YWCA of Orange County is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families, and strengthen communities. For more than 20 years, our national organization has set aside one week in October as a Week Without Violence – a week to raise awareness and engage action to end the broad spectrum of violence – as part of a global movement with World YWCA to end violence against women and girls.
At YWCA of Orange County, we know that not all violence is acknowledged or responded to equally and that some victims go unrecognized altogether. That’s why we focus on ending gender-based violence, including domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and harassment.
We invite you to join us from October 18 – 24, as we talk about the intersectionality of race and domestic violence, share information, elevate stories, talk with policymakers, and raise awareness with a common goal in mind to educate ourselves and our communities, engage elected officials, and empower survivors.
Below you will find a day-by-day rundown of all the events for the week of action. We hope that you will join us for as we as we talk about the intersectionality of racial, gender, and domestic violence, share information, elevate stories, talk with policymakers, and raise awareness with a common goal in mind: to educate ourselves and our communities, engage elected officials, and empower survivors.
At YWCA of Orange County, we know that not all violence is acknowledged or responded to equally and that some victims go unrecognized altogether. That’s why we focus on ending gender-based violence, including domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and harassment.
We invite you to join us from October 18 – 24, as we talk about the intersectionality of race and domestic violence, share information, elevate stories, talk with policymakers, and raise awareness with a common goal in mind to educate ourselves and our communities, engage elected officials, and empower survivors.
Below you will find a day-by-day rundown of all the events for the week of action. We hope that you will join us for as we as we talk about the intersectionality of racial, gender, and domestic violence, share information, elevate stories, talk with policymakers, and raise awareness with a common goal in mind: to educate ourselves and our communities, engage elected officials, and empower survivors.
WEEK OF ACTION
Sunday, October 18: Organize Your Butterflies - Special Week Without Violence Series
Help us kick-off Week Without Violence 2020 by tuning in to hear from partner organizations and experts working to support survivors and prevent gender-based violence. Download, listen, and share this special #WWV20 edition of Organize Your Butterflies. We will post a total of five podcasts during Week Without Violence, so be sure to check back daily. Download, listen, and share this special #WWV20 edition of Organize Your Butterflies from wherever you get your podcasts. APPLE PODCASTS | GOOGLE PLAY | STITCHER | SPOTIFY | TUNEIN | RSS |
Monday, October 19: Ending Violence Against all Womexn Virtual Panel
Join us for this virtual panel in which we will engage leaders of partner organizations who are working to eliminate violence against ALL womxn and their communities in a discussion that will provide facts and stats, debunk myths, and provide resources to help survivors thrive. Register today for a conversation you won't want to miss! |
Tuesday, October 20: A World Without Violence Help us raise awareness about gender-based violence and support for survivors by taking a Week Without Violence campaign selfie using one of our fillable signs and/or making a donation! |
Wednesday, October 21: Capital Hill Call In Day and Making the Local Focal
Capitol Hill Call-In Day – This Capitol Hill Call-In Day, we invite you to engage your Members of Congress by taking action online; calling your legislators; and engaging with these discussions on social media, using the hashtag #WWV20 to tweet at your Member of Congress.
Making the Local Focal – Engage with your state and local elected officials on this important issue. Ask questions about their position on policies that support survivors and help hold them accountable.
Capitol Hill Call-In Day – This Capitol Hill Call-In Day, we invite you to engage your Members of Congress by taking action online; calling your legislators; and engaging with these discussions on social media, using the hashtag #WWV20 to tweet at your Member of Congress.
Making the Local Focal – Engage with your state and local elected officials on this important issue. Ask questions about their position on policies that support survivors and help hold them accountable.
Thursday, October 22: Virtual Capitol Hill Briefing
Join YWCA USA as we lead Member of Congress through a virtual tour of facilities that are providing trauma-informed services that meet the housing, justice, and economic needs of survivors of violence and abuse.
These tours show first-hand how YWCA USA is helping survivors and their children thrive using emergency funding received from the CARES Act and annual federal funding supported by the Family Violence Prevention & Services Act (FVPSA) and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). As the nation’s largest network of domestic and sexual violence service providers, this funding is critical to allow YWCAs to continue to provide critical and necessary services for survivors and their children.
Register today to join in on our virtual tour that we hope will inspire and encourage Congress to reprioritize COVID-19 relief funding for FVPSA and VAWA.
Join YWCA USA as we lead Member of Congress through a virtual tour of facilities that are providing trauma-informed services that meet the housing, justice, and economic needs of survivors of violence and abuse.
These tours show first-hand how YWCA USA is helping survivors and their children thrive using emergency funding received from the CARES Act and annual federal funding supported by the Family Violence Prevention & Services Act (FVPSA) and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). As the nation’s largest network of domestic and sexual violence service providers, this funding is critical to allow YWCAs to continue to provide critical and necessary services for survivors and their children.
Register today to join in on our virtual tour that we hope will inspire and encourage Congress to reprioritize COVID-19 relief funding for FVPSA and VAWA.
Friday, October 23: #FreedomFriday Instagram Live
Join us for our #FreedomFriday Instagram Live from 2 to 3 p.m. ET, in which our CEO, Alejandra Y. Castillo and Kim Pentico, Director of Economic Justice Program, National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) will have an engaging and informative conversation about violence against womxn and how to best support survivors in the quest for freedom from abuse. The conversation will be opened and closed with an empowering music set from DJ DOMO that you won’t want to miss! |
Saturday, October 24: #SelfCareSaturday
Service providers, advocates, and activists in the fight to end gender-based violence all care deeply about these issues, and about the survivors they help each and every day. Unfortunately, this work can also cause vicarious trauma for individuals as they work with survivors who have undergone serious trauma or can retraumatize individuals who are survivors themselves.
On Saturday, we will reveal a few resources to engage in healing and self-care as a provider, advocate, activist, or survivor is an integral part of your own mental and physical well-being and will help make you an even more powerful advocate for your causes and clients.
Service providers, advocates, and activists in the fight to end gender-based violence all care deeply about these issues, and about the survivors they help each and every day. Unfortunately, this work can also cause vicarious trauma for individuals as they work with survivors who have undergone serious trauma or can retraumatize individuals who are survivors themselves.
On Saturday, we will reveal a few resources to engage in healing and self-care as a provider, advocate, activist, or survivor is an integral part of your own mental and physical well-being and will help make you an even more powerful advocate for your causes and clients.
TECHNOLOGY AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
In a recent survey of victim services providers, 97% indicated that victims who seek their services were being harassed, monitored, or threated by perpetrators misusing technology. Understanding the impact of abusers’ misuse of technology, the types of technology misused, and the ways in which technology can be used to assist survivors is therefore crucial to providing survivor support.
While harassment, threats, and intimidation are not new tactics in the world of stalking, domestic, and sexual violence, abusers are increasingly using technology to monitor, harass, threaten, intimidate, impersonate, and stalk their victims, making it difficult for survivors to find physical safety and eroding their sense of safety. In addition, it is not uncommon for abusers to misuse multiple technologies at once, while also using non-technological abusive tactics.
YWCA recognizes that not all types of violence and abuse are recognized or responded to equally. Survivors of some types of abuse, particularly newer forms of abuse using ever-changing technology, face difficulties in gaining access to justice where legal systems have not yet caught up to technological shifts.
PDF Document
In a recent survey of victim services providers, 97% indicated that victims who seek their services were being harassed, monitored, or threated by perpetrators misusing technology. Understanding the impact of abusers’ misuse of technology, the types of technology misused, and the ways in which technology can be used to assist survivors is therefore crucial to providing survivor support.
While harassment, threats, and intimidation are not new tactics in the world of stalking, domestic, and sexual violence, abusers are increasingly using technology to monitor, harass, threaten, intimidate, impersonate, and stalk their victims, making it difficult for survivors to find physical safety and eroding their sense of safety. In addition, it is not uncommon for abusers to misuse multiple technologies at once, while also using non-technological abusive tactics.
YWCA recognizes that not all types of violence and abuse are recognized or responded to equally. Survivors of some types of abuse, particularly newer forms of abuse using ever-changing technology, face difficulties in gaining access to justice where legal systems have not yet caught up to technological shifts.
PDF Document