Opening Plenary
The Intersection of Technology & Intimate Partner Abuse Presenters: This training will illustrate the services the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s Safety Net Project provides to domestic violence service providers and the survivors they serve. The trainer will discuss various safety risks related to technologies that are being misused to stalk, harass, intimidate and abuse. Service providers will learn how to identify technology facilitated abuse. The trainer will also discuss the importance of considering how our agencies use different technologies and the impact on survivors’ confidentiality. Objectives: Presenters: Content Level: Advanced Intended Audience: Advocates, attorneys, caseworkers Objectives: Learn about the situations that non-citizen survivors of domestic violence may encounter under current immigration policies in a multi-disciplinary atmosphere. Participants will learn how about the impact that accessing legal assistance can have on an immigrant family. They will receive resources on how to connect these survivors to the appropriate supportive services. Participants will be able to help prepare and empower survivors to access their legal rights and engage in practical strategies for their and their family’s safety. All participants will receive helpful printouts of the strategies and legal remedies discussed. Presenters: Content Level: Advanced Intended Audience: Prosecutors and law enforcement Objectives: This workshop, co-presented by a prosecutor and investigator, will review some of the best practices in the field for identifying and targeting batterers and offer suggestions to help participants strengthen offender accountability in their community. Content Level: Advanced Intended Audience: Advocates, social workers, counselors, attorneys, and criminal justice professionals Objectives: There has been much press about incidents of sexual assault in the military, but there are many misconceptions and confusion about what happens when a service member or spouse or child reports family violence or sexual assault. Understanding the internal Department of Defense (DoD) processes, as well as how they interface with civilian systems of justice, is crucial for community providers who work with Service Members, Veterans, and their families. Presenters: Content Level: Intermediate Intended Audience: Advocates, service providers, and stakeholders Objectives: In a time when resources for LGBTQIA+ and IPV service providers are more uncertain than ever before, it is critical for communities to strengthen partnerships in order to effectively serve all victims and survivors of IPV. During this workshop presenters outline the processes Baltimore City service providers engaged to develop a community workgroup to lead service provision to LGBTQIA+ victims and survivors. The workshop will focus on the ways in which a community response to LGBTQIA+ victims and survivors increasing each stakeholders accountability, ability to advocate, and multidimensional service to clients. Through an interactive SWOT activity, participants will outline steps they can take in their jurisdictions to build a community response. Through engaging participants and presenters in the SWOT activity, this workshop provides the opportunity to brainstorm actionable steps and solutions to building a community response regardless of geographic location or type of service provider. Presenters: Objectives: Children’s exposure to violence, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse are all forms of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) that can impact one’s health and well-being later in life. In its groundbreaking study, the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study found these experiences to be relatively common, with almost two-thirds (63.9%) of participants having experienced at least one adverse childhood experience before they turned 18. The CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) (which is an ongoing telephone surveillance program designed to collect data on the behaviors and conditions that place State residents at risk for chronic diseases, injuries, and preventable infectious diseases) developed an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Module, which was adapted from the original CDC-Kaiser ACE Study and, in 2015, the Maryland BRFSS used the ACE Module for the first time. Most of the studies that have been published using BRFSS ACEs data have examined a dose-response relationship, which have demonstrated that the likelihood they will experience health problems in adulthood increases as their number of ACEs increases which, although important, these studies rely on the assumption that all ACEs should be weighed equally. In contrast to dose-response studies, there is less documented scientific evidence at a population-level examining the relationship between particular types of ACEs and risk behaviors or outcomes and Maryland is one of the first states to use BRFSS data to share findings for an isolated type of ACE exposure (IPV). This workshop will provide: 1) an overview of ACEs plus new and unique statewide findings from this data, which includes isolating the ACE for witnessing intimate partner violence and determining how it relates to direct forms of abuse (physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse), demographic characteristics, and health outcomes; 2) an interactive activity demonstrating the interconnected and cumulative impact of ACEs and how communities can address ACEs by increasing protective factors and decreasing risk factors for violence and abuse; 3) recommendations issued by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) based on Maryland BRFSS ACEs data, which includes implementing trauma-informed care, addressing complex trauma, and promoting child resiliency; 4) examples of how local communities in Maryland and across the U.S. are using ACEs data for collaborations, coalition-building, programming, and policies from a public health approach; and 5) an opportunity to break out in small groups to identify how ACEs data can be utilized in their community based on the ideas presented. Presenters: Content Level: Intermediate Intended Audience: Advocates, health care providers, legal professionals, social workers Objectives: This interactive, engaging workshop will provide professionals from diverse disciplines with necessary tools to effectively communicate with children, immigrant survivors of domestic violence. According to the World Health Organization, a quarter of all adults report having been physically abused as children, that is 1 in 5 women and 1 in 13 men report having been sexually abused as a child. The workshop will review cases of domestic violence involving children and their families and will address the cultural myths and stereotypes that come into play and will provide strategies for managing such situations. Through discussion, viewing video-clips, interactive exercises, and role-play, professionals will be engaged in learning techniques to improve cross-cultural communication for interacting successfully with families from diverse immigrant backgrounds. Presenters: Content Level: Advanced Intended Audience: Advocates, service providers, LAP implementers Objectives: This workshop will focus on advanced safety planning strategies for survivors who have been identified as at high risk of being killed by their abuser. Risk assessment tools help assess danger during the safety planning process. Attendees will learn how to incorporate life-generated and partner-generated risks to increase the survivor’s ability to analyze their risk. Service providers will learn how to incorporate these risk factors into trauma-informed, victim-focused, ongoing safety planning. Presenters: Content Level: Intermediate Intended Audience: Advocates, social workers, service providers, community-based providers, health care providers Objectives: The focus of this workshop is to examine the ways in which historical trauma and institutionalized racism have impacted Black women. Because Black women live intersectional lives, advocates must come to understand how their intersecting identities and intersecting forms of oppression shape not only how they see themselves but also how they engage with systems; including, law enforcement, domestic violence service providers, child protective services, and community-based organizations.. Because of misogynoir, Black women have continued to be marginalized and victimized not only on an individual or community level but at an institutional level as well. By challenging the stereotypes and discourse applied to Black womanhood; identifying the unique challenges to identifying and intervening with Black victims and community members; and exploring how to actively engage victims in culturally specific and sensitive safety planning, advocates will be able to list the ways in which they can change the narrative surrounding Black womanhood and in turn support, uplift, and empower Black survivors. Presenters: Content Level: Intermediate Intended Audience: Clinicians, advocates, shelter staff, prosecutors, law enforcement, child welfare and juvenile justice personnel Objectives: Many domestic violence and sexual assault providers currently serve victims of human trafficking with existing resources. This workshop will prepare participants to adapt and specialize existing services and approaches for trafficked persons. Participants will examine how use of force, fraud, and coercion by traffickers cause trauma and identify common challenges in serving this population. While foundational knowledge on human trafficking will be briefly reviewed, this workshop is designed for those with some understanding of human trafficking. Presenters: Content Level: Intermediate Intended Audience: Advocates, shelter staff, prosecutors, and law enforcement Objectives: Technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives and unfortunately has also become a tool that perpetrators of domestic violence use to harass, stalk and facilitate violent acts against survivors. As service providers and law enforcement, we must become aware of these tactics in order to help survivors find safety and hold offenders accountable. This session will discuss several ways that technology and online spaces are misused by perpetrators, and how survivors can use the same technology to keep themselves safe. It will also provide suggestions on how to document and investigate technology facilitated abuse. Presenters: Content Level: Intermediate Intended Audience: Service providers, advocates, social workers, lawyers, law enforcement Objectives: Muslim immigrant women in the US face particular and unique challenges in accessing services and leaving domestic violence situations. The current political environment is perceived by many Muslim communities to be hostile. The intersection of domestic violence, racial profiling and anti-Islam sentiments directly impacts the ability of women to leave violent situations and access services. For example, directly after 9/11 Muslim women were afraid to call the police to report violence they were experiencing for fear of religious profiling. Further, along with internal community challenges, Muslim immigrant women are often alienated by service providers who do not understand the particular barriers they face. This workshop will explore these dynamics and help serve providers understand the realities of Muslim immigrant victims of domestic violence and how to best serve them. Presenters: Content Level: Intermediate Intended Audience: Law enforcement, prosecutors, service providers Objectives: This workshop will focus on best practices in identifying the primary aggressor in domestic violence assaults. Because the majority of domestic violence-related incidents occur within the privacy of the parties’ home, these offenses are often situations where only the two parties involved are witnesses. Batterers then frequently employ strategies to manipulate the system to maintain power and control over the victim and deny the victim much-needed resources. Law enforcement, prosecutors and service providers are challenged by these situations in their efforts to assist the victim in the relationship. To avoid these detrimental consequences, practitioners need to become well-versed in identifying the primary aggressor. Presenters: Content Level: Intermediate Intended Audience: Leadership, advocates, services providers, community-based providers Objectives: One of the most insidious tactics abusive partners engage in is limiting what victims and survivors say in their own lives. As service providers it is incumbent upon us to listen to the needs of the communities we serve, and allow them to guide us in developing programming that meets their needs. This workshop will focus on a series of listening sessions the House of Ruth Maryland conducted with community members, victims and survivors, and staff through HRM’s Man Up, Mujeres Escuchando, and LGBTQ initiatives. The presenters will outline strategies they identified to engage men around IPV, methods of intentional outreach to the latinx community, and initiating dialogue with staff around undeserved communities. During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to develop an outline for a listening session in their communities. Presenters: Content Level: Intermediate Intended Audience: Advocates, law enforcement, health care providers, social workers, non-profit agencies Get a behind-scenes look at the collaboration of the Frederick County, MD’s team which began a protocol to investigate non-fatal strangulation cases. A presentation of a case study from Frederick County, MD will allow others to see the need for strangulation protocols. This new protocol is opening the door for IPV survivors to get the response they deserve from the medical, law enforcement and judicial community. Members of the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office and the Frederick Memorial Hospital will highlight successes, challenges and how they continue to move forward to address the evolving needs of non-fatal strangulation victims. Presenters: Content Level: Advanced Intended Audience: Advocates, service providers, clinicians, leadership, health care providers Objectives: This interactive workshop will focus on adding body-work therapy skills to clinical practice for survivors of trauma, particularly human trafficking and complex trauma. Self-regulation techniques involving all five senses will be addressed and demonstrated and participants will leave the workshop with practical tools to apply to their work with survivors. This workshop will demonstrate how trauma informed yoga is being used to assist older adult survivors especially those with cognitive impairments who have been abused and neglected. The workshop will further demonstrate how the basic techniques of yoga can help survivors of elder abuse, men and women who have experienced all levels of trauma. The workshop will utilize brain-based and body-focused as a way to connect with survivors, and as a way for their supporters to learn more about themselves. The workshop is experiential and interactive and participants are advised to wear comfortable clothing.
Workshop Session 1 (10:20 am – 11:35 am)
Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence: Legal Rights and Safety Planning Under Current Immigration Policy
Strengthening Offender Accountability: Effective Strategies for Criminal Justice Law Enforcement and Prosecution Approaches
Navigating the Maze: A Civilian’s Guide to Military Responses to Family Violence and Sexual Assault
With almost 50,000 active duty and reserve service members residing in Maryland and almost 500,000 Veterans, it is essential for community providers to understand military culture, including the strengths of military families as well as the unique stressors they face, and how this impacts accessing services and benefits, both military and civilian. This interactive panel will have representatives from different branches of the DoD and Department of Veterans Affairs, providing expertise on the response to family violence and sexual assault, as well as guidance for community providers who come into contact with this population.
Bringing It Out of the Closet: Community Response to LGBTQIA+ Victims of IPV
Prevalence, Impact, and Action: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences in Maryland
Workshop Session 2 (12:35 pm – 1:50 pm)
Cultural Considerations: The Impact of Domestic Violence on Immigrant Children and Their Families
Safety Planning with High-Danger Survivors
She's Too Strong! Understanding the Intersections of Misogynoir, Domestic Violence, and Victimization
Raising the Bar: Specializing Services for Survivors of Human Trafficking
Intimate Partner Violence in the Digital Age
Workshop Session 3 (2:10 pm – 3:35 pm)
Understanding how to best serve immigrant Muslim women victims of domestic violence
Best Practices in Identifying the Primary Aggressor
Lifting Our Voices: Agency Listening Sessions for Staff and the Community
Giving New Hope to IPV Survivors: One Community’s Approach to Non-Fatal Strangulation
Objectives:
Brain-Based and Body-Focused Interventions for Survivors of Trauma
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