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Sponsored by The Do Write Campaign and Joyful Heart Foundation, the conference took an in-depth look at the issue of sexual violence and the social and political response today.
Poth ran “The Call to Parents” workshop, where she stressed the importance of teaching healthy sexuality at developmentally appropriate intervals as a key prevention measure.
Poth said children are more likely to keep abuse a secret, because they do not possess the understanding or language to disclose it.“We need to teach our children about empathy, boundaries, and the power of being an upstander. Perpetrators depend on secrecy and silence in order to carry out their crimes,'' she said. "Children with little or no knowledge of these essential pieces are more likely to keep abuse a secret. For they do not possess the understanding, or language, to disclose it.”
Buchanan sat on “The Call to Action” panel, where she discussed the progress of the movement over the last two years, and gave recommendations for building grassroots efforts to combat sexual violence and rally awareness around the issue.
"The Center was thrilled to be able to participate in the Fearless conference,'' Buchanan said. "Since our work on the state level has evolved over the years, most recently including focus on prevention education for grades K-12, it was interesting and validating to know that we're aligned with, if not ahead of, the national conversation about sexual violence."
Buchanan was joined on the panel by educator and activist Ilena Jimenez, Students Active For Ending Rape (SAFER) representative Sarah Merriman and National Organization for Women-NYC representative, Jean Bucaria.
The mission of The Center is to provide counseling and support services to victims of sexual assault and to eliminate sexual violence through community-wide education programs. Confidential services are accessible around the clock, available both English and Spanish.
Through a crisis hotline, individual short-term counseling and advocacy, support groups, and community-wide prevention education programs, The Center served more than 20,000 people over the last year alone. The Center supports the communities of Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Weston, Westport and Wilton.
For more information, contact The Center at 203-348-9346 or click here to visit its website.
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