11:15-11:45am ET

Welcome!

NOVA’s Education & Outreach Manager, Carolyn Eskin, will welcome attendees to the virtual training event and provide a brief orientation on how to use the online portal. 

12:00-1:30pm ET

LGBTQIA+ Special Needs in Victim Assistance

Trauma does not discriminate, but too often there is discrimination by those providing victim assistance. LGBTQIA+ victims of trauma are an already marginalized and vulnerable population with unique needs in the trauma recovery process. The ways we provide trauma mitigation, education, and emotional first aid must be tailored for this group if we are providing truly trauma-informed care. Better understanding the lived experience and needs of these folx can increase our ability to effectively and appropriately connect victims with services and resources, and increase our on-the-ground advocacy for equity in trauma response. 

Focus Area: LGBTQIA+

Presenter: Wes Parks, M.S., LPC-S, NCC (he/him)

1:45-3:15pm ET

Celebrating our Past/Imagining our Future - Victim Advocacy Corps Panel 

3:30-5:00pm ET

The Importance of Bilingual and Bicultural Professionals Providing Language Access as Critical Service Providers

Bilingual and bicultural professionals providing language access are present in various settings; some involve patients and therapists, victims and witnesses, or perpetrators, which they must personify in a communicative interaction. This session will discuss the critical role these professionals play in enhancing access to justice for victims of crime with limited English proficiency or using different modes of communication.

Focus Area: Underserved Populations

Presenter: Jose Juan Lara Jr., MS (he/him/el)

12:00-1:30pm ET

Victim to Offender: The Unintended Consequence of the Criminal Justice Response to Domestic Violence 

Many great strides have been made in the criminal justice response to intimate partner violence (IPV). Despite all the improvements made, some unintended consequences of this progress have developed and continue to go widely unnoticed. There is a category of offenders, IPV victims who assault their abusers, that is increasingly common and escalating an already high risk situation. A victim's involvement in the criminal justice system as an offender can lead to greater risk to safety, loss of employment and financial stability, loss of eligibility and access to advocacy services, child custody implications, as well as the psychological and emotional trauma that results from an arrest and subsequent involvement in the court system. This in combination with the purposeful incentives presented in the justice system may pose additional obstacles to IPV victims who are desperately seeking support to protect themselves and loved ones from an abuser. Join a discussion on this topic to delve into the challenges of a victim-turned-offender and how advocates, law enforcement officers, members of the court system, and allied professionals might better serve this unique community.

Focus Area: Domestic Violence

Presenter: Jeanne Mullane (she/her)

2:00-3:00pm ET

Compassion Fatigue & Resilience

Presenter: Katharine Manning

3:30-5:00pm ET

Tackling Hate in the Hate Crime Capital of Canada: Transformative Approaches to Supporting Victims of Hate

In 2019, Hamilton (Ontario) was labeled the Hate Crime Capital of Canada. Through an innovative approach involving victim support/advocacy, community engagement, public education and traditional investigative services, the Hamilton Police Service has drastically changed their approach to supporting victims/survivors of Hate Crime. We will share the history of our work and our innovative approaches including community focus groups, the development of a hate crime case review team and proactive outreach to those impacted.

Focus Area: Hate Crimes

Presenter: Rachel Cooper

11:15-11:45am ET

Advocating for Self while Caring for Others: Strategies for Sustainability PART 1 (NO CEUS)

Focus Area: Advocate Wellness

Presenter: Jenn Doe (she/her/hers)

12:00-2:00pm ET

Victim Advocacy Ethics

Presenter: Ava Ramirez-Ene, Ph.D. (she/her/hers), NOVA

2:15-3:45pm ET

Visionaries of Advocacy Panel

4:00-5:30pm ET

Strategic Resistance: Leveraging Trauma–Informed Principles for Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention 

In this workshop, we will explore the foundation and core tenants of Soteria Solutions recently developed sexual assault and sexual harassment (SASH) prevention Strategic Resistance Curriculum©. The term strategic resistance (Senn et al, 2022, Crann et al, 2021, Radtke et al, 2020, and Riquelme et al, 2020) describes things that you can do to avert, minimize or deflect situations of harm directed at you. Such techniques include verbal responses, building and leveraging a support network, assessment of risk and protective factors, and setting boundaries. The curriculum was specifically designed for workplace settings in which employees work in remote, isolated, and physically and psychologically demanding settings where traditional bystander intervention prevention strategies are not possible or appropriate. The workshop will highlight how we incorporated trauma-informed principles into the overall Strategic Resistance curriculum and toolkit, provide workshop participants with hands-on activities, and suggest new directions for SASH prevention using trauma-informed principles.

Focus Area: Prevention Education

Presenter: Meera Seshadri (she/her)

11:15-11:45am ET

Advocating for Self while Caring for Others: Strategies for Sustainability PART 2 (NO CEUS)

Focus Area: Advocate Wellness

Presenter: Jenn Doe (she/her/hers)

12:00-1:30pm ET

Evaluating Dating & Domestic Violence Responses on College Campuses

In 2015, Karlie Hall was murdered in her dorm room at Millersville University by her boyfriend, a non-student at the university. Previous on-campus dating violence incidents between the two students had been ruled as ineligible for Title IX relief since the boyfriend was not a student. Hall's parents sued the university claiming Title IX did apply, and in a January 2022 opinion, the 3rd Circuit agreed. This workshop will highlight strategies for campus advocates to encourage their campuses to reevaluate and strengthen their current dating and domestic violence response protocols through the lens of the Millersville case. 

Focus Area: Campus Advocacy

Presenter: Lindy Aldrich (she/her)

1:45-3:15pm ET

Survivor-Led Justice Panel

3:30-5:00pm ET 

Centering Survivorship & Fostering Wellness to Advance Liberation

What do you carry? Each of us experiences harm in this life and has inherited the harm of those who came before us. This harm shapes the way we see and move through our world, becomes part of who we are, and brings great strengths and lessons to inform our way forward. We speak of resilience as a human capacity to navigate this harm, but rarely as an opportunity to create wellness as a pathway to healing and liberation. This workshop offers an opportunity to invest in building your capacity to advance wellness, rooted in survivorship and equity.

Focus Area: Resilience

Presenter: Fatima Jayoma (she/her)

12:00-1:30pm ET

SUICIDE - Let's talk OUT LOUD about suicide and how YOU can make a difference!

We don't talk about suicide. Yet in our country, 131 people die by suicide every day - that is over 5 people every hour. And each person is someone's mother, brother, son, daughter, grandparent..........a world of confusion, hurt, anger, and pain is left behind after every death by suicide. YOU can make a difference. Daily you come in direct contact with individuals at risk for suicide - individuals who have experienced trauma and desperately need hope and a connection. You can make a difference as we agree to talk out loud about suicide. Let's talk about lessons learned from those with lived experience - suicide attempt survivors and suicide loss survivors. This workshop will focus on understanding suicide, what to look for and listen for as we care for others, and what you as a caregiver can do to support those at risk for suicide. 

Focus Area: Trauma Informed Care

Presenter: Kim Walton (she/her)

1:45-3:15pm ET

Trauma Recovery Centers: An evidenced based treatment model for violent crime survivors

The evidence-based Trauma Recovery Center (TRC) model was developed in 2001 at the University of San Francisco to help crime survivors most impacted by violence and crime heal and recover. TRCs provide assertive outreach, evidence-based clinical treatment, intensive case management, and support for immediate needs of shelter, food, and other safety needs in a multidisciplinary framework. The model has been replicated and there are now fifty-two TRCs in twelve states across the United States and more are in development. This workshop will provide an overview of the TRC evidence-based model and target populations, share data and outcomes from a randomized control study, share information about the National Alliance of Trauma Recovery Centers and discuss the process for starting a TRC in your community. This workshop is appropriate for victim advocates, managers, and administrators.

Focus Area: Research

Presenter: Gena Castro Rodriguez (she/her)

3:30-4:15pm ET 

Closing Townhall

Death Notification: Delivering the News with Compassion

Recognized as one of the most formidable challenges encountered by law enforcement officers and other professionals, the process of delivering a death notification is undoubtedly an incredibly arduous task. For the vast majority of individuals, the moment they receive news of the passing of a family member or cherished loved one often marks the most traumatic event they will ever face. Regrettably, only a handful of professionals possess the necessary training and expertise to navigate this delicate task with the precise blend of compassion and in the right words. Within this session, you will embark on a journey to acquire the fundamental steps required for delivering a compassionate and well-executed death notification. We will delve into comprehending the potential reactions that survivors may exhibit in the aftermath of such notifications and explore the crucial needs of survivors during their time of distress. The significance of grasping all of these elements will become evident, as it is pivotal in ensuring a compassionate and effective death notification. It is worth remembering that when it comes to delivering a death notification, there are no second chances, no opportunities for doubt. This training is designed not only for those who may encounter this duty in their professional roles but also for individuals who may someday find themselves in the position of providing solace and support to a family member or friend following such a notification. Be prepared with the knowledge and skills needed to offer understanding and comfort during these challenging moments.

Focus Area: Crisis Response/Mass Violence

Presenter: Debbie Bradley, C.A., VASIII (she/her)

Navigating Tech-Enabled Trauma in Our Work

Technology-facilitated abuse is insidious, pervasive and nuanced - and so is the resulting trauma experienced by survivors. Our devices, accounts and apps are with us at all times - and if victims aren’t digitally safe, they aren’t safe anywhere. By understanding the differences between online and offline trauma, we can better meet modern victims where they are, mitigate re-traumatization and inform our existing trauma-informed approaches to be more effective in online spaces. To do this, we will demystify unique forms of tech-enabled trauma, explore how to disrupt victim-blaming behaviors in online spaces, highlight practical digital bystander intervention practices and identify steps anyone can take to help victims heal in the digital age. 

Focus Area: Technology Safety

Presenter: Adam Dodge (he/him)

Intersection of Men's Mental Health, Trauma, and Male Socialization

This workshop will address the collective socialization of manhood and how it can help in understanding men's mental health, and trauma, including those who have caused and experienced harm. Many assessments and interventions do not consider the varied needs of men, leading to undiagnosed mental health issues and being less likely to seek help. While undiagnosed mental health is not a reason to harm others, we wonder what it would look like to provide care that creates spaces for men to gain insight into themselves, their behavior, and how it impacts their communities. Through this understanding, we can begin the journey toward advancing our efforts to incorporate the experiences of all men to prevent gender-based violence.

Focus Area: Underserved Populations

Presenter: Rickie Houston

NCMEC: Victim Support and Advocacy for Military Families

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is the nation’s largest and most influential child protection organization. We lead the fight to protect children, creating vital resources for them and the people who keep them safe. This workshop will help participants learn about our diverse programs of services, the support offered to victims and families of missing and exploited children, our outreach, prevention and community education efforts as well as our children advocacy responses for all communities.

Integrated Primary Prevention - It's a Brave New World

Presenter: Russell Strand (he/his)