October's Continuing Education

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in this month’s Continuing Education Event- Call + Response.

I was very excited at the number of friends who were brought to this month’s event.

Call + Response was made because a musician, Justin Dillan, became aware of human trafficking as an issue and wanted to do something about it. He wanted to do a concert benefit for the cause but was not able to get all of the musicians he wanted in one place at one time so they decided to film different acts at different times.

Some of the music that was in the movie was very moving. One of the songs was called War Child and was by a man, Emmanuel Jal, who was forced to fight in a militia group as a small child. The song was his story.

Emmanuel Jal's story is not only one of war and violence, but also one of reconciliation and peace. His music puts his experiences into words. As a child, in 1987, Jal was taken from his family in Sudan and trained to serve in the rebel army, Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). In almost five years, Jal fought in two civil wars as a child soldier. He was smuggled to Nairobi, Kenya, by a British aid worker, Emma McClune.

Once Justin started getting musicians to take part in his movie he also started talking to people who were experts on the issue. Their interviews also got added to the movie.

One of the people we heard from was Nicholas Kristof who is a reporter for the New York Times. Nicholas actually ended up buying two girls to try to get them out of slavery.

Kristof provides a key element to the film's interpretation of modern day slavery through his personal and professional experience. He has spent extensive time in Southeast Asia, investigating and reporting on modern sex slavery. In 2004 he took the provocative step of offering to buy the freedom of two young women in a Cambodian brothrel, Srey Neth and Srey Mom. He used his column in the New York Times to share his experience with readers and to help illuminate the plight of millions worldwide. His incisive stories continue to give a voice to the voiceless victims of human trafficking.

Again I am so glad that we were able to get together and watch this movie. I think that the hotline is a way for Human Trafficking Victims to feel safe reaching out for help as it is an anonymous. We may come in contact with these people in the hospital on F2F calls. Its important for us to be aware and mindful of the issue with the work we do.

10 Things You Need to Know about Ohio House Bill 319 - Address Confidentiality Program

from OAESV

1. What is an Address Confidentiality Program? - An Address Confidentiality Program is a program that will protect the personal address information of victims of violent crimes. Because some databases used by public agencies (such as voter registration records) are available for public review, a victim who is trying to participate in society without risking further abuse may not feel at ease while exercising their basic rights, signing up for public assistance, or interacting with any state agency.

2. Bill History: On December 8, 2009, State Representative Kathleen Chandler (D-68) introduced a bill to the Ohio House of Representatives calling for an Address Confidentiality Program to be implemented in Ohio. As of April 14, 2010, House Bill 391 has passed through the Ohio House unanimously and moved into the Senate. The Senate's State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee did not schedule a hearing for House Bill 391 before taking their summer recess. A hearing is expected to be scheduled when the Ohio Legislature reconvenes in the next few weeks. As a result, action to help pass HB 391 is needed today.

3. What steps can I take to help ensure passage of House Bill 391? - By contacting your State Senator, you can show your support of this program and encourage its swift passage in to law. Please use the Ohio Senator locator tool to determine who your State Senator is and how to contact them. Read the information below to formulate your argument for the importance of passing H.B. 391. Reach out to your constituents, members of your board of directors, membership, those you serve - and let them know that without increased pressure on our State Senators, H.B. 391 may not have a final hearing. Please remember, however, that all communication to the senators should remain positive.

4. How will an Address Confidentiality Program help to protect victims of violent crimes? - An Address Confidentiality Program is designed to prevent offenders from using state and local government records to locate their victims by substituting an ACP participant's true address with an address designated by the Secretary of State. By using an alternate address, a P.O. Box rather than a physical address, a victim may be able to more fully protect themselves from their abusers.

5. How does someone participate in an Address Confidentiality Program? - Under the current draft of this legislation, a participant will complete an application and send it to the Secretary of State's office. They could also apply through an Application Assistant as part of a "Safety Plan," or directly at the Secretary of State's office.

6. What steps will be in place to protect a participant's personal information? - Victims who reasonably fear for their safety may enroll in an Address Confidentiality Program, which will shield their true home, work, or school address from the public. The Secretary of State's office will maintain a post office box address which program participants will use as a substitute for this information. Governmental entities will be prohibited from making a participant's true address part of public record, and will be required to accept the substitute address in place of a participant's true address. Law enforcement personnel will be able to access an ACP participant's information through secure channels in the event of an emergency, as established via a Memorandum of Understanding between the Secretary of State's office and the office of the Ohio Attorney General.

7. How will victims find information regarding an Address Confidentiality Program? - The program will utilize coordination of information-sharing amongst service providers serving victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The Secretary of State's office will work collaboratively to ensure that statewide, regional, and county officials assisting victims have information about the newly-developed program. This will be accomplished through the use of partnerships with various non-profit organizations, public service announcements, and targeted media outreach efforts.

8. 37 other states have an Address Confidentiality Program. Why doesn't Ohio? - Although previous attempts to pass this type of legislation have stalled here in Ohio, now is the time for this well-positioned and well-timed legislation to move forward, to help protect victims in Ohio.

9. Please remember, your help is needed to pass HB 391 and action is needed NOW. The Ohio Senate must hear from members of the community that serve victims to understand the importance of extending this crucial type of protection to those that have lived in fear long enough. Contact your state senators and educate them about how this bill will impact the lives of survivors that you know in Ohio.

10. For more information or to find out how to assist with House Bill 391 and the Address Confidentiality Program which would result from its passing, please contact Dean Hindenlang at: Dean M. Hindenlang Strategic Planning & Projects Coordinator Voting Rights Institute Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner 180 East Broad Street, 15th Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 dhindenl@sos.state.oh.us (614) 995-1619 - Phone *A special thank you to OAESV Board Vice President, Dean M. Hindenlang, and the Voting Rights Institute at the Ohio Secretary of State for their assistance in providing OAESV with information about HB 391.

Imperial Avenue Ignites Change

Dear Friends,

Last year at this time, our community was shocked by the discovery of 11 women found murdered in the Imperial Avenue home of a convicted rapist in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood. As we approach the anniversary of this tragedy, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center honors these women - women who were mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, and friends to so many.

We offer the community this progress report, highlighting the community's response over the last 12 months and our collective opportunity to turn tragedy into change. The Imperial Avenue crisis caused us to ask critical questions and taught us difficult, but important lessons:
Rape is underreported and misunderstood.

Women who come forward to say they were raped must be believed and supported.

There are thousands of rape survivors living in silence, as indicated by the double-digit growth in each of CRCC's programs last year.

Vulnerable populations such as those who are poor, drug-addicted and/or homeless are at extreme risk of sexual assault and murder.

Tragedy can galvanize a community and create opportunity for change. Read more lessons.

The Imperial Avenue case caused many in the community to demand change. We applaud Mayor Frank G. Jackson and the City of Cleveland Division of Police, The Plain Dealer, Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray and even the United States Senate for making sure these deaths were not in vain, but a catalyst to improve our community's response to sexual violence.

Cleveland Rape Crisis Center has been and will remain on the front lines, advocating for the rights of rape survivors and pushing for change. Read more about our response.

Our involvement with the Mayor's Special Commission on Missing Persons and Sex Crimes Investigations, and now the Oversight Committee, elevates the response for victims of sexual assault. As an advocacy organization, it is CRCC's role to update the public on the implementation of the recommendations. Overall, we believe strong progress has been made to enhance sex crimes investigations seven months later. Here is a snapshot of that progress. Read full report.

The word "crisis" written in Chinese is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other opportunity. While we continue to mourn the loss of 11 women from our city, we join others in seeking opportunity to make sure this never happens to our sisters again.

Sincerely,

Megan O'Bryan
President & CEO

Lara Stone's Calvin Klein Jeans ad banned in Australia for being 'suggestive of violence and rape'

from the Daily Mail

A risqué Calvin Klein Jeans campaign, starring Lara Stone, has been banned in Australia after the country's Advertising Standards Bureau decided that it was 'suggestive of violence and rape'.

Controversial: A new Calvin Klein Jeans ad campaign, starring David Walliams' supermodel wife Lara Stone, has been banned in Australia for being 'suggestive of violence and rape'

The advertisement sparked a storm of complaints from sexual assault workers and women's groups after it was posted on billboards across the country. It shows her head is rested on the lap of one, while she is straddled by another.

A spokesman from the Advertising Standards Bureau said that the image was demeaning to both men and women.

'The Board considered that whilst the act depicted could be consensual, the overall impact and most likely impression is that the scene is suggestive of violence and rape,' he said.

'The Board considered that the image was demeaning to women by suggesting that she is a plaything of these men.

'It also demeans men by implying sexualised violence against women.'

Clinical psychologist Alison Grundy, who works with victims of sexual assault, said that the use of sexual violence as a marketing tool was 'a dangerous new low'.

'If we continue to subject future generations of young men to great barrages of aggressive, misogynist, over-sexualised and violent imagery in pornography, movies, computer games and advertising, we will continue to see the rates of sexual violence against women and children that continue unabated today,' she said.

The ad is available to be seen here. Please be forewarned it's highly suggestive and laced with overtones of violence (thus the outcry).

10 Links About Bullying

from the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence

Given the increased attention that bullying has been getting in the media lately as a result of tragic incidents that have occurred in Ohio and nationwide, it is an important time to address the intersections of bullying and sexual violence. The following links provide statewide and national resources, editorials and research about bullying, the intersections of bullying and sexual violence and information about what concerned community members can do to prevent bullying.

1. An editorial by the Dayton Daily News stresses the need for anti-bullying policies in Ohio's schools. "Suicides make anti-bullying policies essential."

2. This RH Reality Check editorial discusses a case study of how bullying is linked to sexual violence in schools. "From Bullying to Sexual Violence: When School Officials Fail to Act."

3. This Ohio Department of Education - Bullying Prevention Resources link provides Ohio specific information and has links to a model Anti-Harassment, Anti-Intimidation, and Anti-Bullying Policy for schools, training and presentation resources, and fact sheets for parents and kids. http://tinyurl.com/27kbhyf

4. On October 27, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. E.T., the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Working Group is hosting an upcoming webcast, entitled "Keeping the Momentum Going: A Webcast Follow-up to the Federal Bullying-Prevention Summit." The webcast will bring together organizational, federal, and academic leaders in addition to teachers, principals, school resource officers, students, and parents to continue the national conversation on bullying prevention. Register online at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register827891504.

5. An important and moving message from Ellen DeGeneres about bullying particularly as it relates to LGBTQI teenagers: http://tinyurl.com/2fzkfha. Ellen's website also provides a number of links to organizations that are all devoted to ending bullying: http://tinyurl.com/2wa47ku.

6. A Canton Repository editorial about recent teen suicides caused by bullying in Mentor, Ohio. "Peer pressure aside, children take their behavioral cues from the adults in their lives. Disparaging comments made at home about certain groups, or about people perceived as somehow different, are viewed by kids as the go-ahead for bullying." Bullying has taken toxic, deadly turn: - http://tinyurl.com/3y3bd64

7. Education.com provides a number of articles, fact sheets, and other resources for parents and kids about bullying in school as well as cyber bullying. http://www.education.com/topic/school-bullying-teasing/

8. Stop Bullying Now! The US Department of Health and Human Services offers flash movies, games, and information about bullying and how to prevent it. www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/

9. A research paper on "The theoretical and empirical links between bullying behavior and male sexual violence perpetration." This paper present results from a review of research on bullying and sexual violence and discusses the potential shared and unique risk and protective factors of each subject within a social-ecological framework. The paper concludes with suggested directions for future research. http://tinyurl.com/3aykd5l

10. Stop Bullying Now! This organization's website presents practical research-based strategies to reduce bullying in schools and also provides further resources and training materials. http://www.stopbullyingnow.com/index.html

Rape Culture on Yale's Campus

from Mike Scur, Hotline Advocate since Fall 2009

In case you haven't heard, a fraternity on Yale's campus was shouting "No
means yes, yes means anal" among other statements through Yale's old campus
(where many female students stay).

If this isn't an example of rape culture, I'm not sure what is.

Here is the link to the story:
http://www.salon.com/life/violence_against_women/?story=/mwt/broadsheet/2010/10/15/yale_fraternity_pledges_chant_about_rape


And here is the story:

Sometimes, the post just writes itself: On Wednesday night, Delta Kappa Epsilon pledges marched through Yale's Old Campus -- where most first-year female students are housed -- chanting, "No means yes, yes means anal!" The fraternity pledges were marched blindfolded while barking like soldiers ... with marching orders of anal rape. They also threw in, "My name is Jack, I'm a necrophiliac, I fuck dead women." A video of the initiation was immediately posted on YouTube and, what do you know, it's gone viral.

Now, DKE President Jordan Forney has been forced to apologize for this blatant sexual intimidation by calling it "a serious lapse in judgment by the fraternity and in very poor taste." But this sort of hateful crap isn't a "lapse in judgment." It doesn't innocently happen that you're guiding male pledges by young women's dorms in the dark of night chanting about anal rape. It isn't a forehead-slapping slip-up, it's a sign that you need major reprogramming as a human being. Student feminist magazine Broad Recognition has it right: It's calling for Yale to take disciplinary action against DKE -- where George W. Bush got his presidential training -- "on behalf of its female students."

And here are some additional links to other coverage of this:

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2010/10/17/yale-fraternitys-chant-reveals-depth-cultures-misogyny

http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2010/oct/18/the-womens-center-must-continue-to-break-the/


http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2010/10/18/yale-daily-news-editorial-rape-song-gets-dangerously-wrong-rape-culture

Suggested Books and Movies from RAINN

from http://www.rainn.org/

Books on Recovery

• The Rape Recovery Handbook: Step-By-Step Help for Survivors of Sexual Assault, by Aphrodite Matsakis
• Recovering from Rape, by Linda Ledray
• Journey to Wholeness, by Monique Lang
• If You are Raped, by Alan McEnvoy
• The Sexual Healing Journey: A Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse, by Wendy Maltz
• How to Survive Sexual Assault for Women, Men, Teenagers, and Their Friends and Families, by Helen Benedict
• I Can't Get Over It, A Handbook for Trauma Survivors, by Aphrodite Matsakis
• Hush, by Nicole Braddock Bromley
  

Books on Ritual Abuse

• Not Without My Sister, by Celeste Jones, Christina Jones, and Juliana Buhrling
  

Books for Friends, Family Members and Partners

• When You Are the Partner of Rape or Incest Survivor: A Workbook for You, by Robert Barry Levine

Books for Male Incest Survivors

• A Beautiful World, by Gregg Milligan
• Father's Touch, by Donald D'Haene
  

Books for Teens

• It Happened to Me: Teens Guide to Overcoming Sexual Abuse, by William Lee Carter
• How Long Does It Hurt: A Guide to Recovering from Incest and Sexual Abuse for Teenagers, Their Friends, and Their Families, by Cynthia Mather & Kristina Debye
  

Books for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

• Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, by Ellen Bass
  Hush, by Nicole Braddock Bromley
• The Courage to Heal Workbook: For Women and Men Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, by Laura Davis
• Voices of Courage, by Michael Domitrz
• Lucky, by Alice Sebold
  

Books on Acquaintance Rape

• I Never Called It Rape, by Robin Warshaw
  

Movies

• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, a 2010 mystery thriller based on Stieg Larsson's international best selling novel
• Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, a 2009 American drama film by Geoffrey S. Fletcher
• The Line, a 2009 documentary by Nancy Schwartzman
• Open Window, a 2006 Showtime film by Mia Goldman
  

*NOTE: Fiction books & fiction movies are not meant to be references for self-help practices or cited information.*

October's Continuing Education Event

October’s Continuing Education Event

On Monday October 25th at 6pm we will be watching Call and Response and having a discussion about the movie. Please find a description of the movie below.

CALL+RESPONSE is a first of its kind feature documentary
film that reveals the world's 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves
today than ever before in human history. CALL+RESPONSE goes deep undercover
where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick
kilns of rural India to reveal that in 2009, Slave Traders made more money than
Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.

Who: CRCC Advocates and their friends

What: Watching and discussing the Documentary Call + Response

Where: Cleveland Rape Crisis Center Training Room

When: Monday October 25th from 6p-8p


Please RSVP to me, Sarah, letting me know that you are interested in attending. Please also let me know if you plan on bringing any friends with you.

Master the Art of Listening and Watch All Your Relationships Thrive

from http://www.dailygood.org/

Obviously, this wasn't written with Advocates in mind but it definitely provides a good reminder of what an art and challenge listening can be.

No wonder listening is an undervalued art. Research shows that we speak at a rate of about 125 words per minute, yet we have the capacity to listen to approximately 400 words per minute. So what are we doing with that extra space in our minds when someone else is talking? Are we really listening?

I have a friend who used to multi-task when we spoke on the phone. He would respond appropriately to what I was saying, but I could hear him shuffling papers or trying to quietly order food at the deli (yes, this actually happened). Even though he was following the conversation, I felt bereft as I was sharing my innermost thoughts and feelings. Fortunately, our friendship was more important than his to-do list, and now I happily get his full attention.

Listening is essential to fulfilling relationships. If you are experiencing challenging interactions or you want your connections to deepen, reflect on how you can improve your listening skills. The benefits? Consider the following:

People will feel be more drawn to you; they will like you more.
You will learn something new.
You will solve problems more effectively.
You will experience less loneliness and frustration.
You will feel happier and more relaxed.

Learn to listen well, and watch all your relationships thrive. Here's how.

Pay attention
Since our brains have the capacity to process 275 more words per minute than are actually spoken, we tend to fill up the void with extraneous thoughts. Notice how when someone is speaking, you are partially listening, while simultaneously planning the rest of your day, replaying a meeting that just occurred, or deciding what you will say next. Paying attention is the cardinal rule for good listening. Hear the words, and let their meaning in. If your mind wanders, simply re-focus your attention on the conversation.

Be receptive
If you show up with an agenda, you are not going to be available to fully hear what the other person is saying. There is no problem with having goals for an interaction, but let them go while the other person is speaking so you can hear what is being expressed. Balance your need for a given outcome with your desire to sustain a harmonious relationship.

Check your understanding
Make sure you can repeat what you just heard, and if you can't, ask for clarification. You might be surprised at how much you are missing. Most people are. When you think you've gotten it, you might say, “So what you are saying is....” to verify your understanding.

Be an explorer
Explorers are open and curious. They are inquisitive, without knowing what they will find. So what to do with all of that excess brain power? Focus on the speaker. Notice body language, tone of voice, and rate of speaking. Then look beneath the words to see what feelings and needs are being communicated. You never know what you might find.

Show interest
If you find yourself bored and distracted, reconnect with the interaction. Maintain eye contact, uncross your arms, and ask questions that take the conversation deeper. Find out what really matters to the person you are speaking with.

Be patient
As much as you may be tempted, don't speak over someone who is talking. When you feel the urge to step in, take a breath, let your agenda go, and continue to listen. If you need to move the conversation along, do so politely, as in, “Excuse me, I'm so sorry for interrupting, but ….” Likewise, be careful not to jump to conclusions or assume you know what hasn't yet been said. These are all signs that your inner explorer has fallen asleep. Revitalize your experience by paying attention to what is happening in the moment.

Get out of a rut
Have you ever had the same problematic conversation with someone over and over? Bring a fresh perspective to the relationship by redoubling your efforts to listen. Let go of your need to be right or your ideas about what the other person should be saying or doing, and hear them as if for the first time. This moves you from contraction and limit to possibility and potential simply by listening.

Effective listening develops empathy, which is the capacity for a deep understanding of another's experience. And isn't that what it takes for a relationship to thrive? It's as simple as paying attention.

Love or Abuse: When Do Teen Relationships Cross the Line?

Tina Croucher, age 18, loved to sing. She was the youngest of four children and a part-time college student in Ohio. In 1992, an abusive ex-boyfriend broke into her family’s home and shot her. Tina’s parents never saw it coming.

Join us to learn more about the difference between healthy teen dating and relationships that turn emotionally or physically violent. Most importantly, learn what parents, professionals and schools can do to prevent teen relationship abuse.

Tina’s parents, Jim and Elsa Croucher, will share their experience and what they have learned about teen dating violence since their daughter’s murder. The training will cover the warning signs of abusive relationships, the new state mandate for teen dating violence education in schools and local resources available to support your efforts.

Thursday, November 4

8:30 am Registration and Breakfast
9:00-10:00 am Keynote by Jim and Elsa Croucher, parents of Tina Croucher
10:00-11:30 am Teen Dating Violence Prevention Professional Training

Location: The Wuliger Center, Bellefaire JCB
22001 Fairmount Boulevard, Shaker Heights, 44118

Fee: $35 per person
Pre-Registration required, space is limited. Deadline November 1.

Register online at: www.thetinaproject.org or call 330-929-3382 for information
More information available at www.thetinaproject.org or watch the clip below ...

Do Rape Victim Advocates Make a Difference?

from Rebecca Campbell at Michigan State University

Rape Survivor's Experiences With the Legal and Medical Systems
Do Rape Victim Advocates Make a Difference?

This study used a naturalistic quasi-experimental design to examine whether rape survivors who had the assistance of rape victim advocates had more positive experiences with the legal and medical systems compared to those who did not work with advocates. Eighty-one survivors were interviewed in two urban hospitals about what services they received from legal and medical system personnel and how they were treated during those interactions.

Survivors who had the assistance of an advocate were significantly more likely to have police reports taken and were less likely to be treated negatively by police officers. These women also reported less distress after their contact with the legal system.

Similarly, survivors who worked with an advocate during their emergency department care received more medical services, including emergency contraception and sexually transmitted disease prophylaxis, reported significantly fewer negative interpersonal interactions with medical system personnel, and reported less distress from their medical contact experiences.

No surprises here! We all know the importance of advocates! Interested in the entire study? Just let me know and I'll send you a copy.

Pack the Q

from the United Way of Greater Cleveland

Give thanks for Wine and Gold as the Cavs skewer the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, November 24, at Quicken Loans Arena.

Buy discount tickets now and be there for this new era of Cavaliers basketball! The Cleveland Cavaliers will donate $5 for every ticket sold through this promotion to United Way of Greater Cleveland. Plus, if United Way is the top seller of tickets among the six participating nonprofits, an additional $2 for every ticket sold will be donated to help fund the 202 health and human service programs that help 450,000 Greater Cleveland residents every year.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Tip-off is 7 p.m.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Upper Corner tickets for $25 (reg. $27)
Upper Side tickets for $30 (reg. $37)
Lower Level End Zone tickets for $57 (reg. $61)

...And, with this exclusive offer only through United Way of Greater Cleveland, you're welcome to stay after the game to shoot baskets from the Cavaliers hardwood!

Find out more details or go to the Cavs order form now! Download the form to purchase by mail or fax, or click on the order link to buy online. Please pass this link along to your family, friends and fellow Greater Clevelanders!

A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will benefit United Way of Greater Cleveland. All For One. One for All. Help us Pack The Q for the Cause!

From Dr. Seuss

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,

nothing is going to get better.

It's not.

-Dr. Seuss

I'm so thankful to have all of you who care a whole awful lot.

Statute of limitations for rape - looking for stories

Ohio Senator Nina Turner has introduced legislation that would eliminate the statute of limitations for rape charges.

Her office is looking for "stories" from Ohioans who would support this legislation.

Have you wanted to move forward with prosecution, but couldn't because 20 years had expired? Senator Turner wants to talk to you.

The "stories" will be used in speeches, testimony and in media advocacy in support of this proposed bill. Stories can be anonymous or not.

If you have something to share, please contact:

Adam Warren
Administrative Aide
Senator Nina Turner, 25th District
(p): 614-466-4583
awarren@maild.sen.state.oh.us

Cleveland Rape Crisis Center Offers Support For Abused Boys

from ONN, September 30, 2010

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is hoping to reach out to victims of sexual abuse while they are teens.

A man, who did not want to be identified, on Thursday said that he was sexually abused between the ages of eight and 13. He never told anyone until he was in his 40s.

"I didn't tell anyone because I didn't know how to, and I didn't know that I could safely do that," he said.

The man started attending a group session for adults that were abused as children at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center last year, ONN's Cristin Severance reported.

"It's important for us to look at male victimization, because no one else is doing it," said Alex Leslie a prevention specialist at the center. "We know that they are out there."

The center said that one out of every six boys is sexually abused in some way before they are 18. The center believes that only about 10 percent of victims report it.

"For all the young men, young and old, the stigma of appearing weak or less of a man is pretty powerful," Leslie said.

Leslie said that a teenage abuse victim contacted them about sharing his feelings in a group which is a rare move for someone his age.

That call spurred them to start a weekly group session with male survivors of abuse between 13 and 17-years-old.

The Cleveland Rape Crisis Center already offers one-on-one counseling for teenage boys. They plan on continuing those individual services as well as the group sessions.

Allow Me to Introduce ... Lily Cunningham!

Lily Cunningham has been volunteering with the CRCC as a F2F Advocate since last winter. I'm sure you'll enjoy getting to know her a bit better just as much as I have!

What led you to volunteer with the CRCC?

A funny series of events involving my student career at CSU and my work led me to want to further my future along the lines of PTSD, sexual trauma and survival. Ta Da! Now I’m an advocate, and it’s amazing.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with the CRCC?

I enjoy knowing that I am a part of a much needed service in our community and that volunteering is a multi-faceted system of education, advocacy, and support. I also think it’s very important that as advocates, we are able to support someone in ways that can continually be beneficial to their healing process.

What do you find most challenging about volunteering with the CRCC?

Honestly? Trying to schedule shifts! In less than a week I’ll be a full time student again with a part time job. Life is only going to get more interesting…

Do you have a favorite experience as a volunteer?

Briefly, it was knowing that something as simple as getting a cup of coffee can help ease someone’s turmoil at a very terrible time.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not volunteering?

I enjoy spending time with my loved ones, reading, going to interesting events around Cleveland, and quality “me time” that usually involves a Super Nintendo, journal, canvas, or Law & Order: SVU.

If you had a magic wand and 3 wishes, what would those wishes be?

I wouldn’t trust the three wishes deal, and be scouring it for fine print—like, what are the repercussions going to be? I’m a great pessimist when it comes to offers like that. However, I think that paying off my student loan debt, having property on the coast of Ireland and a (small) yahcht would be a nice start for those three wishes.

If you won the lottery, how would you spend the money?

I’d probably try to get myself induced in a coma for like three months so I could quit smoking for good without having to worry about cravings and withdrawl.

Favorites
Book: I love books, and I think right now my favorites are a toss up between The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule: one fiction, one true crime that I think most women would benefit from reading.

Movie: Braveheart and The Dark Knight

Musician or group: I enjoy a lot of music, but most of it is not modern: anything from Chopin to the Moody Blues to the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack.

Meal: That’s a tough one. Depends on my mood, but I’m almost always in the mood for Italian, Indian…and mashed potatoes!

Spot in your house: My room. It’s my sanctuary.

Sports teams: Third generation Browns fan and proud of it. Nobody knows resilience and rejection like a true Browns fan.

From a Fellow Advocate

from Mike Scur, Hotline Advocate since Fall 2009

I happened across these a couple days ago. Both Salon and Jezebel covered the story, with respective differences editorially. It deals with internet technology and the unfortunately ubiquitous perception of "victim's fault" here and abroad.

Live-tweeting about rape in Haiti http://www.salon.com/life/broadsheet/2010/09/23/mcclelland

Is live-tweeting about rape a wake-up call or a mistake?
http://jezebel.com/5647373/is-live+tweeting-about-rape-a-wake+up-call-or-a-mistake


It certainly brings up ethical considerations regarding confidentiality and consent (at one point the reporter was using the woman's full name in her tweets).



It places me, individually, in a strange area. On one hand I think the striking realism of her story and experience, and the live updates of which, are almost necessary at times to remind people of reality (the contrast of this might be promoting the misconception that EVERY examination is going to be like this for EVERY woman, which provided there's an advocate, it won't be). My primary concern is if she's being exploited though for a story, especially if she was unaware of how it would have been disseminated.


It's a tough call for me. What do you think?

Join Us for the Take Back the Night Rally Tomorrow Night!

Take Back the Night Candlelight March & Survivor Speak-out

Date: October 6, 2010

Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Speak out to end violence against women!

6:30 p.m. Candlelight March

Meet outside Harvard-Lee Branch of Cleveland Public Library

16918 Harvard Avenue, Cleveland, 44128

7:30 p.m. Speak-out!

Harvard Community Services Center

18240 Harvard Avenue, Cleveland, 44128

Ample parking. Police escort planned. Bring your own signs.

In the event of inclimate weather, meet at Harvard Community Services Center.

First 100 to arrive receive a FREE t-shirt.

Complimentary coffee and cookies.

For more information, call 216-619-6194 x 114.

Thanks again to the Greenies!

Some of you may remember a post a few months back acknowledging our volunteers who were doing a great job maintaining or exceeding their hour requirement. I nicknamed them "greenies" because the reports they received detailing their hours are green and I'm otherwise not very clever.

And it's time again to thank a new and outstanding group of GREEN VOLUNTEERS!

Kerry Anderson, Val Anderson, Chioke Barkari, Jillian Carroll, Menaka Chandurkar, Kelsey Cornelius, Lily Cunningham, Erin Davis, Heidi Dobran, Linda Ferris, Pat Fleming, Erika Harper, Eileen Hitch, Angie Ilg, LaToya Jones, Brittany Krotzer, Liz Lierman, Irene Link, Carli Luca, Rachel Mackson, Amanda Maggiotto, Lauren Maline, Candice Markle, Constance Mash, Mandie McCarthy, Alexis Mitchell, Melissa Otero, Lisa Paladin, Sheronda Peterson, Mike Scur, Carli Sidoti, Elyse Sikorski, Hannah Singerman, Heather Tripp, Karla Ullrich, Natalie Wheeler, Elaine Wolan, Tasneem Zaben

Great work and thank you!!

Someone else who is very good at being green

2010 Volunteer Award Recipients

It is with great pride that I gave out this year's awards to a group of outstanding volunteers!
Enduring Commitment Award
Eileen Hitch
For the vows you have made and continue to fulfill to serve this organization; for your steadfast assurances of word and deed; for the way you match every promise with devoted action


Compassionate Support Award
Kerry Anderson
For the empathy and grace demonstrated by your work; for the benevolent kindness with which you care for others; for the tender charity you readily extend


Dependability And Consistency Award
Val Anderson
For the solid faith we have in your service; for the trust it is so easy to place in you; for your unwavering connection with the Center


Broad Vision Award
Chioke Barkari
For the expansive nature of your contemplations; for the comprehensive way you face and handle challenges; for your far-reaching involvement with the Center and its related causes


Flexibility Award
Candice Markle
For your strong desire to do what needs to be done whenever it needs to be done; for your willingness to bend your time and energies to the shape and needs of others; for your generous adaptability and supple spirit


Dedication Award
Mike Scur
For your belief in and support of the Center and our Mission; for your willingness to work to support this mission in countless ways; for your abiding allegiance to this agency


Overall Arete Award
Volunteer of the Year
Mandie McCarthy
For your strength, bravery, intelligence and passion, each working to achieve real results; for the unique and irreplaceable effectiveness you bring to the Center; for the long lasting and pervasive outcomes of your talents


Beneficiary Honors
All of the Volunteers who have Served the Agency Mission
Much gratitude and tremendous thanks to all of the Volunteers who have shared their time, energy and spirit. The Center holds your generosity with an open heart. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many.