•
Approach the conversation with men from the perspective they could be potential allies, not potential
perpetrators. Most men don’t rape, in fact a full 90 - 94% of men do not. Just as peers have influence to
encourage violence, they have the power to encourage healthy attitudes.
•
Show men how they personally are affected by this issue. All men are affected when women have a real
fear of a man because of his potential to be a rapist. Because of the prevalence of violence against women
by men, many women have certain perceptions and judgments about men. These judgments will continue
to exist until men fully demonstrate a commitment to equality.
•
Educate men. 1 in 12 college men admitted on a survey to acting in a way that met the legal definition of
rape, yet 84% of those men did not view their actions as illegal. What kinds of cultural messages exist
where the idea of using force or coercion is considered normal or acceptable?
•
Personalize the issue. Many men care about and love the women in their lives. They can empathize with
the fact that 1 out of 5 college women experience rape or attempted rape and knowing their friend or
sister could be a victim can personalize the issue enough to get involved.
•
Get to know more resources. There are men involved in the field of sexual violence prevention like
Jackson Katz, Keith Edwards, Mike Domitrz. More men are getting involved because they recognize the
need to break down the cultural messages directed towards men that encourage violence against women.
However, there is more work to be done for men to make the major changes that will foster gender
equality. Until men get involved in making sexual violence an “everyone issue,” women will continue to
challenge the issue alone.
Lisak, David. “Repeated rape and multiple offending among undetected rapists,” in Violence and Victims, Feb 2002, v 17 p73.
Edwards, Keith and Headrick, Troy. “She Fears You: Teaching College Men to End Rape.”
The National Institute of Justice, 2001 (The Sexual Victimization of College Women, by Fisher et al).
14
Of ce for Student Affairs
community
agency highlight
University Counseling and Consulting Services
www.uccs.umn.edu
Two locations:
109 Eddy Hall 192 Pillsbury Drive S.E.
Minneapolis, MN
612-624-3323
199 Coffey Hall
1420 Eckles Avenue
Saint Paul, MN
612-624-3323
UCCS offers a wide array of services to students
and staff at the U of M. They offer services such
as individual counseling, grief support groups,
trainings and workshops on time management, and
study skills advice. These services are tailored to
younger students who may be far away from home
and need extra support in adjusting to the lifestyle
college brings or just need support while they grow
academically and individually.
UCCS is also a great opportunity for masters and
doctoral degree candidates in the field of clinical
psychology. UCCS is staffed by professionals with
backgrounds in counseling and clinical psychology.
Some of the services you should know about include:
Individual Counseling (also called Career, Personal,
and Academic counseling), group counseling
for women only, for women and men together,
or centered around people with psychological
disabilities, and people who are healing from the loss
of a loved one.
If you (or someone you know) need a supportive,
caring environment to get some things off your
mind, consider making an appointment at UCCS.
Their offices are open 8:00 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday. An important aspect of being an ally
in the fight to end sexual violence is keeping yourself
healthy and happy so you can provide support and
influence others.
One unique aspect of UCCS is they are a hub of
resources for different needs. For example, their
website provides phone numbers and locations for on
or nearby campus resources like Fairview counseling
services and other health related services with varying
degrees of urgency. Also, information is provided
about how to assist a student in distress or how to
approach students you think should seek help from
UCCS. These are helpful hints to be a good friend
or someone in an advising position in how to give
support to a student in need.
15
Best & Worst
WORST T-shirt & company of the Month: David & Goliath
What does it mean in our culture where a
company creates a shirt for women that
permits misinterpretation of consent and
allows for “humor” to invalidate the reality
of survivors?
And just for clarification, The U of M
policy on sexual assault states:
“Sexual assault is actual, attempted or
threatened sexual contact with another
person without that person’s consent.... If
physically incapacitated or impaired so that the victim/survivor
can not understand the fact, nature or extent of the sexual
situation, and the condition was or would be known to a
reasonable person, there is no consent. This includes conditions
due to alcohol or drug consumption, or being asleep or
unconscious.”
Complaints and comments:
http://www.davidandgoliathtees.com/index.php?mode=CC
via Feministing.com
Best Underwear Ad of the Month:
Hanes for Women: Wedgies - Serious Silliness
www.wedgiefree.com
Finding AuROARa’s “best ad” always proves to be much more of a challenge than identifying one of the
millions of “worst ads” out there. Typing “women friendly ads” or something similar into a browser results in
an interesting assortment of men seeking women dating ads – not quite what I have in mind when I set out on
this quarterly marketing adventure...
After some frustrating searching, I recently landed on a new ad campaign by Hanes. It features a new product
called “No Ride-Up Panties” featuring Scrubs star Sarah Chalke. I chose this ad campaign because it’s light
and humorous and, far from being Victoria’s Secret-inspired, the campaign reaches everyday women.
16
I advocate for equality because…
I believe that everyone has a right to be free from fear and
discrimination ~ I expect the same for myself ~ It’s the
foundation of true democracy ~ Our future (and present)
peace depends on it ~ It stands for mutual respect ~ In its
absence there is prejudice and intolerance ~ In/equality
can make all the difference physically,
emotionally or spiritually
Equality reminds us of our fundamental similarity - we are
all human beings ~ When equality is achieved, it is reflected
in our beliefs, actions, and policies ~ Many have had it
stolen, misrepresented or neglected ~ The lack thereof
creates disparities in health, education,
opportunity and well-being ~
Equality – racial, gender, social, economic –
is as essential as air
Why do you advocate for equality?
believe victims
who say they have been hurt
....and believe you can make a difference.
prevention is everybody’s business
men and women must work together to end violence.
Prevention begins with understanding gender violence and making
a commitment to make a difference in our everyday lives.
education is the key
to making clear the reality of sexual violence and how to end it.
The Aurora Center offers both peer and professional education and training for
students, faculty, staff and the community.
it is not your fault
if you have experienced sexual assault, abuse in your relationship, or
stalking, the responsibility lies with the person who chose to hurt you.
It is never the victim's fault.

auROARa! - The Aurora Center

Transcription

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