The NCHERM Campus Title IX Coordinator Certification and Training Course is being offered to 170 college and university administrators this week in St. Louis, MO.
This event greatly surpassed the initial projection of 100 participants a month ahead of our registration deadline, and even at 170, created a waiting list of more than 50 people. To address continuing interest, NCHERM has scheduled three more Campus Title IX Coordinator Certification and Training Courses around the country, and has broadened the attendance to include not just Title IX Coordinators, but also conduct administrators, HR staff, legal counsel, academic administrators, investigators, campus law enforcement, athletics administrators, k-12 school Title IX Coordinators and administrators and others concerned with Title IX compliance.
Registration is now open and seats are already filling quickly (60+ already) for our Philadelphia event, October 17th – 20th, 2011.
Please visit www.ncherm.org for details and to register for a seat. Or, come to our January 2012 event on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, or Atlanta in spring of 2012 (more information coming soon).
These events will open for registration soon. The faculty will shift slightly for each event, but will include the NCHERM partners, practitioner experts, leaders in issues of athletics equity, and anticipated representatives from the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
For the Philadelphia event, new faculty members include professor and legislative authority John Wesley Lowery, Ph.D., Daniel C. Swinton, J.D., Ph.D., Director of Student Conduct at Vanderbilt University, and Professor David O’Brien, a noted expert on athletics administration and gender equity in athletics programs. These events are the only certification courses on Title IX, and feature advantages unavailable in any other course, including:
• A top-notch expert faculty with extensive writing, publication, research and practical application on Title IX
• Invited representatives from the Office of Civil Rights
• Four full days of content (okay, that’s a blessing and a curse, but you can come for less than all four days if you are willing to forego certification)
• A comprehensive set of 250 PowerPoint slides
• On-site case studies with group and faculty feedback
• Extensive exploration of the NCHERM Civil Rights Investigation Model
• 250 pages of materials, including exclusive access to the Model NCHERM Sexual Misconduct Policy, Civil Rights Investigation and Grievance Procedure
Consider the advantages of attending this course in any of our locations around the country – you get comprehensive advice to enhance your competent compliance. And, if litigation should occur, you’ll have the ability to demonstrate certification from NCHERM, the most trusted source of Title IX expertise.
This event is no mere rehashing of the April 4th, Dear Colleague Letter. It is a comprehensive exploration of Title IX and the role of the Coordinator. Including §504 Disability compliance, another area of responsibility for campus Coordinators.
We’ll go beyond the DCL, share best practice ideas that OCR hasn’t divulged, and explore areas where OCR may have muddied waters on how we’re supposed to comply. Simply put, you’ll have Title IX coming out of your ears after four days with us. But, when you get back to campus, you’ll have the tools you need to implement and operationalize Title IX compliance best practices, take training to your community, and bring meaningful prevention to your campus.
Register for Philadelphia today. www.ncherm.org
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Op-Ed on DSK by Wendy Murphy
By Wendy J. Murphy
For The Patriot Ledger
July 3, 2011
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance has a big political problem: Sexual
violence is occurring at epidemic rates but the guy can't manage to do
justice for victims. He lost the "Rape Cop" case despite overwhelming
evidence of guilt, and now he stands poised to dismiss rape charges against
deposed IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK) in a case he said only a
month ago was very strong and had lots of forensic evidence to corroborate
the victim's description of what happened. If this is what Vance's
constituents can expect from their elected District Attorney, the public
should consider running the guy out of town and electing someone who will
put the safety of women higher up the ladder of prosecutorial priorities.
Jurors said they voted to acquit in the "Rape Cop" case because there was no
DNA evidence. (Didn't Vance's prosecutors tell the jury the cops used
condoms?)
Any prosecutor who just lost a big case because there was NO DNA, should be
hard-pressed to criticize the evidence against DSK where there is PLENTY of
DNA. In fact, not only was DSK's semen found on the front of the victim's
shirt, there's blood evidence, too, consistent with the victim's description
of a violent struggle.
In Cyrus Vance's office, rape cases are apparently unprovable with or
without DNA.
What's that old saying? With prosecutors like that ...
I hate to rub in Vance's face that his decision to criticize the prosecution
of DSK was predictable, but in an article I wrote for Women's eNews only
days after DSK was arrested, I said the case would soon go "poof". It
wasn't that I was suspicious of the victim's credibility or thought she was
some sort of agent for DSK's political opponents (as if they wouldn't think
of a million better ways to bring the guy down), it was the wealth of the
accused, the relative poverty of the victim, and the fact that before the
ink was dry on DSK's arrest papers, people on his behalf reportedly had
already offered money to the victim's family in Africa to make the case go
away.
That a payoff was in the works so soon made the end game obvious before the
game even started. In a criminal justice system where corruption is not
tolerated, it wouldn't matter. But the American legal system has long
protected the wealthy over the poor, which is one of the reasons Kobe Bryant
walked away from his criminal rape prosecution while so many poor men of his
color sit in prison for committing less serious offenses. That's right.
Kobe Bryant, a black man, is partly responsible for why lots of black men
are behind bars. Nice.
Recent developments in DSK's case suggest the players took a page out of
Bryant's diabolical defense strategy. If the victim's reputation is
destroyed in the court of public opinion, and then she's given money as a
"settlement", nobody will care that the criminal charges go away or that a
"settlement" in a criminal case is illegal. Immoral victims who've behaved
badly don't deserve fair treatment in law and society.
The difference between the Bryant case and this one, at least so far, is
that the payoff is not yet obvious - though it's interesting that the
attorney the victim had representing her early on, a "personal injury"
lawyer, has gone silent. It's hard to get at the truth about whether a deal
is in the works when the dealmakers refuse to speak, but let's just say we
should be on the lookout for whether the victim starts driving a Bentley.
If there's a payoff in the works, she will disappear and spend her newfound
wealth in a location where nobody will notice.
Between now and then, the public will watch this case die - in two stages.
First we get the trial balloon about the case developing "weaknesses"
because of the victim's "credibility problems" - (on the eve of a three-day
weekend, no surprise). If the public's reaction is politically tolerable,
step two will be the prosecutor's motion to withdraw the charges "in the
interest of justice".
For those who care about the truth, find corruption disdainful, and who
believe that no man is above the law, the following points should be up
front and center as this facade continues to unfold:
1. The victim's credibility problems in the DSK case have been described as
so serious, prosecution may be impossible. But the victim in the "Rape Cop"
case had equal if not more serous credibility issues. Why didn't Cyrus
Vance dismiss THOSE charges before trial?
2. Cyrus Vance released to the public a detailed description of the victim's
reported lies to immigration officials where she claimed she'd been raped
and tortured in her native African country. She made those claims in support
of her request for asylum and stated she was at risk for further persecution
if she were returned to Guinea. Vance said these lies seriously undermine
the victim's credibility in the case against DSK even though lots of
immigrants lie about abuses in countries where living conditions are
inhumane not because they're pathological liars but because they're
desperate for a better life in the U.S. These lies that Vance claims
destroy the case against DSK were made eight years ago and were probably
crafted by someone other than the victim - an attorney perhaps (ironically
enough) who would have provided guidance to the victim about the things she
should say that would enhance her chances for being granted asylum. If
Vance's policy is that lying about such things almost a decade ago is a
moral failing of such magnitude it prevents his office from prosecuting the
far more serious crime of rape, let the word go out to all sex predators in
New York that they should choose immigrants as their victims and they should
commit their crimes in Cyrus Vance's jurisdiction.
As if immigrants aren't vulnerable enough.
3. No matter what the victim lied about in the past, the prosecutor found NO
reason to question the integrity of her claims as they relate directly to
the sexual assaults. To the contrary, the forensic evidence proved the
victim's essential credibility on the only facts that really matter.
4. If Cyrus Vance thinks it's appropriate to dismiss rape charges because of
a victim's prior false statements and other past "bad" behavior, he must
also consider the past "bad" behavior and lies of DSK. For example, DSK has
been repeatedly accused of sexually offensive behavior toward women and has
admitted engaging in an inappropriate sexual relationship with an inferior
employee. As for his past lies - just ask the people of Greece how many
lies were produced by the IMF last year about the need to prevent collective
bargaining in that country.
5. There's no dispute the incident occurred. Even the most reviled woman in
the world has a chance at justice when there's DNA proof that the incident
occurred. The problem is, there's a good chance the victim doesn't want
justice and that she'll trade even the well being of all women for a big fat
paycheck.
The real question is whether Cyrus Vance has the moral fiber and political
will to let a jury decide this case. DSK says it was consensual. The
victim, and the forensic evidence, says it was forced. A jury can figure
out what to make of the victim's lies in her immigration papers just as they
can correctly weigh the video of DSK's unusually swift flight from the hotel
after the incident - and the fact that he has an ugly history of similar
sexually offensive behavior.
If Cyrus Vance has integrity, he will stay the course. If there's money
involved, he won't. And the only thing that can force him to do the right
thing is people rising up and demanding fair treatment of a woman who may
not even want it.
It isn't the victim's personal lawsuit - it's the public's case against a
man who deserves to face the charges against him. If "we the people" do
nothing in this case, as we did during and after the Kobe Bryant debacle,
then we deserve a legal system that continues unabashedly to facilitate
rather than prevent violence against all women.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
For The Patriot Ledger
July 3, 2011
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance has a big political problem: Sexual
violence is occurring at epidemic rates but the guy can't manage to do
justice for victims. He lost the "Rape Cop" case despite overwhelming
evidence of guilt, and now he stands poised to dismiss rape charges against
deposed IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK) in a case he said only a
month ago was very strong and had lots of forensic evidence to corroborate
the victim's description of what happened. If this is what Vance's
constituents can expect from their elected District Attorney, the public
should consider running the guy out of town and electing someone who will
put the safety of women higher up the ladder of prosecutorial priorities.
Jurors said they voted to acquit in the "Rape Cop" case because there was no
DNA evidence. (Didn't Vance's prosecutors tell the jury the cops used
condoms?)
Any prosecutor who just lost a big case because there was NO DNA, should be
hard-pressed to criticize the evidence against DSK where there is PLENTY of
DNA. In fact, not only was DSK's semen found on the front of the victim's
shirt, there's blood evidence, too, consistent with the victim's description
of a violent struggle.
In Cyrus Vance's office, rape cases are apparently unprovable with or
without DNA.
What's that old saying? With prosecutors like that ...
I hate to rub in Vance's face that his decision to criticize the prosecution
of DSK was predictable, but in an article I wrote for Women's eNews only
days after DSK was arrested, I said the case would soon go "poof". It
wasn't that I was suspicious of the victim's credibility or thought she was
some sort of agent for DSK's political opponents (as if they wouldn't think
of a million better ways to bring the guy down), it was the wealth of the
accused, the relative poverty of the victim, and the fact that before the
ink was dry on DSK's arrest papers, people on his behalf reportedly had
already offered money to the victim's family in Africa to make the case go
away.
That a payoff was in the works so soon made the end game obvious before the
game even started. In a criminal justice system where corruption is not
tolerated, it wouldn't matter. But the American legal system has long
protected the wealthy over the poor, which is one of the reasons Kobe Bryant
walked away from his criminal rape prosecution while so many poor men of his
color sit in prison for committing less serious offenses. That's right.
Kobe Bryant, a black man, is partly responsible for why lots of black men
are behind bars. Nice.
Recent developments in DSK's case suggest the players took a page out of
Bryant's diabolical defense strategy. If the victim's reputation is
destroyed in the court of public opinion, and then she's given money as a
"settlement", nobody will care that the criminal charges go away or that a
"settlement" in a criminal case is illegal. Immoral victims who've behaved
badly don't deserve fair treatment in law and society.
The difference between the Bryant case and this one, at least so far, is
that the payoff is not yet obvious - though it's interesting that the
attorney the victim had representing her early on, a "personal injury"
lawyer, has gone silent. It's hard to get at the truth about whether a deal
is in the works when the dealmakers refuse to speak, but let's just say we
should be on the lookout for whether the victim starts driving a Bentley.
If there's a payoff in the works, she will disappear and spend her newfound
wealth in a location where nobody will notice.
Between now and then, the public will watch this case die - in two stages.
First we get the trial balloon about the case developing "weaknesses"
because of the victim's "credibility problems" - (on the eve of a three-day
weekend, no surprise). If the public's reaction is politically tolerable,
step two will be the prosecutor's motion to withdraw the charges "in the
interest of justice".
For those who care about the truth, find corruption disdainful, and who
believe that no man is above the law, the following points should be up
front and center as this facade continues to unfold:
1. The victim's credibility problems in the DSK case have been described as
so serious, prosecution may be impossible. But the victim in the "Rape Cop"
case had equal if not more serous credibility issues. Why didn't Cyrus
Vance dismiss THOSE charges before trial?
2. Cyrus Vance released to the public a detailed description of the victim's
reported lies to immigration officials where she claimed she'd been raped
and tortured in her native African country. She made those claims in support
of her request for asylum and stated she was at risk for further persecution
if she were returned to Guinea. Vance said these lies seriously undermine
the victim's credibility in the case against DSK even though lots of
immigrants lie about abuses in countries where living conditions are
inhumane not because they're pathological liars but because they're
desperate for a better life in the U.S. These lies that Vance claims
destroy the case against DSK were made eight years ago and were probably
crafted by someone other than the victim - an attorney perhaps (ironically
enough) who would have provided guidance to the victim about the things she
should say that would enhance her chances for being granted asylum. If
Vance's policy is that lying about such things almost a decade ago is a
moral failing of such magnitude it prevents his office from prosecuting the
far more serious crime of rape, let the word go out to all sex predators in
New York that they should choose immigrants as their victims and they should
commit their crimes in Cyrus Vance's jurisdiction.
As if immigrants aren't vulnerable enough.
3. No matter what the victim lied about in the past, the prosecutor found NO
reason to question the integrity of her claims as they relate directly to
the sexual assaults. To the contrary, the forensic evidence proved the
victim's essential credibility on the only facts that really matter.
4. If Cyrus Vance thinks it's appropriate to dismiss rape charges because of
a victim's prior false statements and other past "bad" behavior, he must
also consider the past "bad" behavior and lies of DSK. For example, DSK has
been repeatedly accused of sexually offensive behavior toward women and has
admitted engaging in an inappropriate sexual relationship with an inferior
employee. As for his past lies - just ask the people of Greece how many
lies were produced by the IMF last year about the need to prevent collective
bargaining in that country.
5. There's no dispute the incident occurred. Even the most reviled woman in
the world has a chance at justice when there's DNA proof that the incident
occurred. The problem is, there's a good chance the victim doesn't want
justice and that she'll trade even the well being of all women for a big fat
paycheck.
The real question is whether Cyrus Vance has the moral fiber and political
will to let a jury decide this case. DSK says it was consensual. The
victim, and the forensic evidence, says it was forced. A jury can figure
out what to make of the victim's lies in her immigration papers just as they
can correctly weigh the video of DSK's unusually swift flight from the hotel
after the incident - and the fact that he has an ugly history of similar
sexually offensive behavior.
If Cyrus Vance has integrity, he will stay the course. If there's money
involved, he won't. And the only thing that can force him to do the right
thing is people rising up and demanding fair treatment of a woman who may
not even want it.
It isn't the victim's personal lawsuit - it's the public's case against a
man who deserves to face the charges against him. If "we the people" do
nothing in this case, as we did during and after the Kobe Bryant debacle,
then we deserve a legal system that continues unabashedly to facilitate
rather than prevent violence against all women.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
School and College Organization for Prevention Educators (SCOPE) Launches Today
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — JUNE 15, 2011
A New Membership Association -- SCOPE
Today, the School and College Organization for Prevention Educators (SCOPE) opened its doors and began welcoming its first members. SCOPE serves as an interdisciplinary hub for prevention educators. SCOPE is the first organization of its kind to encompass the full breadth and depth of the field of prevention. SCOPE prioritizes the advancement of primary prevention research, practice and implementation.
Schools, communities, agencies, colleges and universities all over the world employ prevention professionals who are tasked with addressing a range of high risk violence, health and safety issues, but until now, no membership association has been able to bring these dedicated educators into community with one another. SCOPE fills that need.
SCOPE was created by a generous grant from the parents of a college student who wish to remain anonymous. Through their generosity, SCOPE can function and thrive independently as a not-for-profit association of like-minded professionals who serve the prevention needs of schools, colleges and communities in the United States and internationally.
Why SCOPE?
Prevention professionals have historically joined professional associations, participated in listservs and attended conferences in their specific disciplines. This has resulted in the compartmentalization of prevention efforts by subfields. SCOPE recognizes that there are more commonalities to prevention efforts than there are distinctions. What alcohol abuse educators know can benefit what sexual violence prevention specialists do. Prevention of hazing and bullying have much in common. Additionally, we know that many areas of prevention intersect. SCOPE aims to bridge subfields by joining prevention professionals from across the prevention disciplines together to learn from one another, explore best practices and further shared goals.
At the launch, Founding Executive Director Michelle Issadore stated, “As a prevention educator for many years, I am intimately familiar with the need for this organization. The response we have received prior to our launch from members of the prevention field has been overwhelmingly positive. We look forward to joining forces with new members and partners to raise the profile of primary prevention.”
The SCOPE Annual International Conference
Conferences focused at school, college and community audiences address sexual assault, eating disorders, peer education, advocacy, alcohol abuse, hazing, drug abuse, bullying, bystander intervention, suicide, mental health and other risks. Until now, no conference has gathered prevention professionals in a multi-disciplinary setting to guide, shape and lead the prevention field. SCOPE’s Annual International Conference will bring school, college and community prevention educators together to share resources, apply research, and empower the synergies that result from bringing the disparate constituencies of prevention together into common cause.
SCOPE Knowledge Groups
Knowledge Groups are a central SCOPE resource. Knowledge Groups represent specific content areas relevant to the field of prevention. Members participate in one or more Knowledge Groups, as well as having access to topical materials. SCOPE’s
Knowledge Groups include:
• Advocacy
• Alcohol Abuse
• Bullying
• Bystander Intervention
• Drug Abuse
• Eating Disorders
• Hazing
• Mental Health
• Peer Education
• Primary Prevention
• Relationship/Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence
• Research
• Sexual Assault
• Social Norms
• Stalking
• Suicide
Another of SCOPE’s Advisory Board members, Feministing.com editor Courtney Martin, was interviewed about the launch and had this to say, “Just about every social justice issue that I write about--whether in one of my blog posts for Feministing, an opinion piece for The American Prospect, or in book form--winds around to the critical need for more focus on prevention. SCOPE is supporting impassioned, dedicated people who are working on this mission. It is solutions-oriented, systemically-sophisticated, and destined to create real change.”
The SCOPE Mission
SCOPE embraces an ecological, inclusive, holistic, feminist, public health, evidence-based and multi-disciplinary vision of prevention. To effectively promote the aims of the prevention community, SCOPE members deeply examine the causes of violence, health and safety risks within society — including hate, intolerance, apathy, gender bias, racism, homophobia, stigmatization of mental health, objectification of the human body, ignorance, predation and discrimination — to foster effective, interconnected, strategic prevention.
Contact SCOPE
For more information, please visit www.WeAreSCOPE.org or contact:
Michelle Issadore, M.Ed., Executive Director
execdir@wearescope.org
610-993-0227
To join SCOPE, please visit WeAreSCOPE.org/join
More Voices About SCOPE
“For over 15 years I have provided preventive legal assistance to schools and colleges. I am delighted that there is now an organization for all the dedicated individuals engaged in preventive care, training and advocacy at our institutions to have a collective voice and outlet for sharing expertise, research and resources.”
Saunie Schuster, former Senior Assistant Attorney General and General Counsel and currently a Partner at NCHERM
_____________________
"There is too much fantastic prevention work going on for any practitioners to work in a vacuum. SCOPE offers the opportunity for us to learn from, support and grow with each other so that we can achieve truly effective prevention to address a variety of challenges. Men Can Stop Rape is tremendously excited to collaborate with and help build the organization that is going to facilitate that process."
Joe Vess, Men Can Stop Rape
_____________________
"With unprecedented Title IX guidelines newly in place, it's an exciting time for a group of independent dedicated professionals to come together to inject new energy into the critical goal of primary prevention."
Wendy Murphy, New England Law|Boston
_____________________
"Outreach and prevention programming are essentials element for counselors, psychologists and social workers who work in education and communities. These dynamic educational programs, clinical screenings and orientation events with students, parents, faculty and staff are critical to foster social adjustment and academic success. SCOPE offers a professional home for those who program, train and educate in schools, colleges, universities and communities."
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, President of the American College Counseling Association (2010-2011)
_____________________
"The dire issues that feminists seek to address intersect with one another and the best solutions always draw from various movements. I'm excited to see what manifesting this intersectional approach will do for the emotional, psychological, and physical safety of young people on campuses."
Jennifer Baumgardner, author, educator, and activist
_____________________
"Our brightest hope for ending violence against women is effective prevention efforts with young people. SCOPE offers an opportunity for professionals working toward this goal to share best practices and creative ideas, as well as to support one another in this difficult work."
Heather L. Horton, Ph.D., Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, Psychologist, Colorado College
_____________________
“SCOPE is about global prevention, not just in the sense of international efforts, but in terms of SCOPE’s scope. To me, global means connecting the dots between disparate sources of harm and violence so that knowledge sharing is truly transformative. The research of David Lisak and others, for example, shows us that those likely to commit sexual violence are also highly likely to be non-sexual abusers. What are the roots of that connection, and what are its solutions? When we look at Seung-Hui Cho, and the carnage he caused at Virginia Tech, we tend to overlook his history of ideation of self-harm, his stalking behaviors, and history of sexual harassment. We must respect the distinctions in the etiology of different forms of violence, but we must also learn from the intersectionality.”
Brett A. Sokolow, Esq., Managing Partner, NCHERM
www.WeAreSCOPE.org
A New Membership Association -- SCOPE
Today, the School and College Organization for Prevention Educators (SCOPE) opened its doors and began welcoming its first members. SCOPE serves as an interdisciplinary hub for prevention educators. SCOPE is the first organization of its kind to encompass the full breadth and depth of the field of prevention. SCOPE prioritizes the advancement of primary prevention research, practice and implementation.
Schools, communities, agencies, colleges and universities all over the world employ prevention professionals who are tasked with addressing a range of high risk violence, health and safety issues, but until now, no membership association has been able to bring these dedicated educators into community with one another. SCOPE fills that need.
SCOPE was created by a generous grant from the parents of a college student who wish to remain anonymous. Through their generosity, SCOPE can function and thrive independently as a not-for-profit association of like-minded professionals who serve the prevention needs of schools, colleges and communities in the United States and internationally.
Why SCOPE?
Prevention professionals have historically joined professional associations, participated in listservs and attended conferences in their specific disciplines. This has resulted in the compartmentalization of prevention efforts by subfields. SCOPE recognizes that there are more commonalities to prevention efforts than there are distinctions. What alcohol abuse educators know can benefit what sexual violence prevention specialists do. Prevention of hazing and bullying have much in common. Additionally, we know that many areas of prevention intersect. SCOPE aims to bridge subfields by joining prevention professionals from across the prevention disciplines together to learn from one another, explore best practices and further shared goals.
At the launch, Founding Executive Director Michelle Issadore stated, “As a prevention educator for many years, I am intimately familiar with the need for this organization. The response we have received prior to our launch from members of the prevention field has been overwhelmingly positive. We look forward to joining forces with new members and partners to raise the profile of primary prevention.”
The SCOPE Annual International Conference
Conferences focused at school, college and community audiences address sexual assault, eating disorders, peer education, advocacy, alcohol abuse, hazing, drug abuse, bullying, bystander intervention, suicide, mental health and other risks. Until now, no conference has gathered prevention professionals in a multi-disciplinary setting to guide, shape and lead the prevention field. SCOPE’s Annual International Conference will bring school, college and community prevention educators together to share resources, apply research, and empower the synergies that result from bringing the disparate constituencies of prevention together into common cause.
SCOPE Knowledge Groups
Knowledge Groups are a central SCOPE resource. Knowledge Groups represent specific content areas relevant to the field of prevention. Members participate in one or more Knowledge Groups, as well as having access to topical materials. SCOPE’s
Knowledge Groups include:
• Advocacy
• Alcohol Abuse
• Bullying
• Bystander Intervention
• Drug Abuse
• Eating Disorders
• Hazing
• Mental Health
• Peer Education
• Primary Prevention
• Relationship/Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence
• Research
• Sexual Assault
• Social Norms
• Stalking
• Suicide
Another of SCOPE’s Advisory Board members, Feministing.com editor Courtney Martin, was interviewed about the launch and had this to say, “Just about every social justice issue that I write about--whether in one of my blog posts for Feministing, an opinion piece for The American Prospect, or in book form--winds around to the critical need for more focus on prevention. SCOPE is supporting impassioned, dedicated people who are working on this mission. It is solutions-oriented, systemically-sophisticated, and destined to create real change.”
The SCOPE Mission
SCOPE embraces an ecological, inclusive, holistic, feminist, public health, evidence-based and multi-disciplinary vision of prevention. To effectively promote the aims of the prevention community, SCOPE members deeply examine the causes of violence, health and safety risks within society — including hate, intolerance, apathy, gender bias, racism, homophobia, stigmatization of mental health, objectification of the human body, ignorance, predation and discrimination — to foster effective, interconnected, strategic prevention.
Contact SCOPE
For more information, please visit www.WeAreSCOPE.org or contact:
Michelle Issadore, M.Ed., Executive Director
execdir@wearescope.org
610-993-0227
To join SCOPE, please visit WeAreSCOPE.org/join
More Voices About SCOPE
“For over 15 years I have provided preventive legal assistance to schools and colleges. I am delighted that there is now an organization for all the dedicated individuals engaged in preventive care, training and advocacy at our institutions to have a collective voice and outlet for sharing expertise, research and resources.”
Saunie Schuster, former Senior Assistant Attorney General and General Counsel and currently a Partner at NCHERM
_____________________
"There is too much fantastic prevention work going on for any practitioners to work in a vacuum. SCOPE offers the opportunity for us to learn from, support and grow with each other so that we can achieve truly effective prevention to address a variety of challenges. Men Can Stop Rape is tremendously excited to collaborate with and help build the organization that is going to facilitate that process."
Joe Vess, Men Can Stop Rape
_____________________
"With unprecedented Title IX guidelines newly in place, it's an exciting time for a group of independent dedicated professionals to come together to inject new energy into the critical goal of primary prevention."
Wendy Murphy, New England Law|Boston
_____________________
"Outreach and prevention programming are essentials element for counselors, psychologists and social workers who work in education and communities. These dynamic educational programs, clinical screenings and orientation events with students, parents, faculty and staff are critical to foster social adjustment and academic success. SCOPE offers a professional home for those who program, train and educate in schools, colleges, universities and communities."
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, President of the American College Counseling Association (2010-2011)
_____________________
"The dire issues that feminists seek to address intersect with one another and the best solutions always draw from various movements. I'm excited to see what manifesting this intersectional approach will do for the emotional, psychological, and physical safety of young people on campuses."
Jennifer Baumgardner, author, educator, and activist
_____________________
"Our brightest hope for ending violence against women is effective prevention efforts with young people. SCOPE offers an opportunity for professionals working toward this goal to share best practices and creative ideas, as well as to support one another in this difficult work."
Heather L. Horton, Ph.D., Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, Psychologist, Colorado College
_____________________
“SCOPE is about global prevention, not just in the sense of international efforts, but in terms of SCOPE’s scope. To me, global means connecting the dots between disparate sources of harm and violence so that knowledge sharing is truly transformative. The research of David Lisak and others, for example, shows us that those likely to commit sexual violence are also highly likely to be non-sexual abusers. What are the roots of that connection, and what are its solutions? When we look at Seung-Hui Cho, and the carnage he caused at Virginia Tech, we tend to overlook his history of ideation of self-harm, his stalking behaviors, and history of sexual harassment. We must respect the distinctions in the etiology of different forms of violence, but we must also learn from the intersectionality.”
Brett A. Sokolow, Esq., Managing Partner, NCHERM
www.WeAreSCOPE.org
Monday, June 6, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
NCHERM Assists the University of Virginia in Revising Sexual Misconduct Policies and Procedures
A landmark shift is happening with respect to college and university conduct policies and grievance procedures as a result of the OCR Title IX Dear Colleague Letter released in April, which finally clarifies a wide range of critical issues pertaining to campus sexual violence.
In the years to come, the issuance of this Dear Colleague Letter will come to be seen as a watershed moment in advancing victim’s rights on college campuses, and in recognizing the influence that Title IX wields in defining best practices for campus response to sexual violence.
Campuses including Yale and Stanford have recently announced changes in many areas; including policy, grievance procedures, standards of proof, and appeal rights for victims. For these campuses and many others, including the University of Virginia, revisions were underway before the issuance of the Dear Colleague Letter, which provided additional impetus for changes and clarity on what types of changes were needed.
NCHERM has had a long-standing relationship with the University of Virginia, providing annual training on sexual misconduct to the UVa Sexual Misconduct Board, investigators and advocates since 2005. Brett A. Sokolow, Esq., NCHERM’s Managing Partner has also had the opportunity to play a role in the revision of the UVa Sexual Misconduct Policy and Grievance Procedures released at the end of May.
This revision process engaged a wide range of stake holders in a thoughtful and informed dialogue about how to produce policies and procedures that were not only compliant with Title IX, but would create a roadmap of best practices as a model for the field of higher education. UVa invited and encouraged extensive public commentary on drafts before finalizing its revisions.
In addition to providing consultation during the revision process, NCHERM made public comments on the UVa policy and procedures in draft form. NCHERM has posted those comments on its website, and at this link: http://www.ncherm.org/documents/UVaSexualMisconductPolicyProcedures-PublicComment-5-25-11.pdf
By posting its edits and comments, NCHERM hopes not only to provoke thought on critical issues, but also to showcase the process by which NCHERM provides policy and procedural consulting services to college and university clients.
For more information on NCHERM’s policy and procedure revision services, please contact NCHERM Executive Director Cori Sokolow, M.Ed., at cori@ncherm.org or 610.993.0229.
From August 2nd-5th, 2011, NCHERM will be hosting the first-of-its-kind Campus Title IX Coordinator Training and Certification Course in St. Louis, MO. Featuring an exceptional faculty of eight nationally-recognized Title IX experts, this event is more than half full already. Register today at: http://www.ncherm.org/webinars.html#stlouis
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
NCHERM Reaction to the OCR Title IX Dear Colleague Letter on Campus Sexual Violence
(Link to the full version online at:
http://www.ncherm.org/documents/NCHERMReactiontotheDearColleagueLetter4.6.11.pdf)
For Immediate Release
NCHERM applauds the release on Monday by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of a Dear Colleague letter giving higher education greater clarity on how Title IX impacts on campus sexual violence.
Announced with a press conference at the University of New Hampshire by Vice President Biden and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and coupled with an announcement from the Obama White House, the spotlight on campus sexual assault clearly showed how significant a priority Title IX is for this administration.
Our hope is that this guidance will lead to policy and practice changes on college and university campuses that will more effectively empower and embrace the rights of complaints, and further the goal of an equitable result via an equitable process.
The hesitation to embrace correct standards of proof and rights such as complainant appeals, moving an accused student to alternate housing, and keeping a complainant apprised of the investigation have resulted in years of successful legal challenges to and liability for colleges and universities. We are optimistic that OCR’s action will bring about a sea change now.
Acting on the Dear Colleague letter with revised policies and practices will more effectively shield campuses from liability because it offers campuses a roadmap for delivering prompt and effective remedies to campus sexual violence.
Yet, it is important to recognize that the substance of the Dear Colleague letter is not new. With this Dear Colleague letter, OCR has not expanded Title IX. What OCR has done is finally to promulgate guidance that reflects the substance of its enforcement.
To date, that enforcement has been accomplished campus-by-campus, without public dissemination of the findings and compliance requirements. We’ve had to read tea leaves to discern OCR’s expectations. Now, we have greater clarity on a number of key issues.
To help you determine the course of your campus reaction, NCHERM has updated the free resources available on the Title IX section of our website. There you will find a series of links to recent OCR actions, announcements, decision letters and compliance resources. Additionally, the entire OCR case letter file of more than 200 Title IX findings on complaints of sexual violence against colleges and universities is now available freely available online as the result of a collaboration between NCHERM and the Center for Public Integrity to publicize these documents.
http://www.ncherm.org/legal.html
We hope these resources will be invaluable to your campus.
http://www.ncherm.org/documents/NCHERMReactiontotheDearColleagueLetter4.6.11.pdf
Visit the link above to access to extended version of this reaction, including direct links to the resources noted above, and details about four upcoming Title IX related events from NCHERM including our rapid response webinar on the OCR Guidance, two upcoming institutes on sexual misconduct, and our first-ever Campus Title IX Coordinator Training and Certification Course.
Monday, April 4, 2011
OCR Issues New Title IX Dear Colleague Guidance on Sexual Assault for Colleges and Universities -- April 4th, 2011
Today, the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights issued a Dear Colleague Letter as Guidance on Title IX compliance for institutions on campus sexual violence. The letter explicitly addresses hot button issues such as complainant appeals and preponderance of evidence as the standard of proof. Please access the letter at: http://www.ncherm.org/documents/OCRDearColleagueLetter4.4.11.pdf
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