What We Do
The following are services provided by WCASA:
Publications - We produce Connections, a quarterly educational journal; Information sheets with current statistics, statutes and general information; training and organizing manuals; networking directories; and membership newsletters.
Trainings - We conduct several trainings each year, including large, statewide, multi-issue conferences, as well as small site-specific trainings to meet the needs of community-based programs and professionals whose work intersects with the lives of sexual violence victims (criminal justice, victim advocacy, health care, etc...).
Public Awareness - We conduct statewide public awareness campaigns designed to educate communities in Wisconsin about sexual assault. WCASA also produces other media intended to educate the public and to challenge social myths and attitudes which pertpetuate sexual violence.Information and referrals - from WCASA Staff, as well as, a Resource Library which houses the most comprehensive collection of books, journals, and videos on all aspects of sexual violence prevention, intervention, and treatment available in Wisconsin. WCASA's Resource Library is open to the public during normal business hours (8:30 - 4:30 M-F).
Policy Development - WCASA monitors legislation that impacts survivors and service providers. We also lobby both statewide and nationally to create laws that improve the protection of WI citizens against sexual violence, advocate on behalf of victims, and hold sexual perpetrators accountable. Membership - We support a network of community based agencies and individuals dedicated to ending sexual violence and/or offering support and advocacy services to victims of sexual violence and their families. Advocacy - We work with statewide systems and agencies on behalf of the needs and interests of all sexual violence victims. WCASA works to provide a collective voice for all citizens, statewide, whose lives have been touched by the devastation of sexual violation.
GRANTS/FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH WCASA
Each year the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Inc. (WCASA) receives funding from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services to award grants to sexual assault service providers (SASPs) and other community agencies from around the state to promote sexual assault prevention education.
Current Grant/Funding Opportunities
For more information about current programs, the application process, and future funding cycles contact our Grants Administrator.
Current Programs/Projects Funded by WCASA
From July 1, 2006 to June 15, 2007, sixteen SASPs will strive to promote sexual assault prevention education for youth. Each SASP was awarded up to $10,000 to structure a prevention education program appropriate for youth in their community. Additionally, six grants ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 were awarded to SASPs and community agencies to promote sexual assault prevention education for underserved populations. Each program developed a culturally appropriate project for a specific population.A variety of projects were funded. A short summary of each project is listed below.
Sexual Assault Prevention Education for Underserved Populations Grants
The Parenting Network (Milwaukee) will implement the RELATE Project, an educational group that is an evidence based sexual violence prevention program. The Parenting network is the only organization in Wisconsin implementing this program which focuses on students from grades 5-12. RELATE teaches adolescents the characteristics of positive relationships, the need to recognize their own vulnerability, ways to be alert in their social environments, how to utilize proactive communication styles, and to report incidences of abuse to an adult they trust. The emphasis for grades 5,6, and 7 builds on friendship and bullying issues, while dating relationships and expectations receive special attention for grades 8-12.
Reach Counseling Services (Winnebago County) education work began to address a more universal community based approach to prevention in the Hispanic and Native American populations two years ago. In the coming grant cycle, more focus will be given to prevention programming directed at parents, teachers, church and community groups to address the underlying causes of gender discrimination, male privilege/entitlement, cultural myths and stereotypes around relational behaviors and barriers to identifying and reporting in these two populations. Staff will implement the methods developed by Darkness 2 Light, a national organization that works to prevent sexual violence.
The Sexual Assault Recovery Program of Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois (Rock County), in collaboration with the Beloit School District Even Start Family Literacy Program, will work with Latino families to promote an attitude of mutual respect and intolerance toward sexual violence. By working together they will be able to address the elements that lead to sexual violence in a coordinated age appropriate curriculum; culminating in shared family activities to help reinforce positive changes that develop. The project will promote healthy relationships, mutual respect, self esteem, and choices based on future opportunities and will work with Even Start’s parenting classes, scouting programs, and adult literacy classes. As the project progresses leaders from each age group within the Even Start Family Literacy Program’s Latino community will work with SARP to develop ways to bring what has been learned to the greater Latino community in the Stateline area. This will provide the Stateline Latino community with the multigenerational framework that will promote community, respect and zero tolerance toward sexual violence.
The Sexual Assault Center of Family Services (Brown, Door and Oconto Counties) will provide sexual violence primary prevention programming to the Hispanic, Southeast Asian, Native American and Developmentally Disabled populations in their part of Northeast Wisconsin. Middle and high school youth from the target populations will learn information that challenges negative beliefs and attitudes that contribute to perpetrator behaviors. SAC will teach youth to condone sexual violence and utilize safety measures that reduce the risk of being victimized in ways that are culturally and linguistically specific. Parents and adults from the target populations will receive information on their responsibility to protect children from sexual violence by dispelling myths, beliefs, practices, and attitudes that condone sexual violence, while learning protective behaviors to teach their children in culturally and linguistically specific ways. SAC will also work to form collaborations with other community agencies that will strive to change the social norms around sexual violence.
New Concept Self Development Center, Inc (Milwaukee) will use the dating-violence prevention program Safe Dates to change norms surrounding teen dating sexual and domestic violence, increase awareness of the connection between gender stereotyping and relationship violence, and increase teen’s knowledge of resources to help themselves or friends in violent/unhealthy dating relationships. If truth be told…Teen Pregnancy, Public Health and the Cycle of Poverty published by the United Way of Milwaukee in 2006 reported that 42% of sexually active teens under age 15 reported that their first intercourse was nonconsensual, and 71% of children born to teen mothers are fathered by a man who is over 20 years old. In 20% of these cases the father is more than 6 years older than the mother. The Safe Dates program will address the concerns raised in the United Way report through changing norms that accept these unhealthy and violent sexual relationships. Selected teens will become peer educators who will teach their peers what they have learned about sexual violence prevention through peer-to-peer education sessions and a community rally.
The Milwaukee Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center will work with other LGB&T centered agencies in Wisconsin to develop a pilot program that will prevent sexual violence in same-sex relationships.
