Community Solutions to Sexual and Domestic Violence: VIRGINIA

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Supporting Multilingual and Bicultural Rural Advocates

Rural dual/multi-service advocacy programs that are able to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services to sexual violence survivors make services for all rural survivors more inclusive and accessible. Multilingual and bicultural advocates are an important part of rural agencies being able to provide these culturally and linguistically appropriate services. A multilingual advocate is someone who can understand and speak more than one language. Often, multilingual advocates are bicultural as well. A bicultural advocate is someone who balances the cultural attitudes and customs of two countries or ethnic groups, usually someone who has moved to the United States from another country or someone whose parents moved to the United States from another country. Advocacy programs often struggle to find, hire, and retain multilingual and bicultural rural advocates. This is why it is important to understand who these advocates are, where they come from, and how we can create a supportive work environment for them. This paper is intended for rural dual/multi-service agencies looking for suggestions on how they can support multilingual and bicultural rural advocates.

Supporting Survivors of Abuse with Disabilities

Here are five modules designed for domestic violence and sexual assault service providers to learn how they can enhance their services for people with disabilities. CEU's are available.

These modules were created by the I-CAN! Accessibility Project. The I-CAN! Accessibility Project is a collaboration between the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work and the Partnership for People with Disabilities.

Visit https://sites.google.com/vcu.edu/abusesurvivorswithdisabilities/home to access these resources.

Systematic Review of Primary Prevention Strategies for Sexual Violence Perpetration

This systematic review from 2014 had two goals related to looking at primary prevention strategies for sexual violence: 1) to describe and assess the breadth, quality, and evolution of evaluation
research in this area; and 2) to summarize the best available research evidence for sexual violence prevention practitioners by categorizing programs with regard to their evidence of effectiveness on sexual violence behavioral outcomes in a rigorous evaluation.

The study found 3 strategies that had significant effects on sexually violent behavior in a rigorous outcome evaluation: Safe Dates (Foshee et al., 2004); Shifting Boundaries (building-level intervention only, Taylor, Stein, Woods, Mumford, & Forum, 2011); and funding associated with the 1994 U.S. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA; Boba & Lilley, 2009).

Tech Abuse: Information from the Field Survey Findings from the Conference on Crimes Against Women

NNEDV surveyed over 300 conference attendees on what types of technology misuse survivors are reporting, the number of cases their agency sees of technology misuse, and their agency’s ability to respond to survivor’s technology concerns. This report shows their findings.

Technology and Abuse in Later Life

Technology is an invaluable resource for older survivors. Individuals may use the Internet, for example, to find support and cope with issues of abuse in later life. Yet, abusers can misuse technology as a tactic of abuse, which can be dangerous and potentially lethal.

In December 2014, with help from Disability Rights Wisconsin, End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin and the Safety Net Project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, NCALL released this toolkit for older adults with two goals in mind: to provide information about common technologies, including assistive technology, and to identify ways older adults can safeguard themselves from those who misuse technology to control, harass, stalk, and/or threaten them. The toolkit contains the following:

1. Tech 101: Frequently Used Terminology – a glossary of tech terms, many of which are referenced in the toolkit.

2. Tech Tips for Older Adults: Tech Safety – a general overview of computer, cell phone and Internet safety.

3. Tech Tips for Older Adults: Online Privacy & Safety – An overview of the importance of online privacy and strategies for maintaining privacy and safety online.

4. Technology and Abuse in Later Life  – An overview of the ways abusers misuse technology within the context of abuse in later life.

5. Assistive Technology – An overview of assistive technology, including what it is, who uses it and resources for finding out more about assistive technology.

6. Examples of Assistive Technology – An overview of assistive technologies for individuals who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing, have speech disabilities, are blind or have low vision, or have physical, motor or communication disabilities.

7. Assistive Technology and Abuse in Later Life – A general overview of the ways abusers may misuse assistive technologies to cause harm.

8. Tech Resources – A list of selected resources related to technology and technology safety.