Sexual assault professionals share and inspire
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 – 1962)
Professionally, how are you living life? How are you “reaching out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences”? When you face a challenge on your journey to making an impact, where do you look for new sources of inspiration? Do you look to authors, writers, books, and colleagues around the world to provoke thoughts you might not have on your own? For me, sharing with others and reading stirs new conceptual approaches within my mind. Those new approaches take me out of the norm and challenge me to rethink current practices we partake in. This evaluation process helps me personally and us as an organization to continually improve the resources we provide others (”Can I Kiss You?” program, posters, books, DVDs, shirts, and much more).
Professionally, how do you “taste experience to the utmost”? Are you stepping out of your “silo” (office, comfort zone) every day and meeting new people? Are you reaching across the table to the people who may be considered your opponent and then working to build a new alliance with those individuals? Those are the kind of moments which provide you “tasteful experiences” you never forget on a professional level. Best of all, doing so makes you effective in reaching more people and thus results in long lasting impact!
Are you using our online Forums to create relationships with other professionals from around the country – getting you out of your “silo”? The online forms here on our website have been created for you to nurture professional relationships which are centered around sharing and helping each other. You will see they are brand new and so they are WIDE OPEN for you to fill with your questions and ideas. You never know how one moment of sharing may change another professional’s life. As an example of passionate people sharing, we will be posting an exciting story in the coming weeks of students coming together at a conference in 1991 and 18 years later seeing the difference those same individuals are making across the country today.
Share with us the books which have stirred your thoughts and provided you inspiration!
Lackland Air Force Base Making a Difference
Tuesday was a great day spent with the wonderful people at Lackland Air Force Base by presenting to the schools and conducting a “Train the Trainer” session for SARC offices from various bases in the area. Charlotte with the SARC Office did a fantastic job putting together a productive and successful day. We started by presenting the “Can I Kiss You?” program to the students the Lackland ISD High School. They were a very interactive and fun audience. Lots of great energy. Next we spoke to the 7th and 8th grade students with the Lackland ISD Middle School. They were full of ideas and wanted to share throughout the presentation!
Charlotte was very forward thinking in bringing the “Can I Kiss You?” program to the students in the school district. As true in every community, students appreciate having the opportunity to gain helpful decision-making skills on an issue facing them on a daily basis (if not themselves, they see it effecting their family and friends). The staff and faculty at the school were very kind in letting us know what a positive program this was for their male and female students.
Next, we conducted the “Train the Trainer” session in which professionals from area SARC offices on bases came to learn how to use the interactive approach of the “Can I Kiss You?” program in their own briefings. We discussed handling difficult and/or challenging comments and individuals; how to engage in a creative manner; and how to stay focused and welcoming in a potentially confrontational moment. Everyone was a lot of FUN. You can see the clear passion each of these individuals has for wanting to connect with the men and women on their base!!
Thanks again, Charlotte, for a GREAT day!!
Teach consent to family, friends, and colleagues
Learn how to teach everyone around you about consent through casual conversation at work, at home with your family, at sporting events, and hanging out with friends. The Date Safe Project and Mike Domitrz reveal this simple tip for engaging people in a fun learning moment. Find out how your colleagues, employers, friends, sons, daughters, partners, boyfriend, girlfriends, teenagers, and others react and then SHARE their reaction with us in the “Leave a reply” box below.
Talking about and practicing today’s challenge will help people realize how important and VALUED consent is in all aspects of life. As we make consent the standard for treating people with respect, males and females are more likely to be comfortable discussing sexual consent with each other before engaging in sexual activity – thus creating much safer intimacy and helping reduce sexual assault.
To receive the “Challenge of the Day” every Monday – Friday, subscribe to our blog in the upper right-hand column of The Date Safe Project blog.
REMEMBER to share what you experience in the “Leave a Reply” box below!!
Welcome to 2009 Blog
Welcome to our 2009 Blog. As you can see, we have included posts from our previous blogs from 2007 – 2008 before we took a break to remodel our online community which is now launching in the summer of 2009.
The Date Safe Project blog is a CONVERSATION and so please engage and SHARE with everyone here by utilizing the “Comments” after each post. You will find posts for parents, educators, students, and caring individuals & organizations addressing dating, intimacy, decision-making, and sexual assault. While having fun sharing your thoughts with us, please keep comments positive in tone. THANKS!
Lets make a difference together,
Mike Domitrz
Person of the WEEK
The Date Safe Project’s first PERSON of the WEEK is Cheri, a strong and courageous sexual assault survivor who inspired me to begin speaking out against sexual assault / rape and would go on to inspire the founding of The Date Safe Project, Inc. at http://www.DateSafeProject.org and now The Date Safe Foundation (the new non-profit organization being established). Cheri’s strength, determination, will, and love for her family are a few of the reasons she has been a special role model to all us here at The Date Safe Project, Inc..
As I travel the country speaking in schools, on college campuses, and on military bases, audience members are continually moved by Cheri’s story. Many individuals come up to me to share how amazing Cheri is and how much her story has helped them personally. In 2005, Cheri chose to share her journey in the book Voices of Courage: Inspiration from Survivors of Sexual Assault (at http://www.VoicesOfCourage.com). Her sharing has positively touched thousands of people around the world.
To many people, they refer to Cheri as their “Coach,” I am blessed to call her my sister. Cheri, I love you and thanks for all you have done and continue to do!
WHO IS YOUR “Person of the Week”? Share your nomination for a future “Person of the Week” by typing your recommendation in the “Leave a Reply” box below. Each week, a new group of individuals will be considered and one will be announced. Get your nomination in today!
P.S. To follow each week’s “Person of the Week” and our daily “Challenge of the Day,” subscribe to our YouTube page at http://www.YouTube.com/DateSafeProject.org and follow us on Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/DateSafeProject
Monday, June 15th Challenge of the Day
The Date Safe Project’s Challenge for the Day today is to tell us WHO is YOUR “Person of the Week” – find at least one person in your life who has positively influenced you on relationships, intimacy, equality, and in honoring sexual assault survivors. Then, thank the person. Look him or her right in the eye and let this special person know how much you appreciate him or her.
Next, tell us about the person and what they did to make a difference in the “Leave a Reply” box below:
Here is the video of today’s “Challenge of the Day”:
Sexual Assault Awareness Signs Being Torn Down at Princeton
SpeakOut is a simple posting found in bathroom stalls all over Princeton’s campus. SpeakOut is thought provoking and raises awareness about sexual harassment and assault. Unfortunately, their signs are disappearing. Why? The people who make up the SpeakOut group believe it is a form a protest.
The SpeakOut group was formed because it was recognized that 1 in 12 college men have conducted themselves in such a way that they have met the legal definition of rape. Additionally, the group disagrees with current slang found on campus that degrades women and makes light of sexual assault.
Click here to read more.
SpeakOut would like to see the issues of campus sexual assault and date rape recognized. Instead their message is being torn down – literally. We encourage SpeakOut to stay determined – as many of us around the country support their efforts!!
Students, Teachers, Parents, and Administrators Tackle Sexual Harrassment
Monday, February 4, 2008 marks the third annual “National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week’. Beginning Monday, students across the country will begin campaigns bringing to light this reality among our children. Sadly, this reality has been an unnoticed problem for a long time.
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) a reported 9% of American teens reported they have been physically hurt by their boyfriend or girlfriend. Even more frightening is the way technology is being used to stalk, intimidate and abuse our children. Many teens are embarrassed to admit this is going on and it goes unreported.
As parents, educators, and law enforcement, it is our responsibility to teach our children that violence and dating is not ok, to identify what is acceptable behavior, and what to do if they do not like how they are being treated. We need to give them the tools to stay safe and date safe!
Here are some great links for more information: www.TheSafeSpace.org and www.BreakTheCycle.org
SHARE In the "Comments" section what students are doing in your area. If you have ideas for schools, parents, or law enforcement, share with us.
Helping it RAINN for sexual assault survivors across the country.
If you are aware of R.A.I.N.N. (the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network), you know the wonderful work Scott Berkewitz and his entire staff does for survivors. When sexual assault survivors e-mail us asking for resources available to them outside of their local area, R.A.I.N.N. always does a great job of supporting those individuals.
How can you help? The next time you have a member or friend is having a birthday, send a donation in their name to R.A.I.N.N.. Your gift will be a great sign of you thinking of your friend. Plus, you get to make a positive difference.
Scott Berkewitz and I just got off the phone. He was telling me about their new 24/7 Campaign you can contribute to. Visit them at www.rainn.org and check it out.
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr., His Legacy, & Respect
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” On this day set aside to remember and honor the positive impact he had on our world, may we all work to mold a new consensus of respect of all people, males and females.
May we work to insure “respect” is ingrained in every aspect of our society – from a 4 year old born into financial poverty to the wealthiest and most powerful leaders in our world. For if respect was truly given and received by all and to all, we would have little need for the work many of us do.
Thank you, Martin Luther King Jr., for improving our world. While many of today’s society were never alive to meet you or hear your words in-person, your legacy lives forever!
