Health Summit 2008
Preventing Violence Against Women: Community Solutions

(Please note: Handouts and presentations will be added to this page throughout the day.)

Certificate of Attendance | Resources

The 2008 Health Summit was held June 2 - 3, 2008 and focused on increasing statewide understanding of how communities can work together to prevent violence against women. It showcased a broad array of organizations and agencies collaborating to provide such comprehensive programs.

Conference sessions looked at the latest information on best practices and model programs that incorporate prevention strategies aimed at:

• strengthening individual knowledge and skills
• promoting community education
• educating providers
• fostering coalitions and networks
• changing organizational practices, and
• influencing policies and state/local legislation

Speakers:

June 2

12:45 - 1:45: Keynote
Reshma Mahendra, MPH
Division of Violence Prevention
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Mahendra provides an overview of the CDC's Division of Violence Prevention's approach to preventing intimate partner and sexual violence. The emphasis is on primary prevention, the four steps of the public health approach and use of the social ecological model.

2:00 - 3:15: Afternoon Breakouts I

"Safety Planning with Survivors: Technology Considerations"
Speaker: Cheryl Robb-Welch, Missouri Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Violence
For the presentation and more information, contact:
Emily Hayes
Education Coordinator
Missouri Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence
217 Oscar Drive, Suite A
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Phone: (573) 634-4161 ext. 106
emilyh@mocadsv.org

The discussion is on how advocates can better assist clients by understanding the technology that exists and how to use it safely, how safety plans created with victims of violence should incorporate the safe use of technology, and how to safeguard communication with victims served.

"Policy Change to Prevent Violence Against Women"
Speaker: Emily van Schenkhof, MPH, Missouri Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Violence

The focus is on policy change at the local, state and national level as a powerful tool to prevent violence against women, potential policies at each level which could prevent violence against women, and how to effectively advocate for policy change.

"Preventing and Responding to Domestic Violence in the Healthcare Setting"
Speaker: Jill Bleything, MSW, Rose Brooks Center
Presentation

The discussion focuses on practical strategies to involve medical facilities in helping victims and preventing violence using the Rose Brooks Center Bridge Program as a model. This program is a nationally recognized, medically-based domestic violence advocacy program.


3:30 - 4:45: Afternoon Breakouts II
"Bullying Among Children and Youth"
Speaker: Dr. Glenn A. Berry, EdD, Missouri Center for Safe Schools
Presentation

This workshop increases awareness of bullying and how it relates to school violence. In addition, this session provides awareness and knowledge of what teachers and staff need in order to recognize, intervene and prevent bullying.

"Partnering to Break the Silence: Ethnic Minority Communities"
Speakers: Dr. Vetta L. Sanders Thompson, Saint Louis University School of Public Health
Dr. Gloria J. Johnson, Life Source Consultants
Presentation

Participants of this breakout gain: 1) increased knowledge of the incidence of violence against women in ethnic minority communities, sources of information on this topic, and physical/mental health consequences of domestic violence; 2) understanding of the public health approach to prevention of domestic violence; and 3) insight into prevention and intervention issues, strategies and resources specific to ethnic minority communities.

"Missouri Legislative Discussion"
Moderator: Jennifer Carter, Missouri Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Speaker: Rep. Judy Baker (D-25, Columbia)

This discussion builds on the "Policy Change to Prevent Violence Against Women" breakout session. Representative Baker provides an overview of the 2008 Missouri Legislative session and shares her perspective as a legistlator and public health leader.

June 3

9:00 - 10:15: Morning Breakouts I
"Bullying Among Children and Youth"
Speaker: Dr. Glenn A. Berry, EdD, Missouri Center for Safe Schools
Presentation

This workshop increases awareness of bullying and how it relates to school violence. In addition, this session provides awareness and knowledge of what teachers and staff need in order to recognize, intervene and prevent bullying.

"Violence Against Women in Missouri's Refugee and Immigrant Communities: Detection, Intervention & Prevention"
Speaker: Barbara Bogomolov, RN
Presentation | CLAS Standards | Interpreter Guidelines

Participants gain an awareness of the demographics and overarching issues and barriers to detecting and providing services to women in Missouri's new arrival communities who are at risk of or are in violent situations. The session also provides concrete tools for bridging specific linguistic and world view gaps between client and provider.

"Using Social Marketing to Develop Comprehensive Prevention Strategies"
Speaker: David Lee, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Handout | Presentation

Social marketing is much more than using media. It is a comprehensive prevention strategy to engage communities and use marketing theory, research and practice to support behavior change. During the session, participants explore the key components of a social marketing approach to preventing violence against women and how to apply them to prevention efforts in their own communities.

10:30 - 11:45: Morning Breakouts II
"Preventing Violence Against Young Women: High School Solutions"
Speakers: Sharon M. Homan, Saint Louis University School of Public Health
Ken Homan, Cor Jesu Academy
Presentation | Literature Request Form

There is a great need for high school-based primary prevention of interpersonal violence, particularly against young women. Schools are challenged to raise awareness of this issue and teach appropriate skills, as well as change attitudes. This session focuses on identifying interpersonal violence risk factors, school-based violence prevention strategies/programs, a discussion of ethical considerations about teen sexuality and violent behavior, and opportunities for educators to create safe environments and help students develop healthy relationships.

"Project Illumination: Survivors with Disabilities"
Speaker: Christina Meneses, YWCA Metro St. Louis - St. Louis Regional Sexual Assault Center
Presentation

People with disabilities are the largest minority group in the United States, and the rates of sexual and domestic violence perpetrated against this population are staggeringly high. Participants focus on the dynamics of sexual violence against people with disabilities and discuss strategies to prevent this type of assault, and look at case studies to examine individual and organizational readiness to respond to these survivors' needs.

"Triple Threat"
Speaker: Rochelle L. Griffin, Training and Development Center/Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri

This session covers three important aspects of eliminating violence against women -- creative and non-threatening ways to bring awareness and eliminate violence by using youth to reach youth, fostering positive social networks among youth and youth service personnel, and engaging and motivating youth in influencing policies and legislation with respect to violence prevention.

12:45 - 1:45: Plenary
"California's MyStrength Campaign: A Comprehensive Effort to Prevent Sexual Violence"
Speaker: David Lee, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Presentation

California Coalition Against Sexual Assault has implemented the MyStrength Campaign, a comprehensive primary prevention social marketing campaign to engage young men to prevent sexual violence. This presentation highlights the approaches used on the community level to create social change.

2:00 - 3:15: Afternoon Breakouts
"Faith-Based Approach to Preventing Violence Against Women"
Speaker: Carolyn Held, Chaplain, and Anjali Fulambarker, Lydia's House
Presentation

Participants learn how the faith-based community is addressing the issue of domestic violence and about the holistic approach that Lydia's House, a St. Louis-based organization, offers.

"Talking to Teens about Dating Violence and Abuse"
Speakers: Carrie Marsh, Safe Connections
Christopher Sean Watson, RAVEN
Presentation

The focus is on the issue of teen dating violence and looks at how to effectively train school staff and parents and provide essential information about the effects of dating violence on teens. The session also looks at things that contribute to teen dating violence, and the possible warning signs of victimization and perpetration.

3:30 - 5:00: Closing Session
"Reweaving the Social Fabric: Primary Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence "
Presenter: Dr. Deborah Zelli, Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence
Presentation

Domestic and sexual violence are a community problem, requiring a community solution. Primary prevention (stopping the violence before the first occurrence) offers another tool for bringing communities together to address the conditions that support and perpetuate domestic and sexual violence. Because these conditions are so intricately woven into society, a comprehensive approach is vital to ending violence against women. This session will help participants think about how to begin and expand this promising work in their own communities.