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Supervisor Ranalli recommending the Board:
1) Receive a presentation provided by the Center for Violence-Free Relationships on efforts to recognize April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month;
2) Receive a presentation provided by the Center for Violence-Free Relationships on this year's Annual "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" event, scheduled for Saturday, April 14th at 10:00 am at Town Hall in Placerville, and
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign a Proclamation recognizing April 2018 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. (Est. Time: 15 Min.)
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The Center for Violence-Free Relationships has a rich history dating back to its inception in 1979. For over 35 years, the Center has been healing children and families whose lives have been impacted by sexual assault and domestic violence. The Center is recognized at the local, state and national level for its innovative, groundbreaking programs, and its ability to provide essential services to families in need.
The Center was initially founded by members of the El Dorado County Commission on the Status of Women to meet the needs of displaced homemakers. In 1981, the Center shifted its focus from meeting the needs of displaced homemakers to providing services to victims of domestic violence when it became apparent that many of our displaced homemakers were displaced due to domestic violence and sexual assault.
There is new information surfacing about children and trauma and in 2013 the Center began to incorporate this new knowledge into our service delivery programs in order to impact the inter-generational transmission of interpersonal violence (IGTIV) in our local community. Utilizing a Theory of Change to narrow our target population and increase our effectiveness and accountability, the Center became a performance driven organization measuring the impact each program and service is having towards stopping IGTIV.
Rather than focusing on victim centric services that are ineffective at eliminating recidivism and do not address the root causes of domestic violence and sexual assault; focusing on the next generation will give the Center the chance to actually eliminate domestic violence.
The Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event is a playful event that allows men the opportunity to raise awareness about the very serious issues of sexual assault and domestic violence. The goal of the walk is to raise community awareness about the vital role men play in eliminating violence against women.
On Saturday, April 14, 2018, The Center will hold our Annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event on Placerville’s Historic Main Street where men will step into some crazy large women’s high heels and walk a mile to raise awareness about violence against women and girls.