#saam2017

Another great message for #sexualassaultawarenessmonth #saam2017 #consent #youneedconsent #sexualassault

Sexual Assault Awareness is everyone's business. Too many times survivors are ridiculed and silenced. I stand with and support survivors. APRIL is (and every other month should be) Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

"The estimated lifetime cost of rape was $122,461 per victim, or a population economic burden of nearly $3.1 trillion over victims' lifetimes, based on data indicating 25 million U.S. adults have been raped. This estimate included $1.2 trillion (39% of total) in medical costs; $1.6 trillion (52%) in lost work productivity among victims and perpetrators; $234 billion (8%) in criminal justice activities; and $36 billion (1%) in other costs, including victim property loss or damage. Government sources pay an estimated $1 trillion (32%) of the lifetime economic burden." | Art: Betsy Walton | This data was taken from the National Institute of Health's study on the individual + societal economic costs of sexual violence. Survivors and many who serve them, have long known that trauma impacts our physical, mental and spiritual health + wellness, and those effects may be experienced in the immediate aftermath, or sometimes months, years + decades after the abuse has ended. The ACE Study (Adverse Childhood Experiences) conducted by Kaiser and the CDC has now documented this correlation between childhood experiences, specifically, and our longer-term physical, mental + behavioral health outcomes. While we learn - out of necessity - incredible ways to cope + survive after trauma, the way its residue lingers in our tissues and bones, the complex and interconnected systems of our body that allow for our organism to function in an optimal way, our dreams and relationships, our beliefs and our choices, our identities and our somatic sense of being in a body - remain undeniable. Our mission is to build a culture that recognizes trauma's nuanced, layered + generational impacts on the body, mind + soul, and one that can deliver trauma-informed, financially accessible, cultural competent, holistic healing care to people - whether it has been 6 weeks, 5 years or decades since the trauma/s occurred. What kind of social, financial, physical, inter + intrapersonal burdens would survivors + their communities be liberated from if each person was met with this level of care? We are working every single day, across countless healing arts + wellness disciplines to find out. #saam2017

For 30 Days of SAAM Day 20- Inspiration (this is probably the only one I'll do) "Be the person you needed when you were younger" It could be 6 year old me, sexually abused by my another child in my class, or 20 year old me, sexually abused by my first boyfriend. I want to be the hero I needed back then, I want to encourage myself to keep going, to tell myself that I AM worth something. I want to only show love for myself. I also want to try to be that for other people. I would write more but, suddenly I'm at a loss for words.

“Creativity is a core part of the self. Tapping into our creative source can help us make sense of what we may not be able to understand cognitively and communicate what we may not be able to say verbally. The act of creating art can be both cathartic and grounding, and reflecting on the art process and product can lead to significant insight that is often difficult to verbalize. Since art making can also evoke insecurities and challenges, my role as an art therapist is to cultivate a safe, supportive, non-judgmental space for you to engage in new forms of expression and help guide reflection of your work.” -Kristina Vogt | Art: "Remember to Exhale" by @bonniedorgelo | On this second day of SAAM, we are featuring Art Therapy. If you are interested in learning basic principles and approaches of art therapy, understanding the benefits of connecting to the creative source as a form of trauma recovery, and gaining tools to engage in basic art activities as a form of expression, connection, stress reduction, and self-reflection, please consider listening to the 30 minute teleseminar, Artful Healing: Understanding Art Therapy & Trauma Teleseminar, that Kristina facilitated for our community. Link in profile. #saam2017 #30DaysofHolisticHealing #arttherapy #sexualassault #survivor #traumaresilience #holistichealing #embodiedjustice #mindbodysoul #artistherapy

#saam #saam2017 (at Falucka Lounge NYC)

Take this SAAM survey! Pass it on to anyone you know it’d be greatly appreciated it’s for my women's studies course!

Take this sexual assault survey please it’d be greatly appreciated! Thank you!