Addressing Barriers & Creating Access Workshops
Widows: Breaking the Culture of Silence
Lily Thapa
Workshop 9C
Date & Time: Thursday, 9:50 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
Room: Chesapeake E
This presentation will cover the existing situation of widows in Nepal and how the socio cultural practices affect the lives of widows. We will discuss how widows are breaking the silence through organizing and mobilizing the groups in the village. The presentation includes a short clip on the inhumane cultural practices for the widows, and reflects on the advocacy demonstrations against the government policy of giving money to those men who marry widows.
Learning Objectives: (1) Best practices on how women can play a role to address the human rights violations. (2) Gain ideas and knowledge on the existing practices for women in South Asia and how these cultural practices affect the lives of women and the community as a whole.
Keywords: Communication/Public Awarenes, Economic Justice/Empowerment, Working with Underserved Communities, Breaking the Culture of Silence
Country: Nepal
Making our Shelters Strong – Training for Inuit Shelter Workers
Katharine IRNGAUT and Sipporah ENUARAQ
Workshop 9E
Date & Time: Thursday, 9:50 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
Room: National Harbor 7
In response to overwhelming requests for training and peer support, Pauktuutit developed a web portal that delivers a self-directed learning module based on the original training tool, user groups and a resource database. This workshop presents both the face-to-face training module and the web-based application of Making Our Shelters Strong. We also cover the challenges frontline workers and shelters face and how Making Our Shelters Strong helps make communication and learning more accessible to even the most remote communities.
Learning Objectives: (1) Guide participants through the journey of the Making Our Shelters Strong: Training for Inuit Shelter Workers from concept to the internet. The workshop will guide participants through the process of concept development, community and stakeholder engagement, module development, piloting and refinement and how technology can be used to create increased access to training tools, peer support and resources for shelters located in remote locations or with limited financial and human resources.
Keywords:Program/Shelter Services, Program/Shelter Sustainability, Training for Shelter Workers
Country: Canada
Addressing Barriers and Creating Access for Immigrant and/ Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender (LBT) Survivors of Domestic Violence
Dr. Hediana Utarti and Jee Kruawan Suthamwanthanee
Workshop 5F
Date & Time: Wednesday, 9:20 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
Room: Chesapeake G
Asian Women Shelter shares its experiences in creating access to Immigrant and/ LBT survivors of domestic violence by highlighting its Multi Lingual Access and Queer Asian Women and Transgender Services programs. Discussion includes program history, challenges and successes in addressing language barriers and homophobia, best practices towards your programs’ accessibility.
Learning Objectives: (1) Building an organizational understanding about the intersection of all oppressions and/violence. (2) Finding ways to confront oppressions and/violence in our daily work. (3) Creating safety for all survivors of violence from all walks of life, straight and queer, young and old.
Keywords: Immigrant Survivors/Victims, Working with Underserved Communities, Working with LGBT victims of domestic violence
Country: California, United States of America
Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T)™: Helping Families with Pets find safety
Allie Phillips
Workshop 2E
Date & Time: Tuesday, 11:25 a.m.- 12:25 p.m.
Room: National Harbor 7
Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T)™ is currently the only initiative in the U.S. guiding domestic violence shelters on how to house families together with their pets. This workshop will detail the importance of housing pets with families, how to establish a SAF-T program, with examples from practicing shelters.
Learning Objectives: (1) Understanding how family pets can become targets of family violence. (2) Knowledge of how to implement a SAF-T Program, including set-up, policies, fundraising and legal issues.
Keywords: Communication/Public Awareness, Housing for Survivors/Victim, Program/Shelter Services
Country: United States of America
Supporting the Healthy Development of Latina Adolescent Mothers
Lumarie Orozco
Workshop 5B
Date & Time: Wednesday, 9:20 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
Room: Chesapeake D
This workshop facilitated by Casa de Esperanza’s Community Initiatives Manager is an opportunity for advocates, practitioners and service providers to explore the complex realities of Latina adolescent mothers through our Mariposas Initiative. The Mariposas Initiative encourages and supports the healthy development of Latina adolescent mothers by providing holistic, culturally-relevant, support and advocacy.
Learning Objectives: (1) Describe the realities and challenges faced by Latina teen moms. (2) Explore the support needs of Latina teen moms. (3) Explore strategies that encourage and support the healthy development of Latina teen moms.
Keywords: Immigrant Survivors/Victims, Working with Underserved Communities, Latina Youth Development
Country: Minnesota, United States of America
War Trauma and Domestic Violence
Ana Jgenti
Workshop 3D
Date & Time: Tuesday, 2:10 p.m.- 3:10 p.m.
Room: National Harbor 6
The workshop will discuss the influence of war trauma on domestic violence and the impact of domestic violence on the process of overcoming war trauma. The wokshop will be based on our shelter’s and center’s experience during military conflict in 2008. Provided crisis interventions and pecularities of post-crisis period will be analyzed; specific cases will be presented.
Learning Objectives: (1) Learn the peculiarities of working during conflict and post-conflict period with victims of domestic violence, what major problems shelter face while working with them, how should these problems be overcome.
Keywords: War Trauma and Domestic Violence
Country: Georgia
Stories to Transform Rural Latina Communities Through Advocacy
Summer Carrick, Paola Morinigo, Griselda Ohrazda, and Amy Perete-McIntyre
Workshop 1B
Date & Time: Tuesday, 10:05 a.m. – 11:05 a.m.
Room: Chesapeake D
This multi-media workshop will share lessons learned and the promising programming designed to produce culturally meaningful advocacy, organizing and the development of Latina women leaders with minimal additional resources or policy changes to shelter-based programs. Through the stories of advocates working with farmworking and brush gathering women from Latin American countries, we will learn how to take advocacy work to a whole new level. We do this by sharing how to support survivors in creating their own self-advocacy path and facilitating community connections that address poverty, create economic opportunities, break isolation, provide opportunities and support women after the violence and/or while they are still surviving violence.
Learning Objectives: (1) Learn effective, tested strategies to do work to address the challenges of access to shelters and advocacy programs when Latina women in the US and beyond are disproportionately impacted by violence and more likely to report that traditional sheltering programs are not helpful.
Keywords: Immigrant Survivors/Victims, Working with Community, Funders, other Stakeholders, Working with Underserved Communities
Country: Washington, United States of America
Providing Services for Abuse in Later Life Survivors
Ann Turner and Catherine A. (Katie) Galenius
Workshop 7E
Date & Time: Wednesday, 2:50 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
Room: National Harbor 7
Seventy-seven million baby boomers are aging and people 85 and older, the fastest growing segment of the population, are disproportionately women. This workshop will use a combination of interactive exercises, video and lecture to enhance participants understanding of the dynamics of abuse in later life and how programs can better meet the needs of this population.
Learning Objectives: (1) Gain a better understanding of the interrelationship between Elder Abuse and Domestic Violence and the power and control dynamics of abuse in later life. (2) Be able to identify ways to increase physical, altitudinal and programmatic accessibility within their agencies to better serve victims of abuse in later life.
Keywords: Program/Shelter Services, Working with Underserved Communities
Country: Wisconsin, United States of America
Working with Faith Communities
Rev. Al Miles
Workshop 2I
Date & Time: Tuesday, 11:25 a.m.- 12:25 p.m.
Room: National Harbor 4
Victims and survivors of domestic violence will frequently turn first to members of their faith communities when seeking refuge from situations of domestic violence. This workshop will provide tools for service providers aspiring to collaborate with spiritual leaders.
Learning Objectives: (1) Address some of the challenges that have historically been associated in working with faith leaders around situations of domestic violence. (2) Work in collaboration with faith leaders
Keywords: Working with Faith Communities
Country: Hawaii, United States of America
Day One®: Creating Access to Safety through Relationships and Technology
Colleen Schmitt
Workshop 7D
Date & Time: Wednesday, 2:50 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
Room: National Harbor 6
This session highlights how improving a collective response by domestic violence agencies can improve access to services. Learn how the relationship, technology, and best practice based Day One® model provides a seamless response to victims seeking safety. A brief demonstration of the comprehensive bed inventory and service referral technology will be provided.
Learning Objectives: (1) To provide participants an opportunity to learn about how building a strong of network of domestic violence service providers and utilizing technology can enhance delivery of service.
Keywords: Housing for Survivors/Victims, Program/Shelter Services, Program/Shelter Sustainability, Working with Underserved Communities, Technology
Country: United States of America
Gender-Informed Disaster Planning & Response
Chic Dabby-Chinoy, Lieutenant Commander Jonathan White, Beth Meeks, Julie Ann Rivers-Cochran and Mieko Yoshimhama
Workshop 11A
Date & Time: Thursday, 2:10 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.
Room: Maryland Ballroom
How can gendered harms before, during, and after natural, intentional, or technological disasters be mitigated, given that women and children are disproportionately affected? Panelists offer gender-informed planning guidelines and response strategies for resource-poor and resource-rich regions, addressing the predatory and/or helpful behaviors of private and public actors, and collaboration between governmental organizations and NGOs.
Learning Objectives: (1) Identify disaster planning strategies and collaborations to make risk-reduction gender-informed. (2) Develop guidelines to safeguard shelter and program facilities, survivors and other individuals served by the program, and staff, programming, and services following a disaster.
Keywords: Housing for Survivors/Victims, Program/Shelter Services, Program/Shelter Sustainability, Research/Evaluation, Working with Governments, Working with Community, Funders, other Stakeholders, Disaster Response & Preparedness
Country: United States of America
No Wrong Doors: Cross-Sectoral Abuse-Informed Services
Saundra-Lynn Coulter, Susan Macphail, and Shelley Yeo
Workshop 10D
Date & Time: Thursday, 11:10 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
Room: National Harbor 6
How 130 woman abuse, sexual assault, mental health and addiction agencies in 11 regions are collaborating with women with lived experience to increase capacity to 1) provide abuse/trauma-informed mental health/addiction services; 2) screen for abuse, and 3) overcome mental health/addiction barriers to women accessing shelters. Share our tools and cross-trainings.
Learning Objectives: (1) How to collaborate across sectors to ensure abused women’s access to mental health and addiction services that are woman abuse-informed, sexual assault-informed and trauma-informed, and to develop cross-sectoral programs/services which integrate abuse/mental health and addictions issues. (2) How shelters and shelter workers can build capacity to provide better supports for abused women with mental health challenges and substance use issues.
Keywords: Program/Shelter Services, Cross-sectoral Collaboration, Abuse/Trauma-informed Services, Integrated Woman Abuse/Sexual Assault/Mental Health and Addiction
Country: Canada
Maintaining Shelters and Insuring Women’s Rights in a Hostile Environment
Workshop 3I
Date & Time: Tuesday, 2:10 p.m.- 3:10 p.m.
Room: National Harbor 4
This workshop will address how women’s rights advocates in the most dangerous country in the world for women have been successful in accessing justice for women. It will also address how the subjugation of women in Afghanistan is not supported by Islam but rather it is a political, even military, strategy employed by men who resist democracy in pursuit of despotic power.
Learning Objectives: (1) Provide a view of what is really going on in Afghanistan in terms of the progress toward women’s rights actually achieved by women’s organizations but ignored by mainstream media. (2) Discuss the responsibility of the “developed” world to the women of Afghanistan and to women in other countries who are the objects of widespread human rights violations.
Keywords: Communication/Public Awareness, Working with Community, Funders, other Stakeholders, Working with Abusers/Batterers, Keeping Faith with the Women of Afghanistan
Country: United States of America
Harm Reduction
Workshop 5J
Date & Time: Wednesday, 9:20 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
Room: National Harbor 5
Harm reduction offers a client-centered, realistic and respectful option for providing service to substance involved clients. This session will describe how a shelter for abused women and their children in London, Ontario, Canada adopted a harm reduction approach to decrease barriers to accessing service.
Learning Objectives: (1) Gain an understanding of the Harm Reduction philosophy and the ways in which it differs from the traditional disease view of substance use. (2) Learn about the policies, practices and training a London Ontario Canada shelter put in place as it moved away from a “zero tolerance” approach to drugs and alcohol.
Keywords: Working with Underserved, Program/Shelter ServicesCountry: Canada
Critical Exam of Children's Custody Regulations in DV Cases
Marcella Pirrone, Julia Giradi and Julie Oberin
Workshop 10H
Date & Time: Thursday, 11:10 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
Room: National Harbor 3
Comparative research (Europe and Australia) on regulations regarding children´s custody in cases of DV with a particular focus on the protection of children and their mothers who are facing “custody rights” by violent fathers/partners. The aim is to raise awareness on several critical points and tendencies.
Learning Objectives: (1) Gain capacity of comparing legal/judicial systems of several countries with a view from the victims of DV perspective/interests. (2) Gain capacity to discuss best practices.
Keywords: Communication/Public Awareness, Research/Evaluation, Awareness Raising on Witnessed Violence of Children Victims of DV, Best Practices and Law Reform from the Point of View of DV Victims
Country: Italy, Austria, Australia
Beyond Labels: Serving Survivors with Mental Illness
Cema Mastroleo, M.Ed. and Melinda Cantu
Workshop 9J
Date & Time: Thursday, 9:50 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
Room: National Harbor 5
Facilitators will address the links between violence, trauma and mental health, as well as staff fears and attitudes about mental illness. Participants will discuss practical strategies for working with survivors with symptoms of mental illness and tips for setting and maintaining accessible and welcoming culture to people with mental illness.
Learning Objectives: (1) Learn about ways that trauma associated with violence can affect mental health. (2) Discuss practical strategies for working with survivors with symptoms of mental illness and tips for setting and maintaining accessible and welcoming culture to people with mental illness.
Keywords: Program/Shelter Services, Working with Underserved Communities, Accessibility to survivors with disabilities, Trauma Informed Services
Country: United States of America
Closing the Gaps: Ensuring Access to Services for Marginalized Communities
Rosie Hidalgo and Marai Larasi
Workshop 3E
Date & Time: Tuesday, 2:10 p.m.- 3:10 p.m.
Room: National Harbor 7
While domestic violence affects women from all communities, those from marginalized populations often struggle to access services designed to serve survivors with a one-size-fits-all approach. This workshop will explore policies and practices to address language barriers and other barriers to access, provide culturally responsive programs, and engage marginalized communities from a strengths-based approach as a strategy for social transformation.
Learning Objectives: (1) Promote policy efforts and advocacy initiatives to enhance access to resources for marginalized populations from a human rights perspective.
Keywords: Immigrant Survivors/Victims, Working with Governments, Working with Community, Funders, other Stakeholders, Working with Underserved Communities
Country: United States of America and United Kingdom
Accessibility and Responsiveness for Survivors with Disabilities
Workshop 8C
Date & Time: Wednesday, 4:10 p.m. – 5:10 p.m.
Room: Chesapeake E
This workshop will provide a general overview of free or low-cost strategies for improving accessibility and responsiveness for survivors with disabilities in a shelter setting. The presentation will highlight the five domains of accessibility and responsiveness- Inclusive Practices, Inclusive Communications, Inclusive Environment, Inclusive Policies and Building Capacity.
Learning Objectives: (1) Increase their knowledge of five domains of accessibility and responsiveness in a domestic violence shelter setting.(2) Identify potential free or low-cost strategies you could use within your own agency for improving accessibility and responsiveness.
Keywords: Working with Underserved Communities
Country: United States of America
Forgotten Sisters? – Mainstream Support & Disabled Women
Sue Salthouse, Bonnie Brayton, Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo and Sebenzile Matsebula
Workshop 7F
Date & Time: Wednesday, 2:50 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
Room: Chesapeake G
A tri-continent look at better safety for disabled women. Presenters from Australia, Canada & South Africa will give a global overview of the situation at hand.
Learning Objectives:(1) Improve understanding of distinctive nature, incidence and prevalence of domestic violence experienced by disabled women. (2) Discuss human rights & inclusion principles. (3) Get tips on improving awareness, making inclusive policies/programs for disabled women in your service
(4) Map out actions to be taken locally and globally.
Keywords: Communication/Public Awareness, Housing for Survivors/Victims, Working with Underserved Communities, Survivors with disabilities
Country: Australia, Canada & South Africa
Responding to Harmful Practices
Sumanta Roy, Khatun Sapnara, Heather Heiman, Sameem Ali, and Marai Larasi
Workshop 11F
Date & Time: Thursday, 2:10 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.
Room: Chesapeake G
Imkaan will share key findings from a London-based study on harmful practices recently completed for the London Mayors Office (Greater London Authority, 2011). The presentation will cover impact and barriers, gaps in current approaches, promising practice and achieving effective multi-agency responses to address the needs of BMER (Black, minority, and ethnic refugee) women and girls.
Learning Objectives: (1) Increase knowledge and awareness on the impact of harmful practices on BMER women and girls. (2) Improve skills in the development of effective strategies, service responses and interventions that respond to the needs of BMER women and girls.
Keywords: Research/Evaluation, Working with Community, Funders, other Stakeholders, Black, Ethnic Minority and Refugee Women and Girls, Developing Effective Policy and Service Responses
Country: England and United States of America
Enhancing Services for the LGBTQ Community
Dr. Hediana Utarti, Amy Loudermilk, Carolyn Fish and Morgan Lynn
Workshop 10J
Date & Time: Thursday, 11:10 a.m. – 12:10 p.m
Room: National Harbor 5
During this panel, advocates will discuss the struggles, challenges, successes, and failures that programs have experienced in trying to ensure that services are welcoming and applicable to survivors from the Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, and Queer communities.
Country: United States of America
