NSVRC Blogs

This past April, communities around the country recognized Sexual Assault Awareness Month in many different ways. We reached out to organizers to learn more about what goes into planning an effective SAAM event.  Tamara with Rara Rocks in Stockton, California Tell us about your event Rara Rocks was a gratitude rock painting party intended to generate awareness for sexual assault. The goal was to bring the community together around this issue and also help victims feel comfortable speaking up and reaching out to their “rocks” and the free resources our community provides like the Women’s

The #MeToo movement has confirmed what those of us doing anti-sexual violence work have known for years — that sexual violence is prevalent, it can happen to anyone, and the impact on survivors is long-lasting. For the general public, however, this information has been a wake-up call that has left many wondering what can be done to prevent another #MeToo story.  The good news is that we can prevent sexual violence – and together, we will. One way that everyone can get involved is by always respecting the personal and emotional boundaries of those around them. We can ensure that others’

When we think about preparing our teens for college, many parents anticipate attending parent orientation day, searching for the perfect dorm decor, and purchasing textbooks. However, something that is typically left off of the “college checklist” is talking with our teens about building healthy relationships and the nuances of consent and sex. These conversations may feel overwhelming and uncomfortable, but they are critical to helping your teen have a healthy and safe college experience. Here’s why: What is “the Red Zone”? It’s no secret that sexual assault is a pervasive issue on college

Learn how to put research into action for a state approach to K-12 sexual violence prevention policy Join us for a live event where NSVRC staff will be talking with Beth Hamilton, Associate Director of Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence and Destie Hohman Sprague, Associate Director of Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault about how to put research into action for a state approach to K-12 sexual violence prevention policy.  There will be time for a Q&A session, and there’s no registration required! Here’s how it works: When: August 16, 2018 2:00-2:45 p.m. — ET no

RALIANCE will be funding innovative projects in varying amounts based upon need, up to $50,000. Intent to Submit forms (LOIs) are due August 24, 2018.    The RALIANCE Grant Program is a vehicle for direct private funding to programs that have demonstrated expertise in addressing and preventing sexual violence.   In our last three grant cycles, we’ve driven close to $2.3M to prevention programs. RALIANCE grantees are helping to change the culture in one generation through visionary projects from across our three funding categories:    Category 1: Services or advocacy

Through her years working as a foster mother, Carol Andersen encountered numerous women from marginalized communities. There were domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking survivors, including mothers fighting not only to get their kids back but to get their lives back as well.  “These families were really torn apart by violence,” Andersen said. “As I learned about their challenges it led me to fund solutions that could help them rebuild their lives, reconnect with their children, and kind of put their family back together.” Under the 501c3 organization called Connections

Often the faces that were sworn to “protect and serve” their communities are unknown to the individuals within that community. As a result, cities and towns across the nation participate in National Night Out. The relationship between law enforcement and their communities are as diverse as the people who live there. If you know your community would not benefit from this event, feel free to click away and check out our other blogs posts and resources. National Night Out is an annual campaign that works to strengthen police and community relationships. One the first Tuesday in August (with

Pride Month 2018 has come and gone, but that shouldn’t mean putting your center’s engagement of LGBTQ communities on pause! LGBTQ people are here and queer all year round. Some of us are out, and proud and some of us are working on it. Some of us are asking a lot of questions about who we are, and some of us don’t yet know what questions to ask. All of us should have access to your center’s services when we need them. Also, there’s no rule that Pride-esque events have to take place in June. I’m writing from Harrisburg, PA, where our Pride Festival and accompanying events have been held during

Guest Post by Sally J. Laskey, Evaluation Coordinator, NSVRC I had a teacher, Ms. Nichols, in elementary school that used Choose Your Own Adventure stories as a way to help students find joy, play, and develop decision-making powers while reading. We would pass a book around the class, each read a few pages, and if you were reading when you got to the end of a chapter, you got to choose how the adventure would unfold. I would wiggle in my seat as we wrote our own story together. I view program evaluation as a type of storytelling. Evaluation shares the story of where your organization has

Being a child or teenager in today’s society is hard. Society dictates how they should behave, what they should like, and who they should be with.  Those pressures can especially impact adolescents when they aren’t conforming or don’t want to conform to unwritten ideals about gender roles. Thankfully, there are great resources available for those working with or loving kids questioning their gender identity. The NSVRC library has some helpful titles worth checking out. On behalf of LGBTQ Pride Month, I encourage you to take a look at these fabulous books.  Jamie is Jamie: A Book about Being