Ask Congress for Appropriations to fund the VAWA Re-Authorization

On January 5, 2006 President Bush signed VAWA 2005 into law. The final version of the new VAWA continues the outstanding progress made by VAWA over the past ten years by strengthening existing programs and expanding into new areas.

Sexual Assault Services Act (SASA) became a new source of funding for community level sexual assault programs in VAWA 2005 at an authorized level of $50 million. Now, we must go through an appropriations process as part of the fiscal year 2007 budget to actually get Congress to fund the program. We MUST help get SASA funded at as high a level as possible this first year, because that will set the precadent for future years.

President Bush’s proposed budget for FY 2007 was announced on February 6th. Funding for many VAWA programs was requested at amounts far below the amounts authorized in VAWA 2005. No new VAWA programs received funding for FY 2007. Among these programs are set-asides for communities of color, prevention programs, sexual assault services, provisions for long-term housing for victims, and children and teen programs. Without funding, these new programs created in VAWA 2005 will not be able to take effect. For these reasons, it is critical that advocates come together to ask for appropriations for these vital programs.

Ask Congress to Stop the Raid of the VOCA Fund

Once again this year the President’s budget proposes to rescind the entire balance of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund. The VOCA Fund was established in 1984 as a funding source for services that help crime victims cope with the trauma and aftermath of crime. VOCA funds, which consist of fines and penalties collected from criminals, not tax dollars. Funds assist more than 4,400 local agencies from all 50 states to serve over 4 million crime victims each year. Those served include victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, drunk driving, as well as survivors of homicide victims. If the Administration succeeds there will be no VOCA Funds available in 2008. Victim service providers aligned together last year to defeat this proposal and we MUST rally this year to ensure this crucial funding source remains available to help victims of crime.

Contact Your Members of Congress!
Please urge your represenatives and senators in Congress to fund SASA at the authorized level of $50 million, block the rescission of the VOCA fund, and also reinstate the PHHSBG funding (7% of which goes to sexual assault-related programs in states and territories), and increase funding for the Rape Prevention Education (RPE) program.

Here are some suggested :talking points

Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT) :contact
Senator Robert F. Bennett (R-UT) :contact
Representative Rob Bishop (R-01) :contact
Representative James D. Matheson (D-02) :contact
Representative Christopher Cannon (R-03) :contact

To find your representatives and senators, visit the :house of representatives and the :senate

Break the Silence, Break the Cycle, Join the Movement

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and UCASA's annual SAAM award ceremony will be held on tuesday, april 11th. This event is free and open to service providers throughout the state. :rsvp

UCASA's SAAM event provides an opportunity for those of us involved in victim services, advocacy, assistance and victims' rights to reflect on what we do, what we have accomplished and to re-energize our efforts for the work yet to be done. It is a time of celebration and learning firsthand of individual and group achievements that encourages us to strive for excellence in fulfilling our responsibilities to victims. We invite you to nominate candidates, for the 2006 SAAM awards, whose service to victims of sexual violence merits recognition. You need not limit your nominations to direct service providers; we are aware that members of other professions - such as the media, the judiciary, health care, and others - may be ardent advocates for victims of sexual violence.

To nominate someone for a SAAM award, call or email ucasa and provide some general information about the nominee or review the nomation info. and complete the nomination form.

To add a SAAM event to the statewide calendar, call or email ucasa.

Engaging men and boys: A webforum dialogue on changing norms about masculinity that contribute to violence against women
Conference Call Presenters: Larry Cohen and Lisa Jujie-Parks of Prevention Institute
Conference Call Guest Speakers: Jacqueline Bogges, Center for Family Policy and Practice, Ricardo Carrillo, Licensed Forensic Clinical Psychologist, Luolu Hong, Arizona State University, and Patrick Lemmon, Men Can Stop Rape.
Host: David Lee, Prevention Connection
March 23rd, noon-1:30pm

This web dialogue is an opportunity for advanced and focused conversation about primary prevention of violence against women. Web dialogues engage fewer participants than web conferences. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Only previous Prevention Connection participants may attend web dialogues. If you have not yet attended a web conference visit the link below for information on upcoming web conferences.
:register

RAINN Online Hotline Teleconferences
RAINN will be hosting tutorial teleconferences on Fridays to take a look at the online hotline walk through, discuss training, crisis center logistics, pilot launch, etc.
March 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st, 2:30pm
:more information and register

National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS)
More than 300,000 women and almost 93,000 men are raped annually, according to the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS). Researchers found differences in rape prevalence relating to age, gender, and race/ethnicity, as well as other factors such as whether victims were first raped as minors. Despite widespread public education, rape remains a largely underreported crime; and despite increased levels of research over the past few decades, significant gaps remain in understanding rape victimization. This National Institute of Justice Special Report takes a detailed look at the NVAWS findings and the researchers' recommendations for future research. :report

Sexual Violence Prevention: Beginning the Dialogue
This document was created to assist Rape Prevention and Education grantees in their planning, implementation and evaluation activities. :report

Human Trafficking Conference
This conference is free of charge and will feature Donna M. Hughes, Ph.D., Professor of Women's Studies and Eleanor M. and Oscar M. Carlson Endowed Chair, University of Rhode Island. Dr. Hughes is the leading international scholar on this important topic. She has consulted with governments and non-governmental organizations on policies related to trafficking of women for sexual exploitation.

"Global Human Trafficking: A Form of Modern Day Slavery"
March 2nd, 11:00am-noon
Joseph F. Smith Bldg.
Bringham Young University
Provo, Utah
:more information

Utah Chapter of International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN)
Come be involved in the organization of the Utah Chapter of the IAFN. This meeting includes a forensic wound case and slide review from 3-4 pm with 1.8 hours of CEU credits offered. Bring your forensic wound photos for peer review. Please register by April 1st. Everyone is welcome.

utah iafn chapter meeting
southern utah university
brian head conference room, sharwan smith center
april 8th, 12:30pm - 4:00pm
cedar city, utah
:more information :register

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Course
This 40-hour course, sponsored by Salt Lake Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SL SANE), meets all requirements established by the International Association of Forensic Nurses in didactic training as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. This material is required for those interested in sitting for the national certification examination in Adolescent - Adult Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. This training is open to any registered or advanced practice nurse with an interest in sexual assault. The cost for the course is $225.

sexual assault nurse examiner (sane) course
march 13th-17th
provo, utah
:more information :register

If you would like to be removed from this list, please write to info@ucasa.org

sexual assault awareness month (saam) awards ceremony
april 11th
:more information

national day to end sexual violence
april 6th

strength in unity
national crime victims rights week
april 23rd - 29th

ycc
ogden, utah
march 7th, 9th, 14th, 16th, 21st and 23rd, 5:00-9:00pm, march 11th and 18th, 8am-5pm
:more information :register

rape recovery center
salt lake city, utah
may 9th, 10th, 11th, 16th, 17th and 18th, 5:30-9:30pm, may 13th and 20th, 9am-5pm
:more information :register

ucasa trainings meet the continuing education requirements for social work.

SWAVO quarterly training
march 9th
perry, utah
:more information :register

sexual assault nurse examiner (sane) course
march 13th-17th
provo, utah
:more information :register

castle rock vs. gonzales conference
march 16th-17th
university of denver, sturm college of law
denver, colorado
:register

utah iafn chapter meeting
southern utah university
april 8th, 12:30pm-4:00pm
cedar city, utah
:more information :register

19th annual crime victims conference
april 20th-21st
south towne exposition center
sandy, utah
:more information

utah victim assistance academy
june 19th-23rd
weber state university
ogden, utah
:more information :register

national sexual violence prevention training institutes

june 6th-9th
atlanta, georgia

june 26th-29th
chicago, illinois

july 10th-13th
san antonio, texas

july 24th-27th
hartford, connecticut
:more information