Shatter the Silence Mobile Phone App!

PAVE and the Clery Center for Security on Campus’ Shatter The Silence App provides education and resources to help prevent sexual violence by equipping users with knowledge, skills and services through interactive multimedia tools. Shatter The Silence also provides instant EMERGENCY functionality that will contact the police, and connect you to immediate support from trained violence intervention specialists.

Search “Shatter the Silence” in APPS

CLICK HERE for Google Android

CLICK HERE for iPhone

Copyright 2013 by PAVE, Inc. and the Clery Center for Security on Campus

MEDIA:

Minnesota State University – Click here

White House  Apps Against Abuse – Click here

CNet – Click here

Millstone Memorial, the nation’s first memorial in remembrance of clergy sex abuse survivors which was destroyed by a vandal for the second time in less than two years. PAVE Founder Angela Rose spoke at the rededication ceremony.

Media links:

Nj.com - Memorial to child victims of church sex abuse, destroyed twice, to be rededicated Sunday

Daily Record – Church rededicates monument to abuse survivors

Mendham Chester Patch – Monument ‘Expands Message’ With Third Dedication

NJ.com – Child sex abuse ‘as important as any other act of terrorism,’ crowd told at Mendham church

CBS NYC – Advocates Rededicate Sexual Abuse Victims’ Memorial Twice Hit By Vandals

Salem News – Twice Vandalized NJ Memorial to Clergy Sex Abuse Victims Rededicated in Special Ceremony

Travesty of Justice for Clergy Sexual Abuse Victims

Last Sunday in Mendham, NJ, I was a guest speaker at the rededication of the nation’s first memorial in remembrance of clergy sex abuse survivors, which was destroyed by a vandal for the second time in less than two years. The rededication ceremony was held in front of the damaged memorial outside of St Joseph’s Church, where former pastor James T. Hanley (who since has been defrocked) sexually abused more than sixty boys in the rectory.

How many news reports have you seen and heard of sexual abuse by priests? Countless. It has become practically normalized because it is so frequent. It needs to stop—and we as a nation need to come together with a unified voice to take stand.

We need to raise our voices in protest for the cover-ups, the victim blame, and the failure to protect our nation’s youth.

Now is the time. Sandusky, Catholic sexual abuse scandals, Steubenville: it is time for this nation to stand in solidarity to support sexual assault survivors and say, “No More.”

The time is NOW to stand together and be the voice for everyone who has been silenced by sexual violence.

IDEA FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH…Arts for Awareness!

Celebrities, musicians, poets and artists came together to lend their talent to shatter the silence of sexual violence at a multimedia event at the Red Bull Space in Soho produced by Rusted Blue Entertainment. Hundreds of participants enjoyed live performances, fine art silent auction, celebrity appearances including MTV’s Sarah Rice, down-home comfort food from Justin Timberlake’s restaurant Southern Hospitality, and sponsored drinks from High and Mighty Beer Co. and Berentzen. Contact us if you want to a host a PAVE’s Art for Awareness event in your community!

Watch the CNN Coverage:

Leave your comments here – we want to hear from you!

PAVE Affiliate Protect Our Defenders is doing groundbreaking work on the issue of military sexual trauma. CLICK HERE to visit their website to learn more!

BREAKING NEWS:  Protect Our Defenders Testifies Before Senate Armed Services Hearing on Sexual Assaults in the Military – Click here

Their mission it to honor, support, and give voice to the brave men and women in uniform who have been raped or sexually assaulted by fellow service members. They seek to fix the military training, investigation and adjudication systems related to sexual violence, systems that often re-victimize survivors by blaming them while failing to prosecute perpetrators.

PAVE Founder Angela Rose spoke with Retired Staff Sgt. Colleen Bushnell on the Dialogue For Action call – click here to listen.

ABOUT Staff Sgt. Colleen Bushnell:

She is a national Military Sexual Trauma Survivor Advocate, motivated by her deep respect and love for all those who endeavor volunteer service in the U.S. military. She is a Lackland Airforce Base sexual trauma survivor and an Advocacy Board Member for Protect Our Defenders. In 2004, she was sexually assaulted, and upon her report, the offender committed suicide. Her life was never the same. Now, she is doing groundbreaking work to shatter the silence of military sexual violence! Click here for more info!

2 Nonprofits Came Together to Bring Awareness to Child Abuse!

CLICK HERE for ABC 7 News – They broadcasted live from the race!

PAVE & It’s Our Little Secret – RACE FOR CHANGE

Sunday, April 21, 2013
Busse Woods – Schaumburg Illinois

Details will be avail online www.itsourlittlesecret.org
7-8 am Race Day Packet Pick Up
(Same day registration is available)
8:30 am 10K Start
8:45 am 5K Run/1-Mile Walk Start
Awards Ceremony & Balloon Release will follow 

COURSE INFO:
Busse Woods Trail (Paved course), Grove 5, Elk Grove Village, IL.
Water stations and bathrooms are available throughout the course.
Course map & addition information available at www.itsourlittlesecret.org

*RACE IS CERTIFIED*

50-YARD DASH & BALLOON RELEASE:
Children 12 and under only.  All participating children will receive a prize.

To commemorate the lives affected from abuse, we will conduct a balloon release before Award Ceremony.  Children participating in 50 yard dash will receive one balloon. 

REGISTRATION FEES:
*All Registrants will receive a Dri-Fit Shirt and runner’s bag with Freebies!!

$35 10K Pre-Race Day $40 10K Race Day
$30 5K Pre-Race Day $35 5K Race Day
$35 1-Mile Walk for Family of 4
$25 1-Mile Walk Individual
$20 Students

AWARD INFORMATION:
Top 10/5K Run finishers in designated age groups will receive a medal.
Age groups: 11 and under, 12-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 and older.

Overall 10K & 5K winners will receive awards and/or prizes for
1^st place male and female, 2^nd and 3^rd place male and female winners will receive awards.  A prize to the overall runner for both 10K/5K Run male or female who ran for a Child(ren) will be awarded a one night stay at a TBD hotel/water park.  Great for family time! 

Race results will be available at www.itsourlittlesecret.org

Not only do these victims fight for what is right and the ability to get back to having as normal of a life as possible, they also have to deal with the media and the public pointing fingers in all the wrong directions. Every time I hear someone say, “Well look at the way she’s dressed, she’s just asking for it!” It makes me cringe. That is the problem with society in a nutshell. The stereotyping and the unjust ability to blame the innocent for someone else’s actions. As a parent I stress to my children that you can’t blame anyone else for your actions or your reactions and that is something we must all remember.

Throughout history the woman’s body has been portrayed as a beautiful masterpiece and over time it has become looked upon as more of an object and that is something that needs to be addressed.

We are told that there is strength in numbers… to never walk alone, walk in pairs at night and so on. This is not only true in the physical sense it is true in the emotional sense as well. There is strength in numbers, there is more strength than one could ever know they possessed when they have a strong support system. Humans, just like most animals were not meant to travel alone, we were meant to travel in groups of our own kind. Those that we have things in common with, those that need us, those that we need and those that can help us and teach us things.

We are all stronger than we know and with support systems like PAVE out there, together we can get through it! This is a time for reflection and to realize that no matter what you are here today and you are stronger than you know.

Written by: Ashten Meadows

In recognition of International Women’s Day, this panel of representatives of community and college groups will discuss the implications of gender-based violence.

Thank you to Northeastern, UIC and Loyola for partnering with PAVE and hosting these wonderful panel discussions!

CLICK HERE for tips to protect your kids from sexual abuse

CLICK HERE for an article in the Long Beach Telegram

Councilman Dee Andrews Joined Nationally Known Activists for Prevention of Sexual Abuse

LONG BEACH, CA – Two nationally recognized and outspoken survivors of sexual abuse joined
local Long Beach and Signal Hill leaders today Friday March 1st at the Boardroom Long Beach
Memorial Hospital 2801 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach. Angela Rose, Founder and Executive Director of the national nonprofit Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment (PAVE), and PAVE Ambassador and Glamour Magazine 2012 Woman of the Year Erin Merryn, who were invited by Long Beach Councilman Dee Andrews of the Sixth District, are both outspoken survivors of sexual abuse and travel the country shattering the silence and working to prevent sexual violence.

According to the US Department of Justice, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused. The pervasiveness coupled with the silence and shame surrounding these crimes continue to fuel this public health crisis. Many survivors of sexual abuse experience psychological and physical trauma, which not only creates cycles of violence, but is also extremely costly to tax payers. A study from the US Department of Justice found the cost of crime to victims is an estimated $450 billion a year when factors such as medical costs, lost earnings, pain, suffering, and lost quality of life are considered. Rape is the most costly to its victims, totaling a cost of $127 billion a year. Childhood sexual abuse is also a major risk factor for human sex trafficking and exploitation.

Key strategies for prevention and early intervention will be highlighted at this press event,
including Erin’s Law, created by Erin Merryn, which teaches children the difference of safe/unsafe touching along with safe/unsafe secrets. Erin’s Law has been enacted by the legislatures in five states with numerous other states’ lawmakers focused on enacting this important legislation, realizing that as a society, we must teach and empower our children.

Citing recent headlines such as the Sandusky, Los Angeles Unified School District, Boy Scouts, and Catholic Church incidents, Rose and Merryn jointly said “We have an obligation to protect our children with laws and policy that will empower our children and hold people accountable. We appreciate that Councilman Andrews took a leadership role as he knows sex abuse affects many in his district. He brought people together today so all of us can help victims shatter the silence. We need more leaders like the Councilman so our children are better protected. ”

Following the news conference, a luncheon open to the media will be held in the same location. Erin Merryn will present firsthand the discussions she had at The Winter Conference of the National Governor’s Association, as well as tangible tips for parents, teachers, and lawmakers that will help to protect our children. Merryn will be speaking this March at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s national conference, Safe to Compete: Protecting Child Athletes from Sexual Abuse.

I feel the topic of relationship abuse is so vital for us to talk about as a society. There is a stigma, I believe, when it comes to relationship violence. So many people assume that abuse only occurs in married couples, that it only happens to women, and that it always comes in the vein of physical violence. We know that is not true though.

Our society needs a wakeup call to the very real dangers facing both males and females, of all ages, races, sexual orientations, and sects–dating violence occurs all the time, too often, and it needs to end.

My employer recently allowed me to write a detailed piece on dating violence. I hope that by dispelling many of the myths surrounding relationship violence and explaining what it really is, I can help someone who is in an abusive relationship recognize that they do not deserve nor should they tolerate the treatment they receive from their partner.

I would be honored if you would take a look at what I wrote, and if you like it, please feel free to share it with your readers. I just want to do my small part to make a difference and hopefully help an abuse victim persevere and get help.

Thank you for your time and again for all of the valuable work you do. You are all my heroes. I hope you enjoy my piece.

http://www.consoleandhollawell.com/law-blog/whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-identifying-and-preventing-teen-dating-violence

Written by: Kristin Benzinger