DEALING WITH STUDENT DATING VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT - BRING A PROVEN PROGRAM OF PREVENTION TO YOUR SCHOOL K-12

Presentation by the Directors of Community and Education Programs at Rhode Island's Sojourner House, followed by a Q and A Session. 

Sojourner House has been providing prevention education to youth, teachers, professionals and community agencies  in Rhode Island for many years, teaching them the dynamics of healthy relationships, how to promote self-respect within a relationship, and the warning signs of an abusive relationship – all with the goal of reducing the occurrence of domestic & sexual violence in the future.  Their prevention education programs are available to all students from elementary school through college.  Their prevention programs create strong, positive, healthy, and empowered students."

The School-Based Advocacy Program sponsored by Sojourner House provides a trained victim advocate for schools through the state when they identify a student who has experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, human trafficking has witnessed abused at home or is demonstrating red flags that are concerning.  The Mission of Sojourner House is to support, educate, and empower in hopes to strengthen the voices of victims and survivors of Stusent Dating Violence and Sexual Assault.

Sojourner House recognized a gap in services available to youth victims in Rhode Island.  Many youth victims do not have the access or means to connect with a victim advocate and receive support from an advocacy organization.  Understanding that youth spend most of their time at school and seek supportive services from school staff, they believe that bringing advocacy and prevention education services to youth in schools can help to close the existing gap.

Supporting the development of healthy, respectful, and nonviolent relationships have the potential to reduce the occurrence of Student Dating Violence/Sexual Assault and prevent it's harmful and long-lasting effects on individuals, their families, and the communities where they live. During the pre-teen and teen years, it is critical for youth to begin to learn the skills needed such as effectively managing feelings and using healthy communication to create and foster healthy relationships. The goal at the Assistant Principals Network Meeting is to provide information about the Prevention Education and School-Based Advocacy Programs in hopes to partner with schools who are interested in bridging the gap for our students.'

We look forward to seeing you at this most informative session.