The Atlanta shooting earlier this year resulted from an intersection of racism, sexism, and anti-sex-worker stigma that is not new to women of Asian descent. Historically in the US, racism and sexism have always intersected to create the hypersexualization of Women of Color. Sexualization is another way of saying sexual objectification, in which a person or group of people is treated as a sexual object instead of a person. When we talk about hypersexualization in this context, we are identifying the ways in which this dehumanizing objectification disproportionately affects Women…
In addition to one-on-one counseling and group support, Signs of Hope provides a variety of therapeutic modalities that can support the healing process. These include yoga, the holistic healing workshop series, and art therapy. Art therapy is used for survivors of all kinds of trauma, but why is it helpful? Art therapy provides survivors with a way to express themselves, process their emotions, and examine their experience of abuse or assault. Creating art allows survivors to express things that they’re not able to put into words. It can also create…
When abuse happens at a very young age, it can have a profound affect on a child’s development and behavior. As one of our colleagues at the Children’s Advocacy Center put it “these children have had a switch flipped on through no fault of their own, but it is very difficult to flip that switch back”. In the short term, parents and caregivers may see a variety of behavioral changes related to the trauma of sexual abuse. According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, “Very young children might engage…
Special Shout Out to our SA Hotline Volunteer of the Month: Susan T! Susan has been a volunteer with Signs of Hope for over 5 years. She shows her dedication to survivors of sexual violence by going above and beyond to help on the SA Phone Hotline. Susan covers around 20 hours a week volunteering on our hotline helping those in need. For reference, our volunteers on average volunteer 4 hours a week, which is already above the national volunteer average. Thank you Susan for everything that you’ve done and…
HUGE Shout Out to our Admin/Outreach Volunteer of the Month: Hugh E! Hugh stepped up and helped our Community Engagement team by representing Signs of HOPE at the Henderson Pride Festival in June. He also volunteers on our Sexual Assault hotline. Thank you Hugh for being such a rockstar!
Big Thank You to our RISE Hotline Volunteer of the Month: Imani K! Imani is one of our interns and has been a rockstar in helping our anti-human trafficking team. She has been great in stepping in and taking additional shifts in office and is doing great work in participating in the RISE operational outreaches alongside law enforcement. For this, RISE would like to recognize her as the volunteer of the month!
There are many ways for you to fundraise on behalf of Signs of Hope: Facebook or Instagram Fundraiser – Signs of Hope is set-up on Facebook as an organization. You can post a fundraiser and encourage your friends on social media to contribute in supporting your passion for the work of Signs of Hope. Host a bake sale, cocktail party, cookie exchange, or other event with friends and neighbors (safely and within COVID restrictions, of course!) and donate proceeds to Signs of Hope. Commit to running, swimming, walking, bowling, or…
There are many ways for businesses to get involved in supporting the work of Signs of Hope. Employee Giving: Workplace income deduction plans are a helpful and effective way to support Signs of Hope. Whether through a workplace direct giving program, United Way designations, or other opportunity to make a designation to Signs of Hope, these regular gifts of any size are so valuable to us. Even small contributions add up overtime. These contributions help provide match to federal grants, help support clothing, transportation, and phones for clients, and provide…
The Violence Against Women Act first passed in 1994. The original bill provided for the following: Enhanced sentencing for repeat federal sex offenders Restitution to victims of certain federal crimes Grants for state, local, and tribal law enforcement to investigate and prosecute violent crimes against women. Immigration provisions for victims Grants for domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, youth education programs, and community organizations providing intervention and prevention programming Requirements for the USPS to ensure the locations of shelters remains confidential Federal research on violence against women Special research into…
Signs of Hope (SOH), a non-profit that supports victims in the immediate aftermath and long term recovery following sexual abuse, assault and exploitation, announces a $10,000 grant from the NV Energy Foundation. the funds will be used to help SOH advocacy and counseling clients who have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Daniele Staple, executive director of Signs of Hope, the organization has experienced increasing demand for counseling for years leading up to and including these last months of the pandemic. “When our counseling clients face obstacles…