NDCAWS/CASAND 4th Annual Unity Month Conference

September 30 and October 1, 2009

Radisson Hotel ~ Bismarck, ND

Keynote SpeakersDONNA GARSKE For the past 29 years, Donna Garske has been a part of the international movement to end violence against women. Over the years, she has provided leadership on numerous national and state levels and training and consulting services to several state domestic violence coalitions. Currently, she is Executive Director of MARIN ABUSED WOMEN’S SERVICES, San Rafael, CA, and Founder and Director of Transforming Communities: Technical Assistance and Training Center (TC-TAT). Donna also works with the Network of East/West Women to create dialogue and linkages with women in Eastern/Central Europe and the Former Soviet Union about violence against women. In 1995, the Gimble Foundation and the Journal of Primary Prevention selected Donna as a national scholar for her innovative work on the prevention of women abuse. Prior to her work in the violence against women arena, Donna worked in the prison reform movement in both Oregon and California. In 1997, she was inducted in the Marin County Women’s Hall of Fame in recognition of her work for safety and justice for women and girls. In 2004, Donna received the Sunshine National Peace Award.

JUDY BENITEZ is executive director of Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault (LaFASA), the state’s coalition of sexual assault crisis centers and other agencies concerned with sexual violence. LaFASA’s mission is to work toward ending sexual violence in Louisiana through education, program support and social change. Ms. Benitez has worked with victims of crime since 1990, serving as victim advocate and program director for the 21st District Attorney’s Tri-Parish Victims Assistance and Rape Crisis Programs from 1990 to 1993 and executive director of LaFASA since 1993. She is a former president of the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Ms. Benitez holds a Master’s degree in counseling from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University.

DAVID R. THOMAS, M.S., is program administrator of the Domestic Violence Education Program, which is sponsored by Johns Hopkins University’s Division of Public Safety Leadership. Dedicated to combating domestic violence, he serves on numerous national boards, councils, committees and state organizations. Mr. Thomas teaches courses relating to violence against women as well as other assigned courses in the division’s Police Executive Leadership Program at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. He coordinates with law enforcement agencies and citizens to provide training to investigators on violence against women crimes regionally, nationally and internationally. Mr. Thomas also provides technical assistance as well as curriculum and policy development to law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and numerous government and private stakeholders throughout the nation on violence against women issues and crimes.

Our MissionThe mission of NDCAWS/CASAND is to provide leadership and support in the identification, intervention, and prevention of domestic and sexual violence.

Our Ambition and VisionEducating stakeholders by unifying programs and leadership, and creating public policy

Challenging ideas and attitudes that perpetuate violence

Promoting safety, peace and respect for all people

Building a legacy of healthy communities with an emphasis on people

Uniting stakeholders in purposeful action by promoting the recognition of domestic violence and sexual assault as an important societal priority

Demonstrating that all people have a stake in the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault

North Dakota Council on Abused Women’s Services / Coalition Against Sexual Assault in North Dakota

register online at www.ndcaws.org

Invited SpeakersJANELLE MOOS, M.S.Executive Director, North Dakota Council on Abused Women’s Services/Coalition Against Sexual Assault in North Dakota, Bismarck, ND

JEANINE HAYS, J.D.Program and Policy Associate, Family Violence Prevention Fund, San Francisco, CA

CHRISTINE STARK, M.F.A. Researcher, Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition; Adjunct Instructor, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul and St. Cloud Technical College, St. Cloud; Little Falls, MN

TERESA ATKINSON, B.A. Technology Safety Program Coordinator, Washington

State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Seattle, WA

STEPHEN WONDERLICH, Ph.D.Co-Director of the Eating Disorders Institute, MeritCare Health System, Fargo, ND

KARI KERR, M.A. LPCPrevention and Education Program Coordinator, Community Violence Intervention Center, Inc., Grand Forks, ND

AMY S. NELSON Executive Director, Fair Housing of the Dakotas, Bismarck, ND

DANA MEES Administrative Coordinator, North Dakota Council on Abused Women’s Services / Coalition Against Sexual Assault in North Dakota, Bismarck, ND

Conference AgendaWEDNESDAY – SEPTEMBER 30

Registration

Opening Remarks: Janelle Moos

Opening Keynote: Donna GarskeTransforming Communities: Creating Safety, Justice and Equality

Break

Workshops:A. Judy Benitez: Working with People Living in PovertyB. David Thomas: Women’s Use of ViolenceC. Life After Fear Group: TBDD. Dr. Wonderlich: Sexual Assault and the Effects on the Brain

Lunch (on your own)

Workshops: A. David Thomas: Women’s Use of ViolenceB. Teresa Atkinson & Dana Mees: Technology SafetyC. Dr. Wonderlich: Sexual Assault and the Effects on the Brain D. Jeanine C. Hays: kNOwMORE: Stopping Violence, Sexual Coercion and their Reproductive Health Consequences

Break

Workshops:A. Donna Garske: Instigate! Transforming CommunitiesB. Judy Benitez: Working with People Living in PovertyC. Kari Kerr: Abuse Later in LifeD. Christine Stark: Prostitution & Trafficking of Native American Women

THURSDAY – OCTOBER 1

General Information

Keynote: David Thomas Trauma Survivors and Law Enforcement: Unintended Consequences and Righting the Ship

Break

Workshops: A. Jeanine C. Hays: kNOwMORE: Stopping Violence, Sexual Coercion and their Reproductive Health Consequences B. Donna Garske: Clergy and Advocacy: Working TogetherC. Teresa Atkinson & Dana Mees: Technology Safety D. David Thomas: Officer Burnout: Responding to Domestics

Break

Lunch Keynote: Judy BenitezRepresentations of Violence Against Women in Popular Culture

Break

Workshops:A. Life After Fear Group: TBDB. Kari Kerr: Abuse Later in Life C. Amy Nelson: Housing and Domestic ViolenceD. Christine Stark: Prostitution & Trafficking of Native American Women

Break

Endnote: Judy BenitezIntersection of Crimes of Personal Violence

NDCAWS/CASAND 4th Annual Unity Month ConferenceSeptember 30 and October 1, 2009

Radisson Hotel ~ Bismarck, ND

7:30a - 8:30a

8:30a - 8:45a

8:45a - 10:15a

10:15a - 10:30a

10:30a - 12:00p

12:00p - 1:15p

1:15p - 2:45p

2:45p - 3:00p

3:00p - 4:30p

8:15a - 8:30a

8:30a - 10:00a

10:00a - 10:15a

10:15a - 11:45a

11:45a - 12:00p

12:00p - 1:30p

1:30p - 1:45p

1:45p - 3:15p

3:15p - 3:30p

3:30p - 5:00p

CASSANDRA AWARDNDCAWS/CASAND will be presenting the first annual Cassandra Award at this year’s Unity Month Conference.

Cassandra was a wild woman – the kind who climbed to the top of a windmill in a thunderstorm to see brighter lightning and hear louder thunder. She even made her own thunder and lightning. No doubt people avoided her, or simply dismissed her as mad, foolish or self-absorbed. She embarrassed and frightened them because she challenged their vision of the world, and in their heart of hearts they knew she spoke the truth.

We need more Cassandras who can break through the complacency and awaken in us the truth that we know already – that in North Dakota, violence against women occurs every day. This award honors professionals who have worked in communities across the state to combat violence against women.

For more information or to request a nomination packet for your own Cassandra, please visit our website at www.ndcaws.org or call us at 1-888-255-6240.

CONFERENCE LOCATIONRadisson Inn605 East Broadway Ave., Bismarck, ND 58501Phone: (701) 255-6000

Hotel/Lodging Information

The deadline for special conference rate room reservations is August 24, 2009. To guarantee this rate, ask for a reservation with the North Dakota Council on Abused Women’s Services.

Room rates: $70 single -- $80 double

This conference would not be possible without the help of the following sponsors:

This project was supported by Grant Numbers 2004-WE-AX-0051 and 2008-TA-AX-0038 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed at this conference are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

North Dakota Council on Abused Women’s Services

418 East Rosser Avenue, Suite 320

Bismarck, ND 58501