Hey {{ FirstName | default: 'Friend' }} - in this email we will share:
- a spotlight on leap
- april is sexual assault awareness month
- youth advisory board connection
- tips for moving with limited mobility
- books about consent and sexual assault awareness
- upcoming events/world autism month events
You can always connect with DSHN in other ways, too:
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"I am strong, my feelings are important, I deserve to feel safe, I deserve respect" is the empowerment statement that all participants learn in LEAP, the Leadership for Empowerment and Abuse Prevention project. Through LEAP training, participants learn to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy relationships and how to respond when in an unhealthy relationship. LEAP is designed to help participants strengthen their feelings of self-efficacy and self-confidence. The LEAP project is hosted by The Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University (The Partnership).
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LEAP was originally created for adults with mild, moderate, or severe intellectual disability. The training was developed by a multidisciplinary team that included people with disabilities, family members, disability support providers, and professionals from health, domestic violence, child advocacy, special education, and social services. LEAP was designed to be taught by 2 trainers, 1 with a disability and 1 without a disability. Having a person with a disability as a co-facilitator provides participants with a positive role model for healthy relationships and someone with lived experience from whom they can learn and ask questions. By partnering with the Disability-inclusive Sexual Health Network, The Partnership is adapting LEAP for a younger audience to teach valuable healthy relationship and abuse prevention skills.
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LEAP uses different teaching strategies like visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile to meet the needs of their participants. Throughout LEAP participants learn about different types of relationships. Each participant explores a 'map of their own world' and separates people into categories including close friends, romantic partners, friends, paid support staff, acquaintances, and strangers. Participants explore the types of touch appropriate to different kinds of relationships. Through observation and role playing participants learn how to identify healthy, unhealthy, and confusing relationships and what action steps to take if they are in an unhealthy relationship. Participants also learn about their bodies, public and private behaviors, and consent. Learners practice different ways to say 'no' and ways to say 'yes' which empowers them to make informed decisions about their body and their lives.
The Partnership is piloting their LEAP for Teens curriculum and looking for teens with IDD between the ages of 12-15 in the Richmond area to attend 4 in-person lessons beginning on 4/20 and ending 5/18 from 5:30-7pm at the Libbie Mill Library.
See the linked flyer for more information and to register. Please share this opportunity with others!
To learn more about LEAP visit the LEAP website. You can also learn more about healthy relationships and about the LEAP project in the March/April 2021 issue of Parenting Special Needs magazine.
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April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
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Please reach out to dshn@jmu.edu to share resources that would be useful for folks in our network, or for more resources on any specific topic.
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Tracing its roots back to the 1970s when activists began organizing on a national level, April was officially declared Sexual Assault Awareness Month by President Barack Obama in 2009.
The first sexual assault crisis center in the US opened in Oakland, California, in 1971 and focused on aiding victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. By the 1980s the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault had increased its presence and activism across the entire country. Thanks to the Coalition's work, Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 requiring law enforcement to treat domestic violence as a crime, and not a private domestic issue. President Bill Clinton signed the act into law on Sept 13, 1994. Since reauthorization of the law by President Barack Obama in 2013, provisions have been included to explicitly ensure protections regardless of an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity.
There are now thousands of sexual assault crisis centers and domestic abuse awareness organizations across the US. If you have experienced sexual assault or domestic violence, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, 24/7, at 800.656.HOPE to find a center near you, locate counseling services, or get resources and support.
OR in Virginia you can contact:
Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance. Hotline 800.838.8238 Text 804.793.9999 Online Chat
LGBTQ+ Partner Abuse and Sexual Assault Helpline Hotline 866.356.6998 Text 804.793.9999 Online Chat
Want to help others? Read on to learn how!
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Resources throughout the newsletter are labeled as follows:
[t]=text [v]=video [a]=audio [l]=list [w]=website
educate yourself
check out these resources to learn how you can bring awareness to sexual and domestic violence while supporting survivors
[w] national disability rights network provides training and technical assistance, and advocates for laws protecting the civil and human rights of all people with disabilities
[t] cavanet addressing violence against people with disabilities
[w] ujima strives to mobilize the community to respond to and end domestic, sexual, and community violence in the Black community
[t] sexual maltreatment of students with disabilities in american school settings article from the journal of child sexual abuse detailing the results from the first nationwide study on the sexual abuse of children with disabilities in the american school system
[t] deafdawn promoting healthy relationships and ending abuse in the deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind communities
[t] info sheet on sexual assault and I/DD information, resources, statistics, and tips to bring awareness to the sexual abuse against people with I/DD
[w] love is respect a 24/7 hotline for teens experiencing dating/sexual violence, and resources, education, and support for building healthy relationships
[t] defend innocence/saprea protecting children with disabilities from sexual abuse
[t] sexual violence and the disability community nuanced discussion of the silent epidemic of sexual violence against people with disabilities
[w] forge provides training, support, resources, connection, and awareness to build strength and resilience in transgender communities
volunteer
check out these opportunities in your community
[w] fairfax county virginia domestic and sexual violence services volunteer as a hotline counselor or train to be a court accompaniment or hospital accompaniment advocate
[w] blue ridge CASA for children become a court appointed special advocate for abused children in the shenandoah valley, virginia
[w] sexual assault response & awareness roanoke virginia become a volunteer crisis advocate for the crisis hotline and provide emotional support, crisis intervention, information and resources, and safety planning
[w] disability law center of virginia volunteer your time in office or remotely to help with administrative tasks, committee duties, presentations, or advocacy
take action
check out these events and happenings to get involved
[w] #30 days of SAAM challenge April 1-30, 2022, brought to you by the national sexual violence resource center. Join advocates, activists, survivors, and supporters who are getting involved in Sexual Assault Awareness Month this April on Instagram. Daily prompts encourage creative ways for you to raise awareness, educate, and connect with others. Plus, you have a chance to win prizes every day you participate.
[w] day of action April 5, 2022, brought to you by the national sexual violence resource center. The day of action is an opportunity to start sexual assault awareness month with highly visible and coordinated efforts. Plan an event, post SAAM-related social media content, or volunteer. Wear teal (the color used to symbolize support for sexual assault awareness) on April 5 and post a selfie to twitter or instagram using #SAAM2022
[w] chocolate walk April 1, 2022, brought to you by the collins center and child advocacy center in harrisonburg, va. Get lots of delicious handmade treats while supporting the Collins Center, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting adults and children through crisis support, counseling services, and their child advocacy center. Downtown, Harrisonburg, Va.
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Tip: Use YouTube's media player controls to make videos more accessible. Find out how at the links below:
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Youth
Advisory
Board
Connection
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Content for this section of the newsletter provided by the Disability-inclusive Sexual Health Network Youth Advisory Board
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Survivors often include children and folks who were assaulted by people they should be able to trust, like family, therapists, cops, and teachers. It is important to teach disabled folks and everyone that it is always okay to say no to something you are not comfortable with, even if the person you are saying no to is an authority figure. Connecting individuals to people they can trust to talk about and address their experiences, outside of their family or authority figures, can also help prevent abusive situations. Caregivers and trusted adults can also ask the people they care for to let them know whenever they experienced something that made them feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Make sure that you find/provide a safe space where expression of needs and emotions is welcome and autonomy is respected, and decisions are guided by the person with a disability.
Consent must be practiced every day in every situation. Always ask before performing any action to or for a person with disabilities, whether it be specific to sexuality, physical touch, or any life activity. For example, if a person with disabilities wears adult briefs or needs toileting assistance, it is still required to ask for consent and maintain privacy before and during providing that assistance. Make sure to ask the disabled person themselves for consent, rather than their caregiver because people with disabilities have autonomy over their own bodies regardless of support needs.
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Tips to get moving for those with limited mobility
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Check out these suggestions for maintaining strength and flexibility while increasing circulation.
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Worried about injury? Choose low-risk activities such as walking, dynamic stretches, or in-chair exercises. Make sure to warm-up and cool-down properly to ensure adequate circulation, and to prepare the body for movement.
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Build muscle! Safely build strength by remaining in a chair and using dumbbells or resistance bands to work the upper body. Exercise on a low-profile stationary bike with resistance to strengthen the legs.
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Just not sure what to do? No plan or scheduled exercise is required to get moving. Put on your favorite music and dance--just move however it feels good for you--and to the extent your mobility allows you to comfortably do so. Invite someone else to join in with you!
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Incorporate Isometrics! Use isometric holds to build strength even when mobility is very limited. Hold a resistance band or light weight steady (no movement) while contracting your muscles. Hold for up to 30 seconds.
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Check out these books about consent and sexual assault awareness
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Click on the underlined book title to learn more!
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I Have The Right To by Chessy Prout. A New York Public Library Best Book. An SLJ Best Non-Fiction Book
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Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu. Fiction. A GoodReads Choice Award Nominee. Now a Netflix Original Film directed by Amy Poehler
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consent by Jennifer Lang, MD. An overview of human sexuality and tools for communicating and understanding consent.
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Every month we will highlight a few events relevant to disability-inclusive sexual health and education. Follow our Google Calendar to view these and many more events, updated often!
Are you aware of or hosting an event you think would be relevant? Send/forward event info to dshn@jmu.edu!
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Shenandoah LGBTQ Center Trans/enby Health Fair
- At this trans/enby health fair, meet with representatives and get more information and resources from our Community Partners spanning mental, physical, financial, and holistic health and wellness!
- Free COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, other adult immunizations, STI testing, visit vendors and organizations that provide additional services related to health and wellness.
- Saturday, April 24, 10am-3pm
- Shenandoah LGBTQ Center facebook
- 13 W. Beverly St. 5th Floor. Staunton, Va
LRIDD Advocacy Circle
- Legal Reform for the Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled offers this advocacy group for adults (18 and over) with I/DD. Learn to speak up and advocate for yourself.
- April 4, 3-4:30pm
- LRIDD website
- LRIDD offices in Ashburn, VA
Mad Hatter Wellness
Elevatus
- This is a 3 day virtual certificate training program to become a sexuality educator and trainer. Learn to lead sexuality education classes, staff trainings, and parent workshops. Increase your skill and comfort level when addressing sexuality with people with I/DD.
- April 6-8, 11am-4:30pm EST
- Elevatus registration
NAMI Virginia Resilience Workshop
- This 2 day virtual workshop has been designed for youth and young adults (13-29) by youth and young adults to educate on what resiliency is and how to identify it in yourself, how to support others, and provides practical, real-life resiliency skill-building.
- April 6-7, 6-8pm EST
- NAMI Workshop Registration
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April is World Autism Month
Check out these events!
SVAP 15th Annual Autism 5k
- In person or virtual 5k to support Shenandoah Valley Autism Partnership
- April 23, 9am-11pm EST
- SVAP Autism 5k Registration
- For more info about the race contact valleyautisminfo@gmail.com
- 801 Parkwood Dr. Harrisonburg, Va OR join virtually from anywhere!
Autism Society of Northern Virginia Autism Social Club
Virginia Tech School of Medicine Neurodiversity Panel Discussion
- Virtual panel discussion covering 5 different perspectives of autism
- April 27, 11am EST
- VT Panel Discussion website
- Or for more info contact rleclair@vt.edu
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