SafePlace Olympia

Abril es Mes del Concientización de la Violencia Sexual

Michelle — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:31:08 +0000

Siempre es el tiempo para las organizaciones como SafePlace de hacer conciencia sobre la importancia de la violencia sexual, pero abril se reconoce nacionalmente como el mes de reconocer las luchas de sobrevivientes y también iniciar conciencia para la prevención. Como individuos, es probable que cada uno de nosotros conozcamos a alguien que ha estado o será afectada por la abuso sexual. Esta en nosotros para hacer nuestra comunidad un lugar seguro, apoyar a sobrevivientes, y luchar activamente contra la violencia alrededor de nosotros.

5 cosas que tú puedes hacer para prevenir la violencia sexual:

1) Desmiente los mitos. La mayoría de las violaciones sexuales son realizadas por un familiar o un conocido, no por un extraño.
2) Apodos y burlas. Cuestiónate los papeles de género sexual asignados y los estereotipos.
3) Violar a alguien no es graciosos. Reta los chistes y los comentarios acerca de esto cuando los escuches.
4) Analiza todo este tema. Piensa detenidamente como los medios presentan la violencia.
5) Creer en algo es apoyarlo. Cree en alguien cuando te dice que ha sido violada(o).

Este es cómo conectar y conseguir informado:

Mire este vídeo en cómo usted puede ser parte de la solución.
Compruebe hacia fuera nuestro calendario de acontecimientos para ver cómo estamos levantando conocimiento en el condado de Thurston.
Participar en nuestro entrenamiento de 30 horas en español.
Miralos recursos sobre violencia sexual en la comunidad Latin@.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Michelle — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:20:59 +0000

It is always the time for organizations like SafePlace to spread awareness about the serious issue of sexual violence, but April is a national time of recognition of the struggles of survivors and a push for prevention. As individuals, it is likely each of us know someone who has been or will be affected by sexual assault. It is up to us to make our community a safe place, support survivors, and actively fight against violence around us.

Here are 5 things you can do to prevent sexual assault:

1) Be a myth-buster. Most sexual assaults are perpetrated by a family member or acquaintance, not a stranger.
2) Roles-schmoles. Question assigned gender roles and stereotypes.
3) Rape isn’t funny. Challenge sexist jokes and comments when you hear them.
4) Analyze this. Think critically about the portrayal of violence in the media.
5) Believing is supporting. Believe someone when they say they have been assaulted.

Here’s how to connect and share your message:

Watch this video on how you can be part of the solution.
Check out our calendar of events to see how we are raising awareness in Thurston County.
Tweet what you can do #InMyCommunity. Follow @wasaam and @safeplaceoly.
Connect with us on facebook for news, videos, ideas, and upcoming events.

Volunteer Training Dates

Derek — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:58:50 +0000

The SafePlace Volunteer Training will begin February 27th and run through March 15th, Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm. You can find a detailed schedule here and review the five main areas we are looking to fill with the current training below:

Court Volunteer – One to two days a week, Wednesday and Friday 8am-1pm
HelpLine Shifts – Wednesdays 2pm – 6pm with daily shifts available Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 5pm-9pm
SARP (Sexual Assault Response & Prevention) – Priority evening and weekend shifts. Weekdays also available
Walk-In Advocates – Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm
Childcare – Wednesdays 6pm-8pm, Thursdays 5pm-6pm and various times for childcare at the shelter

If you are interested in any of these volunteer positions or have any questions, you can contact us at (360) 768-8754 or via email at safeplace@safeplaceolympia.org. You can also visit our Volunteer Section for more information. Applications are due by February 15th.

Healing Through Writing

Derek — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:41:03 +0000

Sexual Assault affects the LGBTQ Community in various ways and at a greater rate than heterosexual and cisgender populations. We are survivors of childhood trauma and abuse. We are survivors of relationship violence. We are survivors of targeted assault because of gender identity, sexual orientation, and/or perceived affiliation with the Community.

LGBTQ survivors also navigate safety and heal from trauma in various ways. Through our new ten week support group, we hope to provide a safer space for LGBTQ survivors to find support in Community.

During the ten weeks, the group will work together to develop each person’s individual writing and gain tools for healthy coping. This will be a non-judgmental space, dedicated to process not product. The support group is open to both those who consider themselves writers and those who don’t. The goal is to create a space where participants can explore and share ideas and feelings through writing in a supportive community.

If interested, please contact Jen Friedlander at SafePlace:
(360)786-8754 ext. 114
jenf@safeplaceolympia.org

This group is open to 8-10 participants and is set to begin in January/February 2012. Group location, time, and dates are disclosed after a confidential screening with the facilitator.

Some resources and reading for LGBTQ survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault:

Northwest Network of Bisexual, Transgender, Lesbian, and Gay Survivors of Abuse (Seattle, WA)
Oasis Youth Center (Tacoma, WA)
Stonewall Youth (Olympia, WA)
Partners in Prevention Education (Olympia, WA)
Seattle Counseling Services (LGBT Counseling)
Survivor Project (Portland, OR)
FORGE (Milwaukee, WI)
“Learning Good Consent” Zine (Philly’s Pissed)
“Supporting a Survivor of Sexual Assault” Zine (UBUNTU)
Pandora’s Project (Message boards, links, and information)

MIJAS Featured in Documentary

Derek — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:44:09 +0000

MIJAS, a local organization which assists Latina survivors of domestic violence with job training and education, was recently featured in a documentary produced by the National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence focusing on financial independence for Latina survivors of domestic violence.

The project, which was supported by a grant from the Department of Justice and the Office of Violence Against Women, along with more information about the National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence can be viewed on the Alianza Website here.

Nikki McClure Benefit for SafePlace

Derek — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:15:49 +0000

Join us on Friday, December 9th from 6:00-8:00 pm, when, in exchange for a donation to SafePlace, Nikki McClure will be signing calendars, books, and anything else you might want signed, at Compass Rose, located at 416 Capitol Way South in Downtown Olympia.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Compass Rose at (360) 236.0788.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Derek — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 23:28:15 +0000

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and we asked our employees and volunteers what they wished everyone knew about domestic violence and what they thought could help in its prevention. We hope viewers will talk to others about root causes of violence, share ideas about prevention, engage in bystander intervention, and to tell us what they think.

We want to hear your thoughts.

Make your own video. Share it. Start a facebook conversation.

Support survivors by breaking the silence.

SafePlace awarded national grant for sexual assault work

Thomasina — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:31:00 +0000

Friday, September 16, 2011

The federal Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) announced today that SafePlace will receive a $450,000 grant award under the Sexual Assault Demonstration Initiative(SADI). SADI is a large scale national project to determine best practices and needed action in reaching more sexual assault survivors and providing new models for comprehensive services.

The funding will also assist with outreach to those populations most likely experiencing sexual assault in their communities, but not currently accessing services. The SADI funding will allow SafePlace to collaborate with the federal offices of OVW, the Resource Sharing Project, and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center in determining and creating best practices in serving sexual assault survivors in Thurston County.

In addition to enhancing the range of service options for sexual assault survivors, the pilot project will enhance the skills and knowledge of advocates; identify barriers to providing quality assistance and advocacy and will document and disseminate solutions for replication throughout the nation.

“Sexual assault is a complex crime that affects every sector of our society,” said Susan B. Carbon, Director of OVW. “Coordinated victim services, including emotional and medical support along with a well defined criminal justice response are vital to helping victims and their families heal. This demonstration initiative will provide support for the development of best practices that will significantly impact OVW’s future work and the work of our partners.”

“Being selected in this highly competitive grant process as one of six dual sexual and domestic violence programs in the nation to create and test new models for survivors is a huge success for SafePlace,” respondedMary Pontarolo, Executive Director of SafePlace. “Olympia is a richly diverse community that is perfect for a demonstration project of this type because of its access to three higher education institutions, its proximity to a military base, its relationship with native sovereign nations and its growing immigrant community as well as its location as the state capital.”

In addition, SafePlace works in collaboration with local groups such as Monarch Children’s Justice and Advocacy Center, Providence St. Peter’s Hospital Sexual Assault Clinic and the Evergreen State College sexual assault program. SafePlace is also fortunate in having access to the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Program, also located in Olympia.

The awards were announced Thursday September 15th at the National Sexual Assault Conference (NSAC) in Baltimore. The NSAC provides advanced training opportunities for victim advocates and other professionals working in prevention, intervention and assistance in healing survivors of sexual violence.

“The SADI grant is a wonderful way to mark the 30th Anniversary of SafePlace,” commentedLeslie Owen, a founder of SafePlace. Owen, Senior Attorney for the Northwest Justice Project in Olympia, is also the chair of SafePlace’s Generation Project, a capital campaign aimed to expand SafePlace’s presence and services in the community. SafePlace was also recognized by the Thurston County Economic Development Council as the 2011 Non Profit of the Year.

SafePlace has served thousands of sexual assault and domestic violence survivors in the South Puget Sound region in its 30 year history. SafePlace’s goal is to not only respond to, but actually reduce sexual and domestic violence throughout Thurston County through its programs including, individual and group advocacy, legal services, and community sexual and domestic violence prevention engagement programs.

For more information about this award or to learn more about SafePlace, contact:

314 Legion Way SE
Olympia, WA 98501
24-hour help line: 360-754-6300
Business office: 360-786-8754
SafePlace@SafePlaceOlympia.org

Nonprofit of the Year Award Goes To SafePlace!

Derek — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 22:42:27 +0000

The Thurston County Economic Development Council named SafePlace its 2010 Nonprofit of the Year at their annual recognition awards ceremony in April. The EDC recognizes businesses and nonprofits that play a significant role in making Thurston County a healthy and diverse community.

SafePlace, represented at the awards lunch by Board President Jason Cain, MIJAS member Lucila Santiago, and Development Director Thomasina Cooper, was honored to receive recognition of our contribution to the overall health of our community. We couldn’t be more proud!

You can view the Thurston County EDC recognition video here

An Hour on the HelpLine

Derek — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 22:20:17 +0000

“I hear you. I’d like to go over what you’ve said to make sure I understand. Would that be okay with you?” –Amory B., advocate, on a recent Help Line call

Did you know our 24/7 Help Line is one of our most accessible and well-used resources at SafePlace? Staffed by trained advocates and volunteers, we received 4,448 calls in 2010, an average of 12 calls per day. People who call the Help Line may be wondering whether they’re in an abusive relationship, how to handle a parenting plan with an abusive partner, what they can do to plan for their family’s safety, or how to access legal services. Calling our Help Line is often the first step in breaking free from the cycle of domestic violence or healing from the trauma of sexual assault. “Not only is the Help Line an entry point for people into our shelter, it’s also a resource for many people in our community and elsewhere,” noted Amory, a Help Line Advocate. “We do a lot of research for people seeking assistance about a wide variety of issues.”

I recently spent an hour with Amory as she answered Help Line calls. According to Amory, “The most common reasons people call have to do with things like making a financial plan, relocating, legal stuff, and ‘is this abuse?’ type questions. People who have other resources don’t necessarily call, so it’s important that we’re here for those who need us.”

The first call was from someone who said they worked for CPS (Child Protective Services) and wanted information on someone who may have been staying at the shelter. Amory gently refused to identify whether the individual was receiving SafePlace services, in line with our confidentiality policy. As the caller pushed, Amory explained that we are bound by the same confidentiality statutes as doctors and lawyers. Amory stated, “I think because people don’t have to tell us their names, the Help Line is a more accessible and safe place to call.”

The next caller was very upset. Typing details as she listened, Amory paused every few minutes to clarify what she’d heard and check whether the caller felt understood. At one point, she asked the caller to take a deep breath because “you seem anxious.” Several times during this lengthy call, the Help Line rang and Amory let the upset caller know she’d be right back. As she switched back and forth between calls, her voice remained calm and compassionate. She was still on this call, focused and empathic, when I left.

For nearly 30 years, SafePlace’s Help Line has been an invaluable round-the-clock community resource. Anyone can call, anytime and talk with someone like Amory who will skillfully listen, problem solve, and suggest resources. You might want to keep the number close by in case someone you know needs to call: 360-754-6300 (TTY: 360-943-6703).