Keeping track of information is important to all service organizations. However, many organizations providing client services may not realize how much insight can be gained through analysis of operational data. Operations data such as survivor demographics, referral sources, and case note content can be mined to provide insight into the client population, how services are being provided, and identifying other service needs. In turn, this information can provide an organization’s management staff with the information necessary to make sound decisions about allocation of the organization’s resources. This presentation will walk through why data is important and make recommendations about regular data collection. Examples and demonstration will be provided from the work of Myia Welsh Consulting with survivor support organizations. The primary objective of the session is to emphasize the notion that better data leads to better management, which leads to better services for survivors. Each participant will come away with a clear understanding of how to increase their data collection, and how to use that information to improve services.
Read MoreIt was established that there was a lack of publically available data on the commercial sex industry in the Akron/Canton Ohio area. To address this issue, a research team was organized and recorded three months of data from a leading website known to hosting commercial sex advertisements. The purpose of this particular research was to not only to establish a better understanding of where it happens in the Akron/Canton area, but also, where education and outreach efforts by local coalitions should be focused on.
Read MoreC.G. Women’s Empowerment (“CGWE”) is a Christian, non-profit organization. CGWE believes that empowering women to be key agents of change is an essential element to achieving the end of hunger and poverty. CGWE chose “Dabaree” as a model program to follow with some minor changes where appropriate. Dabaree is a traditional Oromo economic system of relation and/or cooperation. The genesis of Dabaree women economic support project is a traditional support system involving transfer of heifers from cattle rich individuals to those without cattle endowment.
During 2013-2014, CGWE provided a cow each to 51 families in Kombo community, donated clothing, shoes, school supplies, Bible and Bible dictionaries, solar phone chargers, and 100 portable solar lights for use in non-electrified rural areas for school children to study, do their homework, and read in the evenings.
CGWE beneficiaries are meeting every month, discussing finance; learning best ways to handle their cows; and conducting bible study in conjunction with the proclaimed CGWE. More than 255 people have benefited within short period of time; and they have seen a BIG change in the family lives already.
CGWE will participate in education designed to highlight rural community’s harmful traditional practices and other forms of violence perpetrated against women and girls like female genital mutilation and forced marriage. The presenter also hopes to initiate a program to train and motivate youth in rural economy by providing High Yielding Variety seeds and instructions on planting local vegetables in neighborhood gardens using a 4-H type model.
Read MoreEveryday practices that deny sexual pleasure and create barriers to wellbeing also help to encourage human rights violations at the level of sexuality. Cultural expectations surrounding sexual pleasure contribute to oppression. These violations have prompted discussion about the creation of formal sexual pleasure rights by feminist, LGBTQ, and disability scholars. A variety of popular and professional discourses about the cultural expectations surrounding sexual pleasure and barriers to access will be analyzed in this presentation. Health care professionals, in large numbers, do not feel prepared to integrate sexual pleasure into general care and consumers of health care report regular insensitivity on the part of professionals when they pursue assistance with sexual concerns. This paper will explore ways professionals can increase knowledge about sexual pleasure as a complex concept, encourage client-centered attitudes, and build communications skills. Time will be spent considering carefully controversial topics within the fight for sexual pleasure rights like: disability and sexual surrogacy, BDSM and intimate partner violence and body image and relationship expectations that come in the way of young women’s pleasure. Participants will reflect on what influences their personal understanding of pleasure and sexuality and how personal understanding can hinder an environment where people feel sexuality is a permissible subject to talk about. Participants will consider the ethical responsibility of all healthcare professionals to incorporate issues of pleasure and sexuality into practice to combat human rights violations at the level of sexuality.
Read MoreDO Something! is a workshop that will empower and energize participants to take the initial steps to create and grow a functioning and effective anti-human trafficking organization. While many people are startled by the alarming increase in human trafficking, some are overwhelmed by what they perceive as the potential obstacles in creating such a group. DO Something! is designed to help participants unpack their concerns and address critical issues they will face when undertaking the task of starting and maintaining an anti-human trafficking group.
Objectives:
1) How to identify the purpose(s) of starting an anti-human trafficking group.
2) How to identify local resources in their community to tap into as they start such a group.
3) How to identify the key people needed to organize the group.
4) How to identify the nomenclature and logo for their group.
5) How to identify key functions of the group.
6) How to identify and utilize existing resources to enhance the group.
7) How to get and stay going strong.
Work with victims of sex-trafficking can be extremely rewarding but it can also be incredibly disheartening. Many times victims seem unable to move beyond their experiences and it can be challenging for advocates to motivate them to move along the continuum from victim-to survivor-to-Thriver. This session will present ways of working with clients, utilizing therapeutic interventions, to assist them in their journey of discovery and renewal.
Dr. Filmore is not only a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who specializes in working with trauma victims, he is also a former victim of sex-trafficking who has turned his past into passion and become an incredible Thriver. In this session he will use his professional clinical and research skills to assist participants in working with clients, as well as share some of his personal journey of how he became a Thriver, in a way that is not only heartfelt but humorous. Dr. Filmore believes that everyone is capable of having an amazing life and you will leave this session energized and ready to help your clients find their amazing!