Wednesday, May 08, 2013

WHY?

WHY?



In the midst of this picture of hope, already people are asking the question of the survivors of the horrors of Cleveland that they ask of victims/survivors of domestic violence:

"Why didn't they just leave?"

I cannot and will not speak for them.  I am not them and have not been through what they have been through. Instead: I say NO MORE.

And here is what  I ask of you: I  ask you to KNOW MORE, say NO MORE, share NO MORE, and ensure NO MORE. Visit www.nomore.org to learn MORE.

Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Cosmopolitan Magazine Says NO MORE to Domestic Violence

 
 
 
"Domestic violence doesn’t only happen at home. It spills

into the places we take for granted as safe—schools, stores, salons, or any workplace. Cosmopolitan investigates how relationship violence puts us all at risk…"

 

This is the introduction of an article appearing in the May 2013 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine (on shelves April 9, 2013).  Are you surprised "Cosmo" is taking on this issue?  To be honest...I was.

 
But then I was hopeful.  Hopeful because they have a huge reading audience of young women...young women who are not going to hear these stories anywhere else...young women who are not going to get this information another way.  Because "Cosmo" wrote about it, they will read it.

 

I'm excited that Cosmopolitan magazine is joining us in saying NO MORE.  The stories of domestic violence they share are heartbreakingly difficult to read, but they must be read.
 
And I am hopeful that the tips we give to workplaces, co-workers and friends will be helpful and will perhaps change - or save - lives.
 
As we say in the article:
 
 
 
What you can be is an advocate: If your company doesn’t
have a policy, ask for one. Don’t wait for something bad to
happen in order to get a work-safety policy in place. Walk in to your manager armed with this article.
 
 
To read the article:  http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/relationship-advice/intimate-terrorism or the PDF version: http://bit.ly/ZjkKQv 

To text to donate $5 to CAEPV: Text COSMO to 41010
 
To get resources and information from the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV): www.caepv.org
 
To learn more about NO MORE:  www.nomore.org

 

 
 
 
 

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

WELCOME TO "NO MORE"


On "NO MORE Day" new national survey reinforces urgent need for increased awareness and education on
domestic violence and sexual assault prevention
 
 




March 13, 2013 –  Today, major domestic violence and sexual assault prevention organizations across the U.S. have joined forces with corporate leaders, branding experts, celebrities, athletes and advocates nationwide to launch the first unifying branding symbol (like the pink breast cancer ribbon and the red AIDS ribbon) for domestic violence (DV) and sexual assault (SA), called NO MORE.
 
NO MORE is designed to unify everyone working to combat these issues in an unprecedented way – whether their focus is women and girls, men and boys, teenagers, children, minorities, rural or urban communities  as well as corporate leaders from a variety of business sectors - behind one, powerful brand created to transform awareness and action.
 
NO MORE has been in the making since 2009 and was developed because despite the significant progress that has been made in raising awareness around these issues, they remain hidden and on the margins of public concern.
 
The Public Launch of NO MORE – “NO MORE Day”
 
To introduce NO MORE to the general public, a wide range of supporters including Actor and Advocate Mariska Hargitay, the President and Founder of the Joyful Heart Foundation, and Ashley Greene, actress and Avon’s mark Brand Ambassador, are in Washington DC, on March 13, 2013, NO MORE Day to demonstrate their support for this unprecedented initiative.
 
Mariska Hargitay, well known for her leading role as Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, will urge communities to say NO MORE to domestic violence and sexual assault during a Newsmaker event in the National Press Club’s Holeman Lounge at 12:30 pm. She will also address the backlog of rape evidence collection kits (rape kits) nationwide, which is allowing rapists to get away with their crimes.
 
Ashley Greene, another advocate for NO MORE, will announce new data from the “NO MORE Study: Teens and Young Adults,” funded by mPowerment by mark operated by the Avon Foundation for Women on the grim reality of dating violence and sexual assault for 15 – 22-year-olds in this country.
 
Conducted by GfK Public Affairs & Corporate Communications, the survey shows an urgent need for increased awareness and education around dating violence and sexual assault, with an emphasis on the simple things the public can do to prevent violence and help victims before it is too late.
 
According to the study, more than half of young people (15-22 year olds) know a victim of dating violence or sexual assault, but say it would be hard for them to intervene or help a victim. Forty percent said they would not know what to do if they witnessed these crimes. Many report that they want to help, but they are uncertain how to recognize dating violence and sexual assault and do not know how to safely get help for victims.
 
Key findings of the NO MORE study include:
 
  • 51% of all 15-22-year-olds in the United States know a victim of dating violence or sexual assault.
  • 53% say it would be hard for them to help a victim of dating violence or sexual assault.
  • 40% say that they would not know what to do if they witnessed a sexual assault or dating violence.
  • 1 in 3 young women and nearly 1 in 2 young men say they do not know the signs of sexual assault.
  • 62% agree that talking about dating abuse and sexual assault would make it easier for them to step in and help someone.
 Other NO MORE day events include exclusive screenings of the Academy Award Nominated documentary, The Invisible War, in various cities, “NO MORE Night” at the Washington Wizards vs Milwaukee Bucks NBA game and a NO MORE Day Twitter Chat (using hashtag #NOMOREday March 13, at 3 p.m. EST) where any and every supporter of NO MORE can lend their voice powerfully to help end domestic and sexual violence.
 
Volunteers and financial support from organizations and individuals who care deeply about ending domestic violence and sexual assault, including the Allstate Foundation, the AVON Foundation for Women, Fifth & Pacific Foundation, Finn Partners, the Joyful Heart Foundation and the Verizon Foundation helped make the NO MORE symbol a reality. In addition, representatives from nearly every major domestic violence and sexual assault prevention organization in the country have supported the vision for NO MORE’s potential to revolutionize how these issues are seen by the public. 
 
The following organizations support NO MORE: 

·            A CALL TO MEN
·            Break the Cycle
·            California Coalition Against Sexual Assault
·            Casa de Esperanza
·            Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence
·            Futures Without Violence
·            Joyful Heart Foundation
·            Men Can Stop Rape
·            National Alliance to End Sexual Violence
·            National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
·            National Domestic Violence Hotline
·            National Network to End Domestic Violence
·            National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
·            National Sexual Violence Resource Center
·            Resources Sharing Project
·            Safe Horizon
·            Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault
·            U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women
 
The official sponsors of NO MORE Day are the Allstate Foundation, the Avon Foundation for Women, Fifth and Pacific Foundation, the Joyful Heart Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Patton Boggs LLP and the Verizon Foundation.

About NO MORE

NO MORE is a new, overarching symbol, like the pink breast cancer ribbon and the yellow support our troops ribbon, that is bringing together all people, organizations and communities that support ending domestic violence and sexual assault in our society. It has been in the making since 2009 and was developed because despite the significant progress that has been made in raising awareness around these issues, they remain hidden and on the margins of public concern. For more information on NO MORE, to get involved or to get the symbol, visit www.nomore.org and get updates on Twitter @NOMOREorg or Facebook www.facebook.com/NOMORE,org.

The history of NO MORE

The NO MORE symbol has been in the making since 2009. It was developed because despite the significant progress that has been made in the visibility of domestic violence and sexual assault, these problems affecting millions remain hidden and on the margins of public concern. Hundreds of representatives from the domestic violence and sexual assault prevention field came together and agreed that a new, overarching symbol, uniting all people working to end these problems, could have a dramatic impact on the public’s awareness.

The signature blue vanishing point originated from the concept of a zero - as in zero incidences of domestic violence and sexual assault. It was inspired by Christine Mau, a survivor of domestic violence and sexual abuse who is now the Director of European Designs at Kimberly-Clark. The symbol was designed by Sterling Brands, and focus group tested with diverse audiences across the country who agreed that the symbol was memorable, needed and important.

 

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Join Us On NO MORE Day!



On March 13th we’ll celebrate the first official NO MORE Day and hope that you can be part of it!

What is NO MORE? NO MORE is a groundbreaking symbol (like the pink breast cancer ribbon and the red AIDS ribbon) designed to galvanize change and radically increase the awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault in our communities.

The day will kick-off with a launch event where students, survivors, advocates and community leaders will gather to activate this grassroots campaign. Later that day we’ll make an announcement on Capitol Hill and that evening NO MORE will get special recognition at a Washington Wizards’ home game.

While many events will be taking place in Washington, DC, you don't HAVE to be in Washington to join NO MORE Day - you can be anywhere!

Stay tuned for updates on how you can participate in local events, a twitter chat, and for other ways to support for NO MORE on NO MORE Day from wherever you are on Twitter (#NOMOREDay) and Facebook.

If you’d like more information about NO MORE Day to be sent to you directly, or are interested in attending the NO MORE Day festivities, please go to www.nomore.org, go to the contact page and drop a note with the subject line “NO MORE Day."  You'll be updated on the latest info!

What is our "Call to Action"?  It is very simple:

KNOW MORELearn the signs of domestic violence and listen without judgment to victims/survivors of sexual assault. Get the facts and know the resources available.

Say NO MORE. Break the silence. Speak out. Seek help when you see this problem or harassment of any kind in your family, your community, your workplace or school.

Share NO MORE.   Share the NO MORE symbol with everyone you know. Facebook it. Tweet it. Pin it. Instagram it.Email it. Wear it. Help to increase awareness about the extent of domestic violence and sexual assault.  Visit the NO MORE Shop at nomore.org.

Ensure NO MORE Get involved. Volunteer in your community, or donate to a local, state or national domestic violence or sexual assault organization.

More ideas for ACTION:

Use your Social Media voice via Facebook and Twitter to THUNDERCLAP IT and say NO MORE on #NOMOREDay 3/13/13:  https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/1533
 
Show your support by joining through Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NOMORE.org#!/events/325690754209615/permalink/325690757542948/

Share the video PSA for NO MORE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQpuODcp6Iw

Participate in a Twitter Chat at 3 PM ET using the hashtag #NOMOREday.
 
You can also join the conversation and follow the day's events as they unfold by connecting with NO MORE on social media at www.fb.com/NOMOREorg and www.twitter.com/NOMOREorg.
 
We look forward to having you join us as we all say NO MORE to domestic violence and sexual assault on 3/13/13!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Success? Or the Economy? A CAEPV Member Weighs In


"NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS."
We are all familiar with this saying, and CAEPV is incredibly fortunate to work with companies on the forefront of dealing with domestic violence as a workplace issue.  Recently I had a conversation with one of our CAEPV members about an interesting phenomenon they had noted – a decrease in reporting of domestic violence at their company. 

While one might consider this “success,”  they had another take on the issue.  They   were concerned that in this economy, victims of domestic violence may not report because they thought if any position was “on the bubble” a victim of domestic violence may be more likely to be laid off.  Here are their thoughts:

 Since the U.S. economy has taken a significant downturn in early 2008, the self reporting of intimate partner violence by employees in our organization has decreased by an average of 40 %.  As an organization that has led the way in workplace violence initiatives such as creating and implementing a standalone policy for paid time off well before state laws were enacted, our team found this concerning.  While we certainly could pat ourselves on the back about our efforts in education and awareness, our instincts told us differently.

     The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently published a report, Intimate Partner Violence: 1993-2005, using the National Crime Victim Survey statistics in which they state that intimate partner violence has decreased 64% since 1993, including 50% decline in non fatal incidents.  (It will be interesting to see the next report since this is 7 years old and does not include the years of the economic recession.) The NCVS is a random and anonymous telephone survey of 40,000 US households which asks several questions about crime victimization not just intimate partner violence. While the NCVS is a self reporting survey, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports collects actual arrest information from 13,000 law enforcement agencies. The UCR has also reported that overall violent and property crime has decreased in the last 10 years.  It is important to note that the UCR does not separate intimate partner violence as a category for arrest records and there is no uniformity in the definition of violence.

     Another self report survey of 16,000 adults was conducted for the first time in 2010 by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention titled: The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. This specifically addresses sexual and intimate partner violence and stalking. According to the Executive Summary, more than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetimes.   In my opinion, a more revealing study as far as to the impact of intimate partner violence in their lives.

   While we are thankful that are communities are safer and the crime is decreasing.  It then makes logical sense that, in parallel, intimate partner violence would also be declining in our communities and therefore in our workplaces. 

    So should we look at this as a victory of the victim advocate organizations? Yes, certainly we can credit wider legal and social agency accessibility, VAWA, and continuing economic mobility of victims.  But to merely rest on our laurels would be a serious error. 

     Victims of IPV may still be stigmatized by family, friends and co-workers and even employers.  This may impact their willingness to come forward specifically in the workplace.  With layoffs and downsizing still the norm, employees may hide their situations out of fear of losing their job.  In addition, companies like ours, have downsized in the service areas that normally are the safety net for reporting such incidents. For example, HR, EAP and Security Services are the first to cut back on personnel in a recession.

     We therefore must redouble our efforts as employers to be observant and vigilant when it comes to the warning signs of IPV.  Some of the less obvious signs, such as deteriorating performance, absenteeism and lateness are often attributed to a poor work ethic.  This leads to terminating employees after traditional progressive discipline efforts have failed. While private employers have the absolute right to terminate for these reasons often in the early stages there can be contributing factors related to intimate partner violence that may sometimes be ignored. 

    In addition, we must continue to encourage government agencies to count IPV incidents including non-fatal crimes such as harassment and stalking and to implement stronger data collection so we can evaluate current trends.

     January is Stalking Awareness Month and it is important to note that cyber stalking is yet another arena of harassment for the victim. With the velocity of advancements in social media combined with technologies such as global positioning systems (GPS) or tracking, many victims may not even know they are being watched electronically.  It is important to let employees know tips and techniques outside of the workplace such as keeping a log of activities, never meet an online acquaintance alone even in a public place, contact your ISP provider if an unknown person has contacted you through your personal email, and privatize your social media settings on Facebook and Twitter.

We thank this CAEPV member for their perspective and for their passion to consider that the work is “not done” just because something may appear on its face to be a success.  We also appreciate their notation of the importance of addressing stalking as a workplace issue.

For information on how we can assist you with your workplace program, visit our website at www.caepv.org or email us at caepv@caepv.org. For more on National Stalking Awareness Month, visit www.stalkingawarenessmonth.org.

 

Thursday, January 03, 2013

January is National Stalking Awareness Month



Do you think that only celebrities are stalked?  In actuality, “regular” people are much more likely to be stalked.  January is National Stalking Awareness Month.  Stalking is a serious issue – and especially once a person is being stalked at the workplace. Below is the Presidential Proclamation of National Stalking Awareness Month 2013:

Each year, millions of Americans face the fear, isolation, and danger of being victims of stalking. At some point in their lives, 1 in 6 women and 1 in 19 men will be stalked, and many of these crimes will go unreported and unprosecuted. During National Stalking Awareness Month, we rededicate ourselves to supporting victims of stalking and sharpen our resolve to bring perpetrators to justice.

Stalking is a pattern of unwanted contact that causes victims to fear for their safety or the safety of family members. It can include implied or explicit threats; harassment; or nonconsensual communication through phone calls, text messages, or emails. The perpetrator is usually someone the victim knows. Stalking behaviors may appear innocuous to outside observers, but victims often endure intense physical and emotional distress that affects every aspect of their lives. Many feel forced to move, or change jobs. Tragically, stalking tends to escalate over time, and it is sometimes followed by sexual assault or homicide.

My Administration remains committed to building a robust criminal justice response to stalking -- one that holds offenders accountable, offers protection and support to all victims of violence, and empowers them to break the cycle of abuse. In January 2012, we held the first-ever White House stalking roundtable with survivors, law enforcement officers, victim advocates, and researchers. We have built partnerships with communities across the Nation to implement anti-stalking efforts. And we continue to support nonprofit organizations and local, State, and tribal governments as they develop more effective responses to violence against women -- including direct services, crisis intervention, transitional housing, legal assistance to victims, court improvement, and training for law enforcement and courts.

We are also working to address the threat of cyberstalking. While advances in technology are making this crime more prevalent, they can also pose unique opportunities to address it. Communities are developing new tools that help connect victims to local services, and State governments are updating statutes to further protect people from cyberstalking. Through our Apps Against Abuse challenge, my Administration recognized mobile applications that are empowering people to defend themselves against dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Thanks to the dedicated work of law enforcement officials, community leaders, advocates, organizations, and survivors, our country has made great strides in combating stalking. During National Stalking Awareness Month, we resolve to keep building on this momentum until no American lives in fear of this crime.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 2013 as National Stalking Awareness Month. I call upon all Americans to recognize the signs of stalking, acknowledge stalking as a serious crime, and urge those impacted not to be afraid to speak out or ask for help. Let us also resolve to support victims and survivors, and to create communities that are secure and supportive for all Americans.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA
For workplace resources, please visit the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV) website at http://www.caepv.org.

For general resources, please visit the Stalking Resource Center at the National Center for Victims of Crime at http://www.victimsofcrime.org/our-programs/stalking-resource-center