Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["Claire N. Kaplan" <>]

> From: "Brad Perry" 
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> Subject: [VAASAlist] SAVE THE DATE & CONFERENCE INFO
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> Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2003 12:00:49 -0400
>
> Virginians Aligned Against Sexual Assault (VAASA) presents:
>
> Trial By Jury 2003: No Victim Left Behind
>
> A training conference tailored to the diverse range of professionals who
> respond to rape in the context of the criminal justice system.
>
> October 21-22, 2003
> Double Tree Hotel in Charlottesville, VA
>
> If you would like to receive a registration brochure or if you have any
> questions, please e-mail Kathy at 
>
>  or call (434) 979 - 9002.
>
> DESCRIPTION OF TRAINING:
> The goal of VAASA’s annual Trial By Jury training conference has always been
> to encourage systemic responses to sexual violence that are victim-centered
> and innovative in strategy. The theme of this year’s Trial By Jury is “No
> Victim Left Behind,” and the focus will be on improving our response to
> prostituted and/or substance abusing victims of sexual violence.
>
> >From an advocacy/client-care perspective, these victims can be difficult to
> engage. Substance abusing victims of sexual violence may receive effective
> treatment for their addiction at a local social service agency, but their
> underlying trauma may go undetected. Likewise, advocacy organizations can
> help people resolve issues of trauma stemming from sexual victimization, but
> these organizations would not likely be able to address a victim’s substance
> abuse issues. This training conference seeks to enhance cross-training and
> collaboration between community social service agencies and sexual assault
> crisis centers in order to better meet the needs of these victims. Working
> with prostituted victims of sexual violence is also challenging, since
> prostitution’s illegal nature drives these victims underground and may cause
> them to mistrust any outside help. Further complicating matters is the fact
> that many funding sources prohibit advocates and social service workers from
> doing outreach to people engaged in prostitution.
>
> In the context of the criminal justice system, cases involving victims of
> sexual violence who are engaged in prostitution or substance abuse pose a
> dilemma. Since these victims are likely engaged in illegal activities, law
> enforcement agencies may have a hard time gaining their trust. Law
> enforcement may also find it difficult to know where to draw the line
> between regarding such a person as a victim versus a criminal. Finally,
> largely because of stereotypes held by the general public about people
> engaged in prostitution and/or substance abuse, juries tend to hold a bias
> against these victims. This situation makes the successful prosecution of
> such cases difficult.
>
> Trial By Jury 2003 will offer both specialized training sessions and larger
> multi-disciplinary learning opportunities. The keynote addresses and the
> mock rape trial will offer information valuable to a diverse range of
> professional backgrounds. More specific areas of knowledge are targeted
> through the use of five distinct training tracks that break attendees into
> content areas of particular relevance to their professions.
>
> FEATURED SPEAKERS:
> Lisa Najavits, Ph.D.
> Associate Professor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School
> “Numbing the pain: Substance abuse & trauma survivors”
>
> Sergeant Joanne Archambault
> President and Training Director of SATI, Inc.
> - all law enforement sessions -
>
> Yvonne Haller, M.Ed. & Jill Leighton
> PROSPER: Prostitution Prevention, Education, & Risk Reduction
> “Prostitution and sexual violence: Drawing connections”
>
> BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
> This year’s featured training tracks will focus on the following
> disciplines:
> Advocacy
> Forensic Nursing
> Law Enforcement
> Prosecution
> Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services
>
> MOCK TRIAL
> The second day of the conference will feature a mock rape trial. The only
> actors are the defendant and victim ­ all of the other players are real-life
> judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, detectives, forensic nurses, etc.
> Past experience in utilizing the mock trial as a training tool has shown
> that it is able to engage all styles of learning. It provides a forum for
> applying knowledge and organizing information through observation. The mock
> trial itself is designed to facilitate a deeper understanding of
> responsibilities and best practices in the court setting across various
> professional roles. Conference participants will be taken through every
> aspect of a rape trial ­ from the voir dire and pre-trial motions to the
> closing arguments and the verdict. Attendees will also be able to glimpse
> what happens outside of the courtroom between the victim and her/his
> advocates. This year, to correspond to the “No Victim Left Behind” theme,
> the case will involve a defendant accused of raping a woman to whom he had
> allegedly given crystal methamphetamine in exchange for sex. It promises to
> be a challenging, but interesting case. As always, the jury will be selected
> from the conference participants!
>
> _______________________________________________
> VAASA mailing list
>
> http://lists.waldo.net/mailman/listinfo/vaasa

Claire N. Kaplan
Coordinator, UVA Sexual Assault Education Office
Doctoral Candidate, Curry School of Education
UVA Women's Center  *  P.O. Box 800588 *  Charlottesville VA  *  22908-0588
434-982-2774 (V/TTY)    434-982-2901 (Fax)

http://sexualassault.virginia.edu

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