(KSAVE NewsletterJanuary 15th, 2011 Kirkwood Sexual Assault
Violence EducationProviding Awareness, education, and support for
the prevention and advocacy of sexual assault to ALL students)
( Upcoming EventsClothes Line Project in March The Clothesline
Project is a visual display of shirts with graphic messages and
illustrations that have been designed by survivors of violence or
by someone who knows a victim who was killed. The purpose of the
Project is to increase awareness of the impact of violence against
the victims, to celebrate a survivors’ strength to survive and to
provide another avenue for them to courageously break the silence
that often surrounds their experience.Take Back the Night in April
Take back the night is a powerful event for all survivors of sexual
assault. This night will take place on April 1st on KCC campus. The
night will begin with a march around KCC campus, followed by
presentations from area sexual assault awareness groups and end
with “A Speak Out”. The “Speak Out” will be an opportunity for
anyone to tell their story if they wish. They can do this
anonymously by writing their thoughts down on a paper and have it
read by someone else, or they can stand and speak for themselves if
they wish.~Look for more posts and event information as we get
closer to April 1st 2011~) (Left to Right: Chris, Jennifer, Ashley,
MindySTAFF CONTACT INFORMATIONJennifer Upah, AdvisorCertified
Sexual Assault CounselorTEXT number
[email protected] Pfab, PresidentPeer support
[email protected] Hawkins, Vice
PresidentChris Soenen, Secretary ) (Never bend you Head. Hold it
high. Look the world ~ May you Live, Love, Laugh, Sing & Dance
~Live ~ May you get your Life back and Live the rest of your life.
Letting go of the anger allows you to grieve, heal and then forgive
as you take your life back. Love ~ May you find the strength to
allow your heart to love yourself again. Laugh ~ Laughter is the
best medicine. Sing ~ doesn’t matter if you can or not. It gets you
laughing. And the last thing ~ May you Dance. Dancing makes the
heart lighter, allowing the pain of the past to slowly lose its
grip. All of these things together make the heart softer, the walls
come down, and the smile to return to your face. ~ May this be the
year you experience all of the above ~ ) (Never bend you Head. Hold
it high. Look the world ~ 2011 ~ 2011. This is a new year. As I
reflect upon my life, almost 39 years, I have overcome so much. I
have overcome my deafness, the silence of my sexual abuse, and the
trials of my divorce. I have become the woman I so desired to be.
Thus, I’ve seen the Light. This is the year for all of us and we,
at KSAVE are here to help you make 2011 YOUR year! APRIL is Sexual
Assault Awareness Month. April 1st we will have our first Annual
“Take Back the Night”. This evening will be a very powerful evening
as you “take back the night”. I hope you take this opportunity to
come together as survivors and as supporters to your loved ones. I
have this quote that I live by everyday and it has helped me
through my ordeal. ) (Volume: #1, Issue #3)
(Behind each human face is a hidden world that no one can see.We
cannot continue to seek outside ourselves for the things we need
from within.The demons will haunt us if we remain afraid.Silence is
one of the great victims of modern culture.-John O'Donohue)
(Survivor’s WallAs I sit and write this letter, thinking about the
perfect blend of poetic words and stories to shed some light onto a
possible dark day and offer peace and hope to all that read. I
realize, that it doesn’t truly matter what I write; it’s not about
me. There is no magic group of words that will make this any easier
for each one of us, nor are we all the same. All of you are unique
in our experiences, thus unique in our healing. So although I can’t
offer the perfect blend of magic potion to ease the pain of all
that our suffering, I do hope to offer support and allow someone to
open the heart a bit wider in order for them to realize the support
that IS out there, if you allow yourself to receive the support.It
is Dec 31st. New Year’s Eve. As I reflect upon 2010 I think there
were a lot of ups and downs, a lot of things making my life more
difficult, bringing tears, pain, and sleepless nights. More
importantly though is what DID happen. On Aug 25 I met a woman,
whom I would consider my closest friend, one whom I look up to,
confidante if you will. I was shown life could be different. So, I
started down this road of healing. I have been on the path to
recovery for 5 months now. WOW. I thought I would never have the
strength to even tell my story, let alone start down this path to
reclaim my life. What otherwise would have been a dreary end to my
2010, this step made my 2010 the most amazing year. I am so proud,
and yet so humbled by the steps I have taken. There have been
moments I feel as if I’m literally on top of the world, and then 3
minutes later triggered, and I feel lower than the dirt again. Some
may ask,” if that’s what I have to look forward to, the ups and
downs, than why venture onto the path.” The point is, everyone’s
life is a series of ups and downs- why not go somewhere with them.
You see, you can sit in place and ride the rollercoaster of life,
or you can step out and go somewhere. Undoubtedly you will trip and
fall and it will hurt, but when you get back up you are further
along than where you were when you first began.So that’s my New
Year’s resolution for everyone. First, reflect upon 2010, and help
it to make 2011 the best year yet. If you haven’t yet told anyone
your story, reach out. If you haven’t asked for help, reach out. If
you have done all these things, and still are in pain- REACH OUT.
Make 2011 the BEST year. Someone told me last week, “Mindy, you
have a choice. You can be miserable, or, you can exchange the gift
of misery for life.” SO, I choose life. What do you choose? Do you
have someone close to do a “gift exchange” if you will? If not,
than reach out for help in the community, resources are available
24 hrs a day. WE, at K-save are available 24/7- you just have to
reach out. Reaching out and receiving help is the first step onto
that path. The path leads to peace, happiness, and light. Will you
see the light this year in 2011!?! We sincerely hope so, and are
here to show you how the light in our once dark lives has given us
peace and our lives back. KSAVE is here to show you the ways in
which you can have it shining within your own. Take that first step
- REACH. ~ Mindy ~ ~ Mindy ~ ) (ActHelp your friend identify
support systems and provide information on local crisis or mental
health providers.• You may accompany your friend to either the
hospital or the Police station. With permission from your friend,
enlist other friends and family to help.Stay with your friend
through the healing process.Don’t pressure your friend to resume
sexual relationships until she/he is ready. This may take some
time.) (SupportAvoid treating your friend like a helpless
victim.Healing takes time. Respect your friend’s pace and be
patient.Accept your friend’s decision whether to report the assault
and/or to cooperate with the prosecution.Help your friend with
plans, but don’t make decisions for her/him.Respect your friend’s
right to tell or not tell others about the assault.Only give advice
if and when your friend asks for it.EducateRemind your friend that
sexual assault is a crime and is never the victim’s fault.Remind
your friend that millions of people have experienced sexual assault
and that she/he is not alone.) (Every month, the “survivor corner”
of the newsletter will be a special part that will be filled with
personal recovery stories, inspirational quotes, special guest
interviews with sexual assault victims, speakers and survivors,
useful recovery and self care tips, inspiring poems and artwork,
healing information, and more. There is not a bar on what can be
contributed, as each person is in their own stage of the
“process.”If you would like to express your emotions, and we hope
that you do, please leave out any names, or personal information
you wouldn’t want shared. Everything expressed, as well as anything
spoken to the officers will be kept in confidence. We PROMISE that
everything stays confidential. So with that we leave this in your
hands. We hope this newsletter will help you wherever you’re at in
your healing process.) (~ Sexual Assault Support Group ~ Meets
every Wednesday in the Gritter Room. Starting January 12, 2011 from
11 am to Noon.) (Abbe Center 520 11th Street NW Cedar Rapids (319)
398-3562Area Substance Abuse Council 3601 16th Avenue SW Cedar
Rapids (319) 390-4611First Call for Help Cedar Rapids
739-4211Foundation II Crisis Line 1714 Johnson Ave NW Cedar Rapids
(319) 362-2174Jane Boyd Community House 943 14th Avenue SE Cedar
Rapids (319) 398-3375Linn County Public Health Dept 501 13th Street
NW Cedar Rapids (319) 892-6000 [email protected] Phillips
DV Shelter 318 5th Street SE Cedar Rapids 24-Hour Crisis Line (319)
363-2093 or (800) 208-0388House of Hope 319.366.4673Rape
ResourcesSexual Assault/Rape Crisis Line Waypoint 318 5th St SE
Cedar Rapids (319) 363-5490 (800) 208-0389Rape Victim Advocacy
Program (800) 284-7821National Domestic Violence Hotline (800)
799-SAFERape, Abuse & Incest National Network (800)
656-HOPEIowa Sexual Abuse Hotline (800) 284-7821Rape Victim
Advocacy Program 320 South Linn Street Iowa City (319) 335-6000
http://www.uiowa.edu/~rvapWomen's Resource & Action Ctr. /
University of Iowa .Iowa City (319) 335-1486Deaf Iowans Against
Abuse (DIAA) Jennifer Upah, Program Director Crisis Hotline
515-867-8177(text only)) (Survivors Corner) (Delete text andinsert
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Continue newsletter text here. ) (Delete box or insert a tag line
or quote here.) (Delete box or add photo caption here. ) (Volume:
#1, Issue #1) (Use this area for bullet point call outs.Use this
area for bullet point call outs.Use this area for bullet point call
outs.Use this area for bullet point call outs.Use this area for
bullet point call outs.) (NEWSLETTER HEADLINE HERE) (Volume: #1,
Issue #1) (November 15th, 2010) (Date: Month Day, Year) (Volume:
#1, Issue #1)
