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Empowering Our |
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Volume V, Issue 2 |
July 2005 |
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[ CIS Now Serving Marion & Lucas Counties | Mom Program Now Available | Vision Sessions for New Service Area | Shelter Celebrates 5 Years | Recycle Your Old Cellular Phones | DV/SA Taskforce Reviews Year's Work | CIS Charity Golf Tournament Successful | U can 2 Sisterhood | Why We Do What We Do...Working to End Sexual and Domestic Violence | Cookbooks for Sale | The TRUTH About Rape ]
Don't forget to read the Press Releases
CIS Now Serving Marion & Lucas Counties
On July 1, 2005, survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault in Marion and Lucas Counties will be able to access support and resources through Crisis Intervention Services, the victim service agency recognized by the Crime Victim Assistance Division of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. “We have been asked to serve Marion and Lucas Counties because the Iowa Coalitions Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault had to decrease the number of programs available. There is no longer enough funding to sustain the 33 existing programs across the state of Iowa. Turning Point, which served Marion and Lucas Counties for about 15 years, lost their funding this year as did four other programs. It has been a very difficult and sad process for us all. We know that our funding agencies and coalitions are doing what is best for victims, but the knowing doesn’t make it any easier.
Many people do not know what services might be available for them. If you have a need, please call us at 800-270-1620 24-hours a day. If we can’t help, we will know who can. Crisis Intervention Services plans to open an outreach office in Marion County soon. But, not having one yet should not stop anyone from calling. If you know someone who could use someone to talk to, please have them call us. We can make arrangements to meet with them at a safe location of their choice, in their own community. Many survivors prefer to meet with advocates at libraries, hospitals, schools, or other safe and anonymous locations. These types of arrangements have worked successfully for many years. CIS is holding vision sessions to assist the organization in better understanding the needs of crime victims in our new communities. We want to ensure that we are providing the services that the communities want and need. Dr. Ann Fields, William Penn University, will be the facilitator for the meeting. She has conducted similar meetings for other non-profit organizations throughout the state. Details about the vision meeting and the registration deadlines are on page two. Please consider attending this meeting and/or encouraging the participation of other community members.MOM Program Now Available
The Mom’s Off Meth Program (MOM) began in 1999 as a collaborative effort between the Crisis Center & Women’s Shelter in Ottumwa, Wapello County Department of Human Services, the Task Force on Drug Affected Children, and various other agencies seeking to help women with substance abuse issues. Over the years since MOM started, it has grown significantly in size, garnered national attention for its grassroots community collaboration, and served as a model for other programs nationwide. MOM focuses on meeting the needs of women victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault who also have coinciding substance abuse issues. There are two purposes to the program: to assist in reuniting families whose children have been placed in foster care or who are at risk of placement and to provide support and resources for abuse survivors. MOM is a free and confidential gender specific support group and individual advocacy program tailored to fit the needs of those with substance abuse issues. Clinical experience has shown that groups structured specifically for women or men are more beneficial. Men and women have different conflicts and issues when dealing with their abuse experience. In making the group gender specific, a safe, confidential and non-judgmental environment is provided for the members of the group. MOM focuses on empowerment of the individual. They learn how to move from victim to survivor. Participants learn how to problem solve, address any guilt or shame about how their children have been affected, and how to advocate for themselves. Most importantly, they learn that they are not alone. Other women have faced similar adversities and have prevailed. Since women in the group are in varying points of recovery and different stages of having their children returned, there are people in the group who serve as a role model to newcomers who are just starting down this journey. Women in the group who are succeeding are an inspiration to others within the group. MOM uses a holistic approach in that the survivor’s whole life is addressed. Issues focused on in the group are how domestic violence and sexual abuse are connected to substance abuse and how this affects family stability, parenting, self-image, and economic and educational opportunities. This helps women to see how different aspects of their lives are interwoven. The group centers on how to live in a sober world. MOM continues to provide support to families even after other services have been terminated. This long-term support is at no cost to the survivor and is essential for long-term sobriety. The program supports efforts to allow more children to remain with or be returned to their families, which decreases the number of children in foster care as well as the length of time that children are in out-of-home placements. Women receiving services through MOM not only regain their ability to be productive members of society, they also have become community leaders. Currently MOM meets weekly in Wapello, Appanoose, and Monroe counties. A product of their success is that the program is in need of more trained facilitators. Demand for the program is outpacing the number of facilitators and funding. Crisis Intervention Services has sent three staff people to the MOM facilitator training and will begin offering the program in Mahaska and Keokuk counties starting in June. We hope to have the program available in Marion and Lucas Counties within the next year. For more information, please contact CIS at 673-5499 or 800-270-1620.
Vision Sessions for New Service Area
Crisis Intervention Services (CIS) is holding three visioning sessions in our new service area. The purpose is to help us better understand the needs of crime victims in our new communities and to provide the communities with more information about our services. The sessions will be facilitated by Dr. Ann Fields, William Penn University professor and Marion County resident. Dr. Fields has conducted similar meetings for other non-profit organizations throughout the state and is familiar with domestic abuse/sexual assault programming. Please consider attending and encouraging your family and friends to attend as well!
TARGET AUDIENCE
- Abuse survivors
- Attorneys
- Clergy
- Concerned citizens
- Counselors
- Courthouse officials
- Donors
- Government officials
- Human service providers
- Law enforcement
- School administrators, counselors, and teachers
- Volunteers
TENATIVE AGENDA
- Registration
- Welcome and Introduction to CIS
- Luncheon
- What are the unmet needs of crime victims?
- What is your vision for services?
- Prioritize needs and desired services
- Discuss immediate and real future
- Discuss volunteer opportunities
MEETING DETAILS
Pella
Date: July 13
Time: 12-3
Location: Pizza Ranch
Lunch: On your own/menu
Registration deadline: July 11
Knoxville
Date: July 19
Time: 12-3
Location: Taso’s Steakhouse
Lunch: On your own/menu
Registration deadline: July 15
Chariton
Date: July 22
Time: 12-3
Location: Community Center, Room C
Lunch: $15/person, catered
Registration deadline: July 20
Shelter Celebrates Five Years
Come September the shelter will be open for five years. Five years!!! Wow, that’s quite an accomplishment. This achievement is possible only because of the tremendous support provided to us from our community and the dedication of our board members, staff, and volunteers. The shelter has served over 100 women and children every year since it opened. With that many people coming and going, some might think that house could be “worse for the wear.” The home is holding up quite well, though we do have some “wear and tear” issues. Congressman Leonard Boswell was instrumental in getting needed funds for some renovations. In April, a high-efficiency boiler and a new hot-water heater replaced our 50+ year-old boiler and a too-small 40-gallon hot-water heater. More repairs and updates will be completed this summer and fall. We are always in need of supplies, which are provided primarily by generous donations of area churches, civic groups, and concerned citizens. Everyday items that many of us take for granted are often in short supply including shampoo/conditioner, laundry detergent, dishwasher soap, toilet paper, deodorant, diapers, cold medicines, Tylenol, and feminine hygiene products.
Thank you to our many supporters for providing shelter for the homeless!
Recycle Your Old Cellular Phones
CIS uses old phones to provide 911 cell phones for anyone needing access to 911 for abuse or health issues. We also recycle extra phones as an on-going fundraising activity. PLEASE DONATE YOUR OLD PHONES TODAY!DV/SA Taskforce Reviews Year’s Work
The Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Taskforce developed in April of 2004 with a specific vision for the future: To assist survivors in the healing process and assess community and institutional responses to domestic violence and sexual assault. The Taskforce is a partnership between Crisis Intervention Services, Keokuk County Health Center, Keokuk County Public Health, Mahaska Health Partnership, Mahaska County Public Health, and New Directions. With financial backing from these organizations and a federal grant, the Taskforce researched, identified, and planned for the implementation of several key concepts designed to achieve its goals. At the individual response level, the Taskforce provided funding for nurses from Mahaska Health Partnership and the Keokuk County Health Center to attend Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training. This training program involved forty hours of intensive training covering all aspects of forensic evidence collection and health care for sexual assault survivors. Members also identified the need for a private room for Sexual Assault exams. The Emergency Department at MHP provided the room and Taskforce funds provided furnishings. New forensic equipment was purchased for the Emergency Departments at Keokuk County Health Center and Mahaska Health Partnership. This equipment will benefit individual survivors of sexual assault and strangulation (commonly referred to as choking) as well as our communities. The colposcope is used to perform internal video examinations of sexual assault victims, allowing for a more accurate diagnosis for the patient; furthermore, it can provide pictures of internal injuries that are admissible in court, thus contributing to the States case against the perpetrator. Domestic violence and sexual assault are, by their very nature, traumatic experiences for the survivor. One barrier experienced by some survivors relates directly to their ability to access professional counseling services. For this reason, the Taskforce provides financial assistance to survivors who have little or no insurance coverage, so they can seek counseling services at New Directions. The Taskforce members developed several projects to assess community and business needs. Working in co-operation with William Penn University Professors, questionnaire surveys were created to research public and professional knowledge about domestic violence and sexual assault in both Mahaska and Keokuk Counties. The data generated by these surveys will be utilized to guide future training offered by all partnering organizations. Training will be accomplished by local, state, and national speakers who have specific areas of expertise with domestic violence and sexual assault, such as Medical, Law Enforcement, and Prosecution. Research suggests that domestic violence may occur at numbers far higher than actually reported. For this reason, taskforce members developed screening protocols using past research, current medical programs, and survivor interviews for use in both participating hospitals and community health programs. These procedures are intended to bring assistance, hope, and healing to survivors and their children experiencing domestic and sexual abuse.
SERVICES PROVIDED
- 24-hour Crisis Line
- Emergency Shelter
- Crisis Counseling
- Support Groups
- Information and Referrals
- Medical Advocacy
- Legal Advocacy
- Economic Advocacy
- Emergency Financial Assistance (as able)
- Transportation (as able)
- Community Education and Training
- 911 cell phones
CIS Charity Golf Tournament Successful
The Annual CIS Charity Golf Tournament was held at Harvest Point Golf Course on Saturday, June 4th. The tournament had 25 best ball teams who committed a day to helping end violence. The event sponsors were Clow Valve Company, First National Bank Midwest, and Mahaska Health Partnership. Gold sponsors were Bank Iowa, Duro-Last Roofing, De Jong Manufacturing, Malcom Lumber, Midwest One, Subway, and TD&T Financial Services. Silver sponsors included Butler-Brown Insurance, Hunt, Kain & Associates, Iowa Telecom, Oskaloosa Vision Center, & Van Roekel Appliance. According to Janese Greenhalgh, Fundraising Committee Chair, the tournament raised almost $3,000 to support the Transitional Housing Program. “We are thrilled that we had an excellent turnout and the weather was perfect. Everyone had a good time.” The 2006 tournament is scheduled for the first Saturday in June at Harvest Point Golf Course.
U can 2 SISTERHOOD
caring and sharing is what it is all about!
Why We Do What We Do...Working to End Sexual & Domestic Violence
A speech by the Rev. Dr. Marie M. Fortune, reprinted with permission Faith Trust Institute, October 25, 2003
During my recent sabbatical, my writing focused on a complete revision of my first book: Sexual Violence-The Unmentionable Sin, which was published 20 years ago and is still in print. I wanted to do this revision to update the material and keep the book in print. But it has also allowed me to consider how far we have come in the past twenty years of this work.
In summary, my conclusion is that: everything has changed and nothing is different...
For example, our understanding of sexual assault and abuse is much more nuanced now. For a while we were relying on the nature of rape to determine the wrong of rape. This suggests how difficult it is to make a moral argument against sexual violence in a patriarchal culture. In other words, if a rapist is motivated by a desire of power and control and uses violence to achieve that end, then we can condemn the behavior and hold him accountable for it.
This argument rests on the assumption that violence against another person is wrong and unacceptable. If, however, a rapist is motivated by sexual desire, i.e., is aroused and forces another person sexually, the moral argument gets more difficult because sexual desire is viewed as “normal,” a moral good. It also shifts the focus to the victim, i.e., the “source” of the rapist’s arousal: what was she (or he) wearing, doing, saying that “causes” the rapist to be aroused? Hence the moral question was turned on its head: it became about the victim’s behavior rather than the rapist’s behavior. Our ethics turned on our clinical assertions about the nature of sexual violence.
This is why in the 1970-80’s, the anti-rape movement in the U.S. spent so much energy focused on “rape is violence, not sex.” It was a valiant attempt to carve out a moral stance from which to work for legislative and judicial changes. It was also an effort to re-educate the public and to appeal to a new ethical norm. In many ways, the effort was successful. Public consciousness did change.
Laws did change, e.g., many jurisdictions enacted rape shield laws which attempted to prevent a rape victim’s sexual history from being admitted as evidence at trial. Rhetoric shaped consciousness but didn’t tell the whole story. This is why Catherine MacKinnon’s rebuttal of “rape is violence, not sex,” is so important. She was willing to name the obvious: rape is the extreme expression of a male-defined sexuality of dominance in a patriarchal culture. Sexual violence is normative, not deviant or aberrant behavior. The evidence abounds: the widespread occurrence of sexual violence in multiple forms, the largely ineffective legal response, the overwhelming acceptance by society that “the way things are is the way they have to be.” When I wrote this book in the early 1980’s, I did so to help reshape the cultural, political and ethical norms, to make the case that “rape is violence, not sex.” I suggested that we have two options of how we might view the nature of sexual violence.
I now realize that I was part of the effort to carve out an ethical stance from which to work against sexual violence in a culture which fundamentally accepted it as normative. I have no regrets about this position. I will continue to argue as a moral norm that sexual experience should take place in a context devoid of coercion and grounded in equality and choice and that sexual violence is the opposite of this.
However wishful thinking cannot overcome the fact that rape is about sex in a patriarchal culture. In order to successfully counter, prevent, and confront sexual violence, we have to recognize that it is about violence and sex in a culture where violence is eroticized. But I will continue to argue from a theological perspective that, often contrary to experience, the coercive nature of sexuality is not an ontological reality which is to say that it is not natural or part of God’s created order for men or women. I realize that at this moment in history, this may be more of a statement of faith than anything else. But it is where I have to stand as a woman determined to survive in the culture into which I was born and to change it.
Our work together is taking on a new phase. Although we originally had a naïve expectation that we would be done by now, that after 26 years we would have accomplished our goal of preparing our religious institutions to carry this work forward as an integral part of their ministries, we are not there yet. No more do victims of violence necessarily hear words of condemnation and blame from their faith communities.
And yet from this perspective of 26 years, we see much that has changed.
- Fewer abusers and batterers misuse religious teachings with impunity to justify their actions.
- Many of our religious institutions are no longer silent in the face of sexual and domestic violence.
- Abuse by religious leaders, which we did not realize at all 26 years ago, will not go back into the closet.
All of this only means more work for Faith Trust Institute. Our leadership and resources are still needed. So we move into this new century with a new name, a new Board, and new program to respond to the issues before us. Isaiah’s wisdom guides us:
“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (43:18-19)
Our job is to accept with surprise these new things among us. Our work on sexual and domestic violence requires that we bridge culture, politics, religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability and religious affiliation because the work is there in every community, every faith group and our best efforts require us to pool our resources and our wisdom. This is the fundamental philosophy of Faith Trust Institute which continues to guide us into the future.
“We are called to simply be faithful to this task.”
Our work is profoundly spiritual whether changing institutions and policies or supporting individuals who have suffered brokenness from sexual and domestic violence. We will only succeed, and I believe we will succeed, if we sustain our roots in our tradition of spirituality which guide and inspire us every day. So we mourn and celebrate together, we rage at injustices and we lift up the small victories wherever we find them, because what we do, or don’t do, matters very much to many people. People whose lives have been literally saved, changed, transformed by what we do. Jewish teaching reminds us that to save one life is to save the world.
Cookbooks For Sale
Looking for a gift for someone? Help survivors of abuse by purchasing a cookbook made up of recipes from CIS staff, board members, and volunteers. You can purchase a cookbook at our main office between the hours of 9-5 Monday through Friday or from anyone associated with CIS. Sale price is one for $8 or two for $15 with all proceeds designated for transitional housing project which will open by Sept 2005.
The TRUTH About Rape
Myth: Rape doesn’t happen very often.
TRUTH: 1 out of every 6 adult women has been a victim of rape.
Myth: Men can’t be raped.
TRUTH: Approximately 92,700 men are raped each year in the U.S.
Myth: Rape is only committed by strangers.
TRUTH: Two-thirds of rape victims report a prior relationship with the offender.
In 2000, about 8 in 10 rape victims stated the offender was a boyfriend or girlfriend, other relative, a friend or an acquaintance.
Myth: Women lead men on. Sometimes they are just asking to be raped.
TRUTH: No one ever asks to be raped. Forcing someone to engage in sexual activity against their will is sexual assault – regardless of the way that person dresses or acts.
Myth: Rape is “no big deal.”
TRUTH: About one in three women who are injured during a rape or physical assault require medical care.
Rape victims can also experience negative mental health outcomes and are much more likely to engage in harmful behaviors to cope with the trauma, such as drinking, smoking, or using drugs.
Myth: A woman can’t be raped against her will. Anyone can stop rape if they really want to stop it.
TRUTH: Anytime someone forces sexual activity, it is rape.
Rape victims can face threats of force, be under the influence of drugs/alcohol, or even be asleep. Regardless of the situation, sex against someone’s will is rape.
Myth: A person who has really been sexually assaulted will be hysterical.
TRUTH: There is no “right way” to react to sexual assault.
Sexual assault victims can be calm, hysterical withdrawn, angry, in denial, or in shock.
Myth: I don’t know anyone who’s ever been raped.
TRUTH: Rape victims are doctors, lawyers, nurses, military personnel, cooks, accountants, or anyone.
Less than one-third of rape and sexual assaults are reported to the police.
References:
Bohner G, Danner UN, Siebler F, Samson GB. Rape Myth Acceptance and Judgments of Vulnerability to Sexual Assault: An Internet Experiment. Experimental Psychology 2002; 49(4):257-269.
Burt MR. Cultural myths and support for rape. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1980; 38, 217-230.
Burt MR, Albin RS. Rape myths, rape definitions, and probability of conviction. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 1981; 11, 212-230.
Lonsway KA, Fitzgerald LF. Rape myths: In review. Psychology of Women Quarterly 1994; 18, 133-1164.
Document created by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/injury
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