Impact: KCSDV’s Training Within KCSDV’s Strategic Framework

One of KCSDV’s strategic framework goals is to educate about the nature of sexual and domestic violence, the effects of these public health problems, and best practice responses. Several of KCSDV’s around 100 trainings in the last year featured national subject matter experts. Outcomes and successes from a few of these events are highlighted below.

Why They Fight the Facts and What to Do About It: Learning How to Respond to Victim Blaming Arguments and Folks Who Just Don’t Get It

On February 11, 2020, over 75 sexual and domestic violence advocates gathered in Topeka from across the state to attend the training, “Why They Fight the Facts and What to Do About It: Learning How to Respond to Victim Blaming Arguments and Folks Who Just Don’t Get It.” This training, sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, was presented by national expert Heather Imrie, M.Ed., Director of Program Development and Efficacy at Catharsis Productions. The mission of Catharsis Productions is to change the world by producing innovative, accessible, and research-supported programming that challenges oppressive attitudes and shifts behavior.

Open and honest communication is key to effective systems advocacy, and learning how to communicate about sensitive topics without alienating people from the conversation is critical. Myths and misinformation about sexual and domestic violence can make the dialogue even more challenging.

Imrie provided participants with information on barriers to change, best practices for changing harmful attitudes, and how to have those hard conversations in a way that creates positive change for victims, survivors, and communities. As a result of this event, survey feedback from participants indicated that 99% of participants increased their knowledge and 100% increased their skills.

Human-Centric, Trauma-Informed Care and Response: A Paradigm Shift

On December 18, 2019, SOS, Inc., co-sponsored by KCSDV, held a training in Emporia with national experts Myra and Russell Strand. Myra Strand began trauma work in 1995 and is now a leading trainer of professionals nationwide. Russell Strand began working in law enforcement in 1975 and is a retired senior special agent. He is committed to creating a world in which every victim can be confident in reporting their experience and has a genuine voice that is truly heard.

The training, “Human-Centric, Trauma-Informed Care and Response: A Paradigm Shift,” provided participants with information and tools on trauma and applying a trauma-informed approach to services.

The event was attended by over 90 multidisciplinary professionals, including law enforcement, victim advocate, and other human services professionals.

As a result of this training, 98% of participants increased their knowledge and 95% increased their skills per survey feedback from participants.

3^rd Biennial Kansas Conference for Ending Sexual and Domestic Violence: Engaging in Equity, Accountability, and Justice

On July 30 – 31, 2019, KCSDV held its “3^rd Biennial Kansas Conference for Ending Sexual and Domestic Violence: Engaging in Equity, Accountability, and Justice” in Lawrence. The conference centered on racial and economic equity in the work to end sexual and domestic violence.

Featured presenters included national experts Zoë Flowers and Sumayya Coleman from the Women of Color Network, Inc. and Lisalyn Jacobs and Sara Wee from the Center for Survivor Agency and Justice.

The featured presenters are partners on the Racial and Economic Equity for Survivors Project (REEP) and contributing authors of the report “Showing Up: How We See, Speak, and Disrupt Racial Inequity Facing Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence.”

The presenters lead a collective session on crafting commitments to racial and economic equity work in the effort to end sexual and domestic violence. Local and national experts presented over 15 breakout learning sessions. Over 150 people from across Kansas and 12 different states attended.

As a result of the conference, 98% of participants increased knowledge and 100% increased their skills as indicated by survey feedback from participants.

Learn more about KCSDV’s strategic framework. 

Newsletter (PDF)

This project was supported by Grant No. 2019-MU-AX-0021 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.