Responding to the Orlando Mass Shooting

As we face the horror of the mass shooting in Orlando and endless media speculation, we can also respond to violence against LGBTQ communities. The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs has numerous toolkits and resources to help us build effective actions and networks for addressing violence. For instance, "Rapid Incidence Response Toolkit: Responding to Violence in LGBTQ and HIV-Affected" provides multiple and detailed ways to respond effectively for survivor support, media communications, and organizing and advocacy.

The mission of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs is to "empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV_affected communities and allies to end all forms of violence through organizing and education, and supports survivors through counseling and advocacy."

Speaking Up Against Cognitive Distortions Regarding Sexual Violence

Have you ever heard someone hear about one rape case that was unfounded or thrown out because of a false accusation and then generalize to all rape cases? Overgeneralization, jumping to conclusions, and blaming are among the cognitive distortions that people often call upon as a way to dismiss violence against women.

            So what can you do:  Speak up and point to the evidence.  Point out what evidence there is about reporting rape. (1) The majority of rape victims do not report being attacked to the police (NIJ). (2) Research shows that false reporting of sexual assault ranges from 2-8%. It means it happens but it is not typical (NSVRC).  

            Even if the person you are talking to does not change his/her mind, someone else may hear what you are saying and you have had a chance to practice speaking up about injustice.

References

Grohol, John M. 15 Common CognitiveDistortions. PsychCentral. 

NIJ. National Institute of Justice.2010. Reporting of Sexual Violence Incidents.

 

NSVRC.National Sexual Violence Resource Center. 2016. False Reports: Moving Beyondthe Issue to Successfully Investigate and Prosecute Non-Stranger SexualAssault. 

 Martha T.

Safety Guide for LGBTQ Youth

Check out the BreakOUT 4 page streetsafety guide for LGBTQ youth, especially young transgender women for knowing your rights with the police. The guide recognizes the complexities and risks of advocating for one’s rights. It was developed specifically for young people in New Orleans, but the principles apply widely. For instance, things youth can say or do that, while may not prevent you from being arrested, could help in court later on. Please share the link with any LGBTQ youth in your life.

Reference

BreakOUT! Guide to Street Safetyand Preserving  Your Rights with the Police

Improving Training to Stop Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment can happen in a workplace or other professional or social situations. It typically involves one or more men making unwanted sexual advances or making obscene remarks to a cis or trans gender woman.  Because of the prevalence of sexual harassment in work settings and subsequent lawsuits and protests, many companies and universities have instituted sexual harassment trainings. Recent research suggests that the “let’s cover our liability” approach to sexual harassment by employers is not reducing sexual harassment and may, in fact, result in men being less capable of perceiving inappropriate behavior and more likely to blame victims (Levin 2016).

            What is wrong with the training? Researcher Lauren Edelman suggests that trainings typically use cartoonish and unrealistic examples that erode the seriousness of sexual harassment. Edelman suggests that we need more research on the effectiveness of sexual harassment training and need to develop other methods for promoting prevention, including how sexual harassment cases are handled, promoting women in leadership, and reducing gender inequality in the workplace.

Martha Thompson

IMPACT Chicago Self-Defense Instructor

National Women’s Martial Arts Certified Self-Defense Instructor

Reference

Levin, Sam. 2016. “Sexual harassment mayhave reverse effect, research suggests. TheGuardian, May 2.

Empowerment Self-Defense is Primary Prevention

One of the ongoing arguments of the Center of Disease Control (CDC) is that self-defense is an example of risk-reduction and not primary prevention.  And guess what CDC funds and promotes: primary prevention. So how self-defense is labeled has a profound effect on the ability of self-defense organizations and instructors to offer self-defense training to people who do not have the economic resources to pay for or travel to self-defense training. 

Based on principles of primary prevention (Nation 2003), ESD programs fit the criteria of primary prevention:  

·        Are comprehensive

ESD programs meet the criteria of multiple interventions and multiple settings. In terms of multiple interventions, ESD programs provide a range of tools for individuals to interrupt sexual violence, including awareness, assessment, verbal and physical strategies.  ESD programs work with various systems and organizations attempting to address violence, such as schools, communities, religious centers, prisons.

·        Include varied teaching methods

ESD programs also use a variety of teaching methods, including lecture, story-telling, role-playing, and discussion, with an emphasis on interactive instruction and active, hands-on experiences that increase the participants’ skills

·        Provide sufficient dosage

Charlene Senn and others (2015)  found that 4 3-hour units of self-defense training were effective. Most ESD programs offer shorter sessions to meet public demand, but most ESD organizations offer longer programming, totaling at least 12 hours

·        Are theory driven

ESD programs are driven by theories of gendered violence and how it intersects with other systems of privilege and oppression, such as disability, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, social class. ESD programming builds upon the latest theoretical understandings of gender, intersectionality, trauma, and violence.

·        Provide opportunities for positive relationships

A major aspect of any ESD program is building positive relationships among participants. As one woman in an IMPACT Chicago program recently said: “The relationships that the program fostered led me to not only feel connected with the women in the program, but also all of womankind.”

·        Appropriately timed

Lack of funding has affected the ability of ESD programs to offer programs for every age, but many offer programs for children and teens with the goal to intervene prior to experiences of violence.

·        Socioculturally relevant

ESD programs work with groups throughout their communities. This means working with organizations to adapt curriculum in ways appropriate for the group being served. That is, a program for 11 year old middle school girls will differ from a program offered for college students or for an all-gender group.

·        Include outcome evaluation

Again funding would increase the ability of ESD organizations to undertake outcome evaluation, but many ESD organizations already do so. For instance, for over 25 years IMPACT Chicago has collected information before and after every course in order to examine the changes as a result of a self-defense program. IMPACT Chicago has also analyzed videotapes of participants in self-defense scenarios to determine effectiveness.

·        Involve well-trained staff

Training and certification are key component of ESD programs. Many ESD instructors are certified by the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation through a rigorous certification process (http://nwmaf.org/instructor-certification). IMPACT International also certifies instructors who complete a rigorous training process.

The ESD Advocacy Group, See Jane Fight Back, and other individuals and groups are demanding that the CDC and other federal organizations broaden their outlook on what constitutes primary prevention and include empowerment self-defense.

Martha Thompson

IMPACT Chicago Certified Self-Defense Instructor

NWMAF Certified Self-Defense Instructor

Reference

Nation, Maury, Cindy Cursto, Karol L.Kumpfer, Diana Seybolt, Erin Morrissey-Kane, and Katrina Davino.2003. American Psychologist, 58 (6/7)P 449-456.         

Protesting Rape Culture

PREPARE, a sister organization of IMPACT Chicago located in New York City, participated in an action against rape culture resulting from trainings by Breakthrough Catalyst.  

The idea is to use a kazoo as a way to call out rape culture.  Kazoos are a humorous way to draw attention to and protest behavior and language that perpetuate rape culture. 

For more about the original action, read PREPARE Vice President Karen Chasen's blog on Stop Street Harassment #DoYouKazoo Anti-Street Harassment Action

Get your kazoo and let IMPACT Chicago know if you use it to protest rape culture.

Sexual Orientation and Sexual Assault

In "Sexual orientation and sexual assault victimization among U.S. college students," Johnson, Matthews, and Napper find that sexual minority college students (transgender, gay men, bisexual women and men) other than lesbians report more sexual victimization than heterosexual students.

Johnson, L. M., et al. 2016. Sexual orientation and sexual assault victimization

among US college students.  The Social Science Journal.