Resources Library: Publications/Reports
Start a Search:
Bisexual Survivors: A Focus on Survivor-Centered Design
In this report, the Battered Women's Justice Project (BWJP) examines the experience of bisexual+ survivors of intimate partner violence due to the alarming statistics concerning violence against bisexual+ women and the lack of resources in the field that address barriers and systemic bi-antagonism existing within systems.
For decades, systems professionals have been attempting to address the problem of intimate partner violence through the work of Coordinated Community Response (CCRs). The results have been promising for certain types of survivors. Often the needs of groups who are white, cisgender, heterosexual, and not living with a disability have been addressed by CCRs. CCRs and Intimate Partner Violence and Homicide (IPVH) responses have largely ignored the concerns of survivors from various marginalized communities, including communities of color, LGBTQ+,1 and disabled. The oversight has meant that many of the survivor’s face violence in the home have to deal with systems’ responses that do not meet their needs. Systems’ responses can further jeopardize them, may not be culturally responsive and may not be able to prevent homicides. CCRs are designed to bring about changes to the system, and a part of the process of change requires CCRs to continually examine their work and consider ways in which they can focus on marginalized communities.
Bold Joyful Sexuality and Repro Justice Action Plan
As advocates and preventionists, we can take steps in our professional roles to create a world where all people experience joyful sexuality and reproductive justice. Let’s practice setting a bold action plan for how we can integrate joyful sexuality and reproductive justice across each level of the Social Ecological Model. Below we’ve provided prompts, as well as examples, to get you started.
This is a fun and flexible activity. You can use it in so many ways: for personal reflection, as an exercise in your staff as team building or in-service, use with community partners when mapping out shared values or potential projects, or in programming with youth and adults.
Me: What will you do as an advocate or preventionist?
Examples: I will donate money to abortion funds; I will know my body better; I will experience holistic pleasure.
My Relationships: What can you do to support survivors and clients?
Examples: I will support the survivors that I work with in dating online/forming new relationships online; I will uplift diverse experiences of pleasure; I will explicitly incorporate consent into my relationships with clients.
My Organization : What can you do in your agency? What about with your agency’s partners?
Examples: I will look into my agency’s policies surrounding dress codes; my organization will form partnerships and collaborate with organizations in my community who are working on issues related to reproductive justice; my organization will offer space and resources to organizations working on reproductive justice.
Our Larger Community/Society: What will you do to make an impact on your larger community and society?
Examples: I will connect with my legislators/advocate for policies that center reproductive justice (e.g., access to abortion care and contraception, comprehensive sexuality education, access to childcare and paid parental leave, etc.); I will push against heteronormative policies.
Budgeting: A Guide for Small Nonprofit Organizations
Budgeting: A Guide for Small Nonprofit Organizations is provided by the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants. This 8-page document provides an overview of the budget development process, including the role of the budget committee, setting budget priorities and realities, preparation timeline, how to use the budget as a management tool. Great resource for new directors and financial managers!
Building Healthy Relationships Across Virginia
The Teen Dating Violence Prevention Facilitator’s Guide began its “life” in February 1996. The project benefited greatly when Cindy Katona agreed to lead the working committee. With her dedication, enthusiasm and remarkable creativity, Cindy inspired an amazing number of people to do an incredible amount of work. She also recruited vast numbers of volunteers from the Winchester area as ad-hoc members of the committee to field test and refine the curriculum. The First Edition of the guide, titled “Virginia Responds: Teens Building Violence-Free Relationships,” was published by VADV in early 1997, and was welcomed by a diverse range of professionals working with teens.
The year 2004 marked the official beginning of VSDVAA and a greater focus on primary prevention work. It was in this environment that dating violence prevention work with
teens became a priority, and VSDVAA took on the formidable task of revamping the Teen Dating Violence Prevention Facilitator’s Guide. Drawing upon the expertise and
enthusiasm of members of VTDVP Taskforce, VSDVAA staff member Brad Perry was able to obtain invaluable feedback about how the First Edition of the guide was being
used and how a subsequent edition should be modified in order to maximize functionality. Dozens of meetings and countless work hours later, a new, more streamlined
guide began to take shape with a greater focus on activities.
Building Thriving Communities Toolkit
A toolkit to help unlock the power of individuals and communities to create a world in which all of us thrive.
The Building Thriving Communities: Civic Engagement Toolkit seeks to transform Virginia communities by increasing public participation in voting for candidates who align with their values and other means of civic engagement that promotes healthy futures.
Download the entire toolkit all at once to find all of these resources (below) designed to support you in increasing community engagement with voting, the formation of public policy, and becoming active participants in democracy. Or you may download the handouts and guides separately.
The core component of the campaign is to build authentic connections between people, across differences, and around issues that make communities healthy, safe, just, and compassionate for all.
This is a long-term campaign that draws upon the strength of the movements to end domestic and sexual violence: each person having a voice that is valued and respected, sharing stories as a tool for building understanding and mobilizing action, and empowering individuals and groups to bring about change in their own lives, in communities, and in the world.
The toolkit provides educational resources on civic engagement and strategies to engage communities and candidates.
Toolkit features:
- * guide for facilitating community conversations around civic engagement;
- * questions for candidates to build trauma-informed communities and systems;
- * legislative advocacy guide;
- * voting basics handout;
- * print-ready posters to encourage voting for a #radicallyhopefulfuture;
- * print-ready handout about why voting matters.
