Zarena Leblanc and Maribel Romero from ALSO attended the 2016 National Sexual Assault Conference held in the District of Columbia on August 31^st to September 2^nd. This conference – themed “Hopeful Future Honored Past – united more than 1,300 individuals from 50 states, 4 territories and 7 nations under one roof, to envision and collaboratively discuss a world free of sexual violence. Through its LINK (Locally Implementing National Knowledge)Travel Assistance Program, ALSO sponsored 21 participants from the following STOP funded agencies: The Centre County Women’s Resource Center (Pennsylvania), West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information Services, Vermont Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs, Rutland County Women’s Network and Shelter (Vermont), Rutland County State’s Attorney’s Office (Vermont), Rutland County Police Department (Vermont), Harvey County DV/SA Task Force Inc. (Kansas), Florida Supreme Court, Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, Office of State Courts Administrator Office (Florida), Women’s Resource Center (Oklahoma), Norman Police Department (Oklahoma), and the University of Oklahoma.

The two-and-a-half-day advocacy-based conference offered information about sexual assault intervention and prevention, community organizing, and trauma, as well as, an opportunity to meet other colleagues from across the U.S. invested in ending sexual assault. The conference allowed the exploration of intersectional areas spanning advocacy, children/youth, legal policy, media, counseling, campuses, trauma, prevention, research to practice, health related issues, self-care, institutional violence, working with male and female survivors who are or have been incarcerated, youth access to services, counseling and culturally specific services and collaborating with disability service organizations. By acknowledging the span of sexual violence, more can be done to respond appropriately to individuals subjected to it.

The knowledge offered at this conference is invaluable because of its multidisciplinary nature. Participants were encouraged to think critically and intentionally about what individuals, organizations and the community can do to end sexual violence. Thinking and talking about the contributing aspects of sexual violence through a variety of lens, offers strategic moments of intervention and prevention for advocates and allies. Attending the conference allowed for participants to consider the connection between ideas and develop them into action plans that could take addressing sexual violence to a new level and leave participants with the opportunity to explore the unknown.

The LINK participants who attended the conference, they have developed an action plan that will guide them in taking concrete steps to use their newly obtained knowledge to end sexual violence in their communities. On October 12^th, ALSO hosted a webinar where LINK participants gave presentations on their action plans which included stated goals of these action plans such as starting a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), promoting the development of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) programs in a rural community, and incorporating current best practices and research to judicial trainings and bench books.

At ALSO, building relationships and exploring ideas that have never been considered before is a part of our growth. We recognize that collaborations are a key part of thriving communities. Building unconventional relationships can foster impactful moments of change and open the door to greater partnerships and change. The staff who attended the conference have started thinking about ways they can integrate what they learned at the conference to their work at ALSO. For example, ALSO staff recognized that, in the community we serve, there are a number of formerly incarcerated female survivors and we wish to reach out to this population and find out what types of resources they need in order to successfully re-enter the community and inform programs beneficial to this group.

Everyone has a role to play in keeping women and men safe from sexual assault and creating an environment where sexual violence is not tolerated. Increasing the number of people who can help create a safe community is a step in the right direction. 

Written by Zarena Leblanc
Program Coordinator

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women, ALSO's LINK Travel Assistance Program subsidizes STOP Formula Grant state and territory administrators and sub-grantees to attend national conferences and trainings where they gain knowledge and experience to share and implement in their local communities.