Healing through Creativity helps to end the need for silence, the feelings of abandonment and the undeserved guilt often felt by survivors. The event recognizes organizations that educate, serve and protect the community

HTC are seeking artists, volunteers, participants, performers and presenters for the survivor art event in October. This conference helps survivors of domestic violence, rape, sexual abuse, disability, war trauma, disease, disability, eating disorders, cancer, grief and loss display their heart felt art works, attend workshops and connect with other survivors. The conference is slated for October 2009. People can participate in Charleston WV, Bluefield VA, Roanoke VA or even online.

Volunteers are needed for long or short term at the live event or online. You can participate anonymously and you don’t need to be situated in the US to help. Survivor supporters are welcome to share their thoughts, creativity (art, writing poetry, drawing, painting, sculpting, jewelry making, etc) at the Healing through Creativity message board at

www.healingthroughcreativity.org/forum

For more info on HTC please check their website http://www.healingthroughcreativity.org/ and while your on the Web, join them on MySpace
www.myspace.com/healingthroughcreativity

Looking for Speakers in Virginia

The Survivor Caucus of the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance is recruiting presenters for its new Speakers Bureau, with a planned start up date of July 1, 2009. Any survivor wishing to join the Survivor Caucus can do so at http://www.survivorcaucusva.org/

Thriving survivors of adult sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, or intimate partner violence are invited to use this opportunity to tell their personal stories for public education and survivor support throughout Virginia.

Survivors are encouraged to apply at http://www.vsdvalliance.org/ For a speaker application or for more information, contact Mikele Knight,sparrowk@vsdvalliance.org.

Any survivor wishing to join the Survivor Caucus can do so at
http://www.survivorcaucusva.org/

Opportunity for survivors to be part of a Speaker's Bureau

Opportunity for survivors to be part of a Speaker's Bureau

Speakers wanted:

The Survivor Caucus of the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance is recruiting presenters for its new Speakers Bureau,with a planned start up date of July 1, 2009.

Thriving survivors of adult sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, or intimate partner violence are invited to use this opportunity to tell their personal stories for public education and survivor support throughout Virginia .

Experienced speakers are wanted, but all willing survivors are encouraged to apply.

The first free speaker training session will be held June 4 at the VSDVAA Richmond office.

This is the website for VSDVAA http://www.vsdvalliance.org/index.html

For a speaker application or for more information, contact Mikele Knight, sparrowk@vsdvalliance.org

Any survivor wishing to join the Survivor Caucus can do so at the Web site

http://www.survivorcaucusva.org

Freedom For Survivors of Sexual Abuse:Forum

Received this in a email and thought someone can benefit from this. I also looked up a few websites with their links provided below:

http://www.tamarsvoice.org/
http://www.snap-network.net/
http://hopeforsurvivors.org/

Outreach for clergy sexual abuse victims, their families and loved ones.

Saturday May 2,2009 @12:15 p.m. St.Francis Convent 116 8th Ave. SE, Little Falls, MN 56345

Minnesota men who were sexually abused as children openly discuss their injuries and steps to recovery, survivors of clergy sex abuse and male victims of incest will discuss the following:

• decades long history and understandings of the Catholic Crosier Religious Order
• sexual abuse of area boys and the negative impact of the abuse on area families.
• the battles of stepping out of the shadows of silence of childhood rape and victimization
• the long-term ramifications of the abuse on the men, their families and loved ones.

The forum includes: a written questions and answer session (written questions are to insure anonymity)
sharing of survivor stories resources from area child advocacy centers and agencies established area support groups

*A private and confidential SNAP Survivor Support Group will follow the public presentation.

Listed below are just some of the reasons you should attend or take a loved one. Equally important, when left unchecked or talked about it will continue to affect our community, your personal environment. Please help spread the word about this!

Childhood sexual abuse is associated with a greater risk of: Suicide; Alcoholism; Drug abuse; Re-victimization; Unintended pregnancy; Eating disorders; Self-mutilation; Depression; Insomnia; Seductive behaviors, Prostitution; Confusion of sexuality and nurturing behavior; Relationship problems; Sexually transmitted disease; Identity disturbances; and Involvement in physically abusive relationships as adults.

Need more information?

contact any of the following or check http://www.snap-network.net/ website for updates.

Bob Schwiderski from Wayzata, MN SNAP Director, 952-471-3422, skibrs@mchsi.com

Craig Martin from St. Cloud, CMSAC, Male Services Coordinator, 320-251-4357

Julie Kapsch from Little Falls, Hands of Hope, Sexual Assault Services Coordinator, 320-632-1657

The Sexual Violence Research Initiative Forum 2009

The Sexual Violence Research Initiative Forum 2009
(coordinated evidence-based responses to end sexual violence)

The conference is aimed at promoting research on sexual violence, highlighting innovation and encouraging sharing and networking in the area of sexual violence.



This global event will bring together over 200 participants working on sexual violence as researchers, gender activists, funders, policy makers, service providers, survivors and others.




This conference will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa from July 6th to 9th 2009 and is sponsored by Sexual Violence Research Initiative


For more info on SVRI-Sexual Violence Research Initiative check the main website: www.svri.org



Accommodations:

Avianto-Tel: 27 11 668 3000
Web: http://www.avianto.co.za/

Heia Safari-Tel: 27 11 919 5000
Web: http://www.heia-safari.co.za/

Glenburn Lodge-Tel: 27 11 668 1600
Web: www.glenburn.co.za

Kloofzight- Tel: +27 11 317 0600
Web: www.kloofzicht.co.za

Garden Lodge- Tel: +27 11 745 0400
Web: www.gardenlodge.co.za

Aloe Ridge Hotel- Tel: +27 11 957 2070
Web: www.aloeridgehotel.com

La Terrasse- Tel: +27 (0)11 561 3111

WELCOME TO OUR BLOG

We here at BUILD to BLEND want to give you information about issues surrounding Sexual Assault from many positions for instance; we will report on things going on in the community, around the state of Minnesota, news from around the US and abroad. We will also give you B2B's standpoint and survivor(s) point of view.






I personally think it's more important that we try to give you steps or ideas on how you the individual, your community can be a support to someone affected by the abuse and or assault. Our ultimate goal is for you to be equipped and ultimately ready and willing to help prevent Sexual Violence.

We think it is important for us to discuss in this format, social networks, in person for many reasons but I will share my personal view by giving you a couple reason that are important to me and why I step out continuously .

• there are women everywhere and with that potential for greatness and for exploitation of some kind due to Socio-Economic factors, cultural influence, Religious factors, outdated stereotypes and roles affixed on to women and young girls.
  





• We are not alone Sexual Violence and Sexual Abuse at the hands of someone else does not just happen in Minnesota, the U.S. but it's a epidemic that affects us Worldwide.
  





• Men are everywhere as well with the same potential for greatness but just like women run the risk of being exploited or having to live up to outdated stereotypes and roles because of Socio-Economic factors, Cultural influences, Religious Doctrine, outdated stereotypes and roles affixed to young boys.
  
  




• Minorities are unfortunately consistent, with the help of those same factors listed above over time to be an under-served community affected by Sexual Violence.
  





• All survivors are not shaped in a little neat box. We are all different shades and sizes, we don't all forgive, fight, cry, forget, move, heal, create or e even dream at the same time. We don't identify the same or even have the same issues before we were hurt, so why would that change.
  





• As a African-American Woman who has been abused and sexually assaulted I am pinch-able, living proof that it does happen to Minorities. I am unafraid to speak because for a long time I felt I couldn't...imagine that.
  





• People personally tell me and others what we do and say is necessary, someone is helped, you can make a difference, you are changing attitudes, you do make people talk about it (even if behind closed doors) they are still talking...now I say OPEN THE DOOR- so that we can come in and you let all that hurt, speculation, negative attitudes, apprehensions and pain out.
  
  

There is more, if you like, I can elaborate on those concepts or ideals stated above.

If anything, what I would like you to take from this particular blog or any that I or BUILD to BLEND may post is that sometimes violence does happen and often, more then any of us would like, those things are or can potentially be of a sexual nature.



Thank You,



Jamila and Everyone else here who supports BUILD to BLEND